Trey and I stood there breathing the sea breeze, calm, in peace. It was pure tranquility.
“Tell me what you like,” he said.
“I don’t know. Movies, music, books…”
“I don’t mean simple things like that.”
“What do you mean, then?”
“Let me give you an example. I like to lie on my surfboard and stare at the sun while the waves rock me. I can even fall asleep that way. I like walking on newly fallen snow, getting out in it with my dog, rolling around in it until we’re both soaking wet.”
“You have a dog?” I was surprised. He had told me he liked them, but this was the first time he mentioned owning one.
“Yeah, he’s a beautiful Alaskan malamute named Sisuei. That means ‘blaze of fire.’ I called him that because his golden eyes glow like fire.”
“Well, that’s something you two have in common. Yours glow, too. They say dogs and their owners end up resembling each other, but I never thought it was true.”
He chuckled, but I don’t think it was my comment that did it.
“He’s amazing. He’s just two years old and he’s already huge. He’s smart, intuitive, a little bit mischievous. A friend’s taking care of him right now.”
I liked how proud he seemed of him, and said, “I’ve always wanted a dog, but we were never allowed any pets at home.”
“I’ll introduce you to Sisuei.”
“I don’t think I’m good with animals. My neighbor has this cute little mutt and he hates me. He growls and barks every time I see him.”
“Sisuei will like you.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“Because he’s just like me.”
“Tell me more of your likes,” I said.
“When I’m in the mountains, I like to get up and watch the sunrise. Something about that moment, the first light of the day, the silence… I don’t know, it’s just calming. I like driving, too. I can do it for hours without getting bored as long as I have some decent music. It’s relaxing.” He took a bite of his ice cream and licked his lips. “Do you know Andrée and Geneviève Grandbois?”
“Are you talking about the chocolate makers?”
“Yeah, Chocolats Andrée and Les Chocolats Geneviève Grandbois. They’re both on Mile End. And I swear, between Waverly and Park, the air smells like chocolate. That’s why I rented my place on Jeanne Mance Street. I like that scent.”
“Are you for real?”
“Yeah. And don’t look at me like I’m nuts.”
It was hard not to, so I turned my eyes toward the ocean covered in shimmering reflections. I couldn’t believe so many stars were visible in that sky. I licked off a sliver of ice cream and savored it, thinking of what a puzzle Trey was, and how hard it was to fit those dozens of pieces together.
“I had no idea that’s where you lived. I barely know anything about you.”
“You don’t have to know a bunch of details about someone to know them. You’ve learned more about me in four days than some people who have been around me my whole life.” He seemed to disappear for a moment, but then, just as quickly, he was back. “You never answered me. What do you like?”
I had to think for a few seconds.
“I like going to Fairmount first thing in the morning, when the bagels just come out of the oven. That first bite, when they’re still hot… Mmmm. I like going underwater and opening my eyes. Feeling like I’m in a bubble where the only thing audible is my heartbeat. Getting lost for hours in a bookstore, any bookstore, just to touch the books’ spines, open the first page, read it, smell it. It’s magical! Going to the aquarium to see the seals. I do that when I feel alone or sad. They’re so funny that they always make me laugh. I like crying during romantic movies. I like going to the botanical gardens and getting lost among those living sculptures; it makes me feel like Alice in Wonderland. You must think I’m a weirdo, like I have this fixation on being other people, but I promise you, that’s not it. It’s just that I did that when I was little. I had so much imagination. Too much, maybe. It’s possible that I still do. And I love to walk, too, without picking where I’m going in advance, just taking off and getting lost.”
Suddenly, the moment seemed to freeze, with me staring at himand him staring at me. To break the spell, I pulled my bangs behind my ear.
“I like walking, too,” he said softly, as though it were a confession. “Especially in the morning, when nobody’s left their house yet, and I can think.”
