“I could eat,” I agree.
“You want to order a pizza?” Brandon suggests.
“Sure,” I say.
“You pay?” he asks.
I exhale in frustration. “Of course.” I pass him my phone so that he can order something over the delivery app.
“What do you want?” Brandon asks.
“Just a couple slices of cheese,” I say.
“Hey, Mark!” Brandon shouts.
The guy who answered the door comes out of his bedroom, looking red-eyed.
“What kind of pizza do you want?” Brandon asks.
Mark shrugs. He doesn’t even look at me, but turns around and walks back into his room. If there is little light in the living room, there is practically none in Mark’s room. I’m not sure how he navigates without bumping into furniture, unless he’s completely nocturnal.
“I’m ordering cheese!” Brandon shouts.
“Awesome!” Mark replies.
Brandon passes the phone back to me and then turns up the volume on the TV.
“So, how are your classes going?” I ask, in an attempt to figure out what’s really going on here. Marlena would be distressed to see her brother living this way. It doesn’t look like he’s doing anything with his life, and his roommates are even worse.
“Fine,” Brandon replies, making it clear that he doesn’t want to talk about school.
“Is everyone else here also a student?” I wonder.
“No,” Brandon says. “Mark dropped out, and Raj graduated last year.”
“Where’s he working?” I ask, hoping that by focusing on the one friend who was successful in academics, I can promote the same kind of achievement in Brandon.
“He’s not,” Brandon responds.
“Then what’s he doing with his degree?” I ask.
Brandon shrugs but doesn’t respond verbally. I’m starting to get an impression of their lifestyle that’s not entirely favorable. Nobody in this apartment works, and all they do is watch TV or haunt darkened rooms. I can’t smell any pot, but that doesn’t mean it’s not there. Brandon has made no move to get off the couch, even to use the bathroom. He seems content to eat pizza and zone out, with no thought of the future.
“What are you doing, man?” I ask him point-blank.
“Watching TV,” he responds.
“No, I mean with your life,” I clarify. “This is crazy. This apartment. When was the last time you went outside?”
“I dunno,” Brandon tosses out, as if the question doesn’t concern him.
“Marlena would be heartbroken to see you this way,” I tell him.
Brandon shrugs, again indicating that the statement doesn’t bother him. He’s beyond intervention at this point. The pizzaarrives and Mark emerges from his hole to eat. He doesn’t speak though. We all gather on the couches in the living room and munch in silence like a bunch of drug addicts.
After dinner, everyone zones out. I’m starting to get a little bit bored when Brandon suggests going out on the town.
“What about Sully’s?” Brandon asks.
