It still stung I’d been dismissed so easily, but knowing it hadn’t gone unnoticed among my peers soothed my hurt feelings.
“Their loss. But what I was thinking of is having some of the students work there, if the owner agrees.” I turned to Torre. “What do you think he’d say?”
He shrugged. “I’m assuming he’d love the help, but I wouldn’t plan anything without asking him first.”
“Then let’s do that. I’ll talk to him about it, see what he says, then get back to you.”
Jacques laughed and shook his head at me. “You’re a force, Francisco. I’m surprised you don’t open up a restaurant yourself.”
“Who needs that headache?”
But secretly, Ihadbegun to dream of a place to call my own. I hadn’t shared that with anyone. Not even Torre. A pipe dream for sure, but since losing my job I needed to do something to fuel the fire burning inside me.
We shook hands, and Torre and I left the school. The warm midafternoon sun hit my shoulders as we strolled down Broadway. “I told Press I’d stop by. I haven’t told him about us.”
He rewarded me with a smile, so I pulled out my phone, but Torre plucked it out of my hand.
“Oh, no. Let’s do this my way now. We’re taking the train. This way, c’mon.” He marched away from me to the station, and I stalked after him, following him into the bowels of the city.
“It’s midday. There’re going to be tons of people.”
“Stop whining. It’s not a good look for you.”
I figured maybe coercion would work. “If we took a car, I could kiss you in the back seat.”
He pulled out his yellow MetroCard. “You can kiss me on the train too, you know. I’ve seen much worse.”
He swiped himself in, then handed me the card. After my two failed attempts, he groaned and did it for me. “Helpless.”
“I am not. These stupid things never work. And I refuse to exchange bodily fluids on the subway.” I shuddered. “That’s disgusting.”
The overhead speaker announced the train was three minutes away.
Torre snickered. “You’re so uncomfortable and out of place here, you look like a tourist.”
“That’s the rudest thing anyone’s ever said to me. Fuck off.” I sniffed and turned away.
Torre laughed and gave me a hug.
A wild-eyed man in a long, flowing jacket approached. “Repent! Repent for your sins!”
Still holding on to Torre, I backed away. “You probably haven’t brushed your teeth since I was in diapers. That’s a worse sin than me hugging him.”
“Only Jesus can save you. Repent now, or Satan will gain control of your soul.”
“Too late. And they say the sinners have much more fun.” I laughed in his face. “Do you know who you’re talking to?” The squeal of the train drowned out the rest of his ranting, and Torre pulled me down the platform.
“You never talk to those people.”
“Why not? I mean, aside from the obvious hygiene issues.”
“Oh brother,” Torre muttered.
Compared to the train station, the ride uptown was uneventful except for a man eating sushi from his lap, chopsticks included, and a woman applying false eyelashes. She caught me staring at her and snarled at me. “Fuck off. What’re you lookin’ at?”
Torre elbowed me. “Don’t look at anyone.”
“Jesus Christ,” I muttered. “Don’t talk to anyone. Don’t look at anyone. Remind me again why we’re here.”
