Page 23 of Marcus in Retrograde
Shit shit shit.
“I can’t even get ten hours today. Give me a priority, please, Jerry.”
“The two yesterday were new requests. The two today are revisions.”
“That helps a lot, man, thank you. I cannot possibly get these done today, but I will get as much of the revisions done as I can. Hopefully both.”
“Roberts isn’t going to be happy.”
“Neither is my neighbor whom I owe abig fucking favorto for not making me get rid of my dog,” I snapped. “So he can wait. Because now I have to apologize to the hottie next door that I can’t be there tonight to help rearrange his whole apartment to accommodate my idiot wall-barking canine.”
There was silence on the phone, and then. “Okay. I’ll let him know.”
“Thank you.”
I placed the receiver down quietly, turned, and punched the wall.
CHASE
Marcus302: Dude.I am SO sorry.
Marcus302: I got slammed at work and I’m going to be here until probably eight or later.
Marcus302: Don’t hate me. Or my dog. I’ll still pay for beer and pizza. Just tell me when you want it and I’ll have it all delivered.
I knew he didn’t want to blow me off. He felt so bad about Pollux barking all night. He seemed like the kind of guy who wanted to make everything right.
Chaser: Don’t worry about the beer and pizza. Find another way to make it up to me. We’ll be done in an hour anyway.
I was sad though. He seemed like a really nice guy who just wanted to be a nice neighbor. I was happy to have anything aside from Veteran Homophobe next door.
There was no way of knowing how many times I had told that man he was living in the goddamn Greenwich Village. The place practically invented gay. There were the Stonewall Riots, and one of the oldest Pride Parades I knew of. And the old badger wouldn’t even hear it.
“Real men don’t fuck other men.”
The words had boiled around my brain, time and again. He always hissed and spit at gay couples. Not just any gay couples though. The ladies were exempt. He seemed to like those, and I’d nearly punched him the one time I caught him watching a couple across the street make out hot in heavy in their window.
I was shocked he didn’t just whip it out and masturbate.
I’d told the ladies what had happened, and their windows were never opened again. Until, the day his family had moved him out of the apartment and into an assisted living facility, closer to them in Staten Island.
I’d almost thrown a party.
In fact, the whole block had almost thrown a party. Mister Abramovich was delighted because he knew the old fart’s dog was one of the ones whosheet in front of my dragon fruit.On a regular basis.
Marcus302: Could you do me a tremendous favor and I will keep you in pizza and beer for months?
Chaser: Dog?
Marcus302: Please?
Chaser: Who has the key.
Marcus302: Missy has one.
Marcus302: Thank you thank you thank you thank you. Thank you. Thaaaaank you.
Marcus was lucky I liked the wall-barking moron.
