Page 50 of The Last Guy On Earth
The last message says:
Clay
NVM I will get it myself.
Jethro finds himself tapping out a delayed response.
Jethro
U could have just said lettuce.
Saw you got a goal 2nite.
Told you! This is how hockey works.
Next year U will be in the big show. I will be here on the couch.
We lost 2nite. I got shelled.
He takes a gulp from his flask, and it burns going down. He’s trying to get the cap screwed back on again—a guy has to be careful not to spill his last few swallows of whisky—whenhis phone beeps. It’s shockingly loud in the stillness of the apartment.
He fumbles for the phone, which is trying to hide between his body and the couch cushions.
How many did you let in?
We lost 4-0. We’ll be out after the next one.
Way to fight for it.
Fuck u! Really fuck u. I am fighting.
Got it. Not sure why you’re texting me. I’m just your old roommate. You could be using this time to find a new one.
Not getting a roommate.
No? Are you afraid he won’t cook for you and suck you off? Or maybe you’re afraid he will.
I think it’s the second one.
You got used to having me around. You liked it. You liked me. But you wouldn’t say so to my face.
That’s fucking cowardly.
Now you’re congratulating me from a safe distance. So gratifying.
Jethro reads each new text as it pops up. And each one fills him with growing irritation.
Was just trying to say good game. UR the one who made it weird.
And that’s your whole issue. You’re afraid of things looking weird. You’ll throw away something good just to make sure it doesn’t look weird.
Jethro tries to think of a way to defend himself. He tries several times to type out something that makes sense. But it’s no good. In the first place, he’s drunk. And in the second place, part of him worries that Clay has a point. What they had togetherwasreally good.
But he’s not like Clay. He doesn’t have a guaranteed bright future with a solid family who will support him if shit gets rough. Jethro only has hockey. He can’t afford to fuck that up.
He backspaces over another rambling explanation, typesFuck you,and hits send.
It’s callous, even for him. So he types:I’m not getting another roommate because I can’t have you.
