afflicted with
just about every ailment under the sun. Pretty much her whole life.”
“I had no idea.”
“Yeah, well, the heart thing is just another one of her
background conditions. It’s all about the cancer right now. If she survives
this, she’ll probably outlive us all.”
“Oh,” I mumbled. “Marie made it sound like...”
“Marie’s a busy body. Likes to hear herself talk.” Toby said
the words without anger, despite the dig at Marie.
“Seems she also likes you.” I tried to lighten the
mood. “Said you were easy on the eyes.”
“Hey, we need the help, so I do what I can to keep those
women coming back. I’m always polite, but I got them figured out,” Toby said,
with an air of knowing. “Mrs. D and the rest of those church ladies are all
about the eye-candy. Every so often, I walk around without my shirt on.”
About to pick up a shovel, I burst out laughing.
“You are a real piece of work.”
He grinned and said, “Thanks.”
I had a feeling Toby would keep me amused all week.
“Euphegenia. What a name,” I mused, tickled that he
remembered it.
“I’ll score a copy of the movie so we can watch it together
sometime.” The offer was casual.
“Sure. Sounds like fun,” I replied, certain it would never
happen.
Our project continued the next day much like the first. Toby
came home, changed clothes, and met me in the yard with a bottle of water in
hand. He gnawed a toothpick as he worked.
Ripping open a bag of peat moss, he asked, “Where do you
want this, Claude?”
“Here,” I pointed at my feet. “And I prefer to be called
Claud- dia .”
“Okay, Claude.” When I sighed, he just smiled and emptied
the bag, before picking up his shovel again. “You are so serious. You’re
allowed to have some fun, you know.”
“I am having fun. I’m always happy when I plan something and
accomplish it.”
He chuckled and rested his hands on the handle. “Wow, such a
life of purpose.”
I stopped shoveling. Self-conscious, I raised my eyes to his
face. “Does that make me seem weird?”
He shrugged. “Nah. Just focused, I suppose.”
“What about you? What kind of things do you want to
accomplish?”
“Gonna climb Mount Everest, but only after I learn to speak
Mandarin and recite the alphabet backwards twenty times in under one minute,”
he smiled. “World record on that last one.”
“You’re insane.” I shook my head. “Seriously, you’re not
going back to Florida, are you?”
He stopped and eyed me before answering. “Julia told you I
was in Florida?”
I nodded.
“Nah, I’m not going back there. Too hot. But as soon I can,
I’m getting the hell out of here .” He stomped heavily on the butt of the
shovel blade, and it disappeared into the dirt.
“Why?” I watched him maneuver a heavy load of soil with
ease.
“'Cause unlike you, I don’t have a plan.”
“You could take a few liberal arts classes at Suffolk
Community,” I offered, thinking I could help Mrs. Faye out by touting the
benefits of staying home. “Maybe you’ll find something that interests you. How
about criminal justice?”
“School has never been my thing.” He shook his head. “And
the law, even less.”
“There are lots of career offerings. You need to explore the
options,” I insisted.
“I am exploring the options. In other cities. In other
states.” He dropped the shovel, ripped open the last bag of topsoil, and dumped
it. “What about you? You said you applied for a transfer. Where did you apply
to?”
“I’m pretty much set to go to University of Southern California.”
He blew a low whistle. “Maybe we’re not so different after
all. Even you want to get far away from this place.”
“I picked USC because my mother is in San Diego. I’m not trying to get away from Sayville. I love it here.”
“What could you possibly love about this place? Around here,
we’re all labeled, classified in one of two groups. Group one is the bunch that
makes the big
just about every ailment under the sun. Pretty much her whole life.”
“I had no idea.”
“Yeah, well, the heart thing is just another one of her
background conditions. It’s all about the cancer right now. If she survives
this, she’ll probably outlive us all.”
“Oh,” I mumbled. “Marie made it sound like...”
“Marie’s a busy body. Likes to hear herself talk.” Toby said
the words without anger, despite the dig at Marie.
“Seems she also likes you.” I tried to lighten the
mood. “Said you were easy on the eyes.”
“Hey, we need the help, so I do what I can to keep those
women coming back. I’m always polite, but I got them figured out,” Toby said,
with an air of knowing. “Mrs. D and the rest of those church ladies are all
about the eye-candy. Every so often, I walk around without my shirt on.”
About to pick up a shovel, I burst out laughing.
“You are a real piece of work.”
He grinned and said, “Thanks.”
I had a feeling Toby would keep me amused all week.
“Euphegenia. What a name,” I mused, tickled that he
remembered it.
“I’ll score a copy of the movie so we can watch it together
sometime.” The offer was casual.
“Sure. Sounds like fun,” I replied, certain it would never
happen.
Our project continued the next day much like the first. Toby
came home, changed clothes, and met me in the yard with a bottle of water in
hand. He gnawed a toothpick as he worked.
Ripping open a bag of peat moss, he asked, “Where do you
want this, Claude?”
“Here,” I pointed at my feet. “And I prefer to be called
Claud- dia .”
“Okay, Claude.” When I sighed, he just smiled and emptied
the bag, before picking up his shovel again. “You are so serious. You’re
allowed to have some fun, you know.”
“I am having fun. I’m always happy when I plan something and
accomplish it.”
He chuckled and rested his hands on the handle. “Wow, such a
life of purpose.”
I stopped shoveling. Self-conscious, I raised my eyes to his
face. “Does that make me seem weird?”
He shrugged. “Nah. Just focused, I suppose.”
“What about you? What kind of things do you want to
accomplish?”
“Gonna climb Mount Everest, but only after I learn to speak
Mandarin and recite the alphabet backwards twenty times in under one minute,”
he smiled. “World record on that last one.”
“You’re insane.” I shook my head. “Seriously, you’re not
going back to Florida, are you?”
He stopped and eyed me before answering. “Julia told you I
was in Florida?”
I nodded.
“Nah, I’m not going back there. Too hot. But as soon I can,
I’m getting the hell out of here .” He stomped heavily on the butt of the
shovel blade, and it disappeared into the dirt.
“Why?” I watched him maneuver a heavy load of soil with
ease.
“'Cause unlike you, I don’t have a plan.”
“You could take a few liberal arts classes at Suffolk
Community,” I offered, thinking I could help Mrs. Faye out by touting the
benefits of staying home. “Maybe you’ll find something that interests you. How
about criminal justice?”
“School has never been my thing.” He shook his head. “And
the law, even less.”
“There are lots of career offerings. You need to explore the
options,” I insisted.
“I am exploring the options. In other cities. In other
states.” He dropped the shovel, ripped open the last bag of topsoil, and dumped
it. “What about you? You said you applied for a transfer. Where did you apply
to?”
“I’m pretty much set to go to University of Southern California.”
He blew a low whistle. “Maybe we’re not so different after
all. Even you want to get far away from this place.”
“I picked USC because my mother is in San Diego. I’m not trying to get away from Sayville. I love it here.”
“What could you possibly love about this place? Around here,
we’re all labeled, classified in one of two groups. Group one is the bunch that
makes the big
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