Page 26 of Rough

It was the first time he’d used his left hand for anything.

“There. Right god damned there,” he barked. “Kaury. Noun. A Tall timber tree of New Zealand having white straight-grained wood.”

I peered over his shoulder.

“Crap!” I stomped my foot on the floor.

He closed the book and tossed it in the box. “Crap is right. Maybe that’ll teach you to challenge the old man. You fuck with the bull, you get the horns.”

“More wisdom from the vault?”

He shook his head. “No, that’s just common sense.”

“I’ll cherish that one, too.”

“Now, you can just sit there on your keister while I take another turn. It burns, doesn’t it?”

“What’s that?”

“That sinking feeling you get deep down in your gut when you know there’s no way you’re going to dig yourself out of the hole you’re in.”

“Kind of,” I said, but only to satisfy him.

Knowing that I played a part in the progress he was making in his day-to-day life was very rewarding. If losing a turn in Scrabble made him feel that his vast vocabulary was useful, it was a small price for me to pay.

“Guess what, kid?”

“What?”

“I’ve only got four letters left.”

“Too bad you can’t make a word with them. I’ve got seven, and I’ve got my eye on a special spot on the board.”

“Read ‘em and weep, shithead” He placed the four letters on the board.

I smiled at his word choice. “C-O-H-O-R-T.”

He clasped his hands together. “Tally up the score.”

I gave him the points for the word, and totaled the score. “541 to 324.”

“Me on top, of course.”

I nodded. “Of course.”

“Keeping track of the games played?”

“Four to nothing. Yes.”

“Well, keep on keeping track. When you win one, I’ll buy you a pizza.”

The thought of him buying me a pizza made me laugh – because I knew he’d do it, just to be a shit.

“Just another reason to continue forfeiting these games to you.”

“Oh.” He widened his eyes and cocked his head to the side. “Losing on purpose, huh?”

“Yep.”