Brandon Scott Gorrell wrote a story called NIGHT OWL. It is here.
Mazie Louise Montgomery wrote her version here.
Chris Killen wrote his version here.
My version is here:
Jimmy clicks on an email, reads, deletes. Shit email, he thinks. He watches a video of Barack Obama on YouTube and then goes to Obama's site and donates fifty dollars. He sighs and stands up. Walks to his bookshelf, grabs a book and throws it in the trash. Wait, he thinks. He grabs the book out of the trash and puts it back on the shelf.
He walks into the living room. No one is there. The house is quiet.
Kitchen. Wine. He finishes his second glass and stands still for awhile. He sees how long he can hold his breath. Ninety-six seconds. He pours and drinks a third glass of wine.
He goes to his bedroom and gets dressed. He looks for his zip-up hoodie for awhile. He changes all of his clothes. Jeans, black sneakers, t-shirt (Brooklyn Strangla), and jacket with stripes. He does his hair for eight minutes.
He drives down Cahuenga, then on the highway, then sits in traffic for awhile. Traffic fixes itself. He is in Hollywood, looking for the club. There it is. He spends thirty minutes trying to find street parking, then parks in a lot.
"Fi dohler." a man says.
Jimmy gives the man five dollars and walks away.
The bouncer says "Eight dollars."
Jimmy gives him ten, the bouncer gives him back two.
"Givem the insecure stamp." the bouncer says and laughs.
Jimmy walks into the club, sort of. In the hallway leading to the club.
A girl says, "I need to stamp you babe."
She stamps his wrist with black ink that says INSECURE.
"What the fuck." Jimmy says and walks in.
He walks to the bar.
The bartender is talking to three girls, they smile and giggle a lot.
Jimmy yells at the bartender. He comes over.
"What's up."
"Can I get a red wine and a white wine." Jimmy says.
The bartender nods, goes back to the girls. Fifteen minutes later comes with a red wine and a white wine. Jimmy grabs them both and drinks the white in four big gulps, then drinks the red in six big gulps. He throws a twenty dollar bill on the bar and walks away. He smiles. That was something from a movie and now I'm that asshole, Jimmy thinks.
He walks around the club. A DJ spins Justice. People dance. Jimmy stands still and tries to look sober and uninterested. The DJ spins hip-hop. Jimmy sits on a white leather couch. He checks his cellphone. One new text, from Teo, CANADA IS COLD FUKKK. 1:37am. Jimmy leaves.
"Can I come back?" Jimmy says and shows the bouncer his wrist.
"For you big boy, anything." the bouncer says and laughs.
Jimmy walks to the parking lot and points to his car. The valet man gets in his car and drives it out of it's spot. He gets out and hands the keys to Jimmy. Jimmy gets in and drives home.
Living room is dark. Jimmy sits on the couch in the dark and pulls out his cellphone. He puts it back in his pocket and walks back outside, to his car. Drives to Del Taco. Orders tacos, fries, a big Dr. Pepper. He pays at the drive through and goes back home and eats in his kitchen with the lights on. He throws away the taco wrappers. Sips his Dr. Pepper and feels sick. He texts Lauda I WENT TO A CLUB TONIGHT, IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING
Jimmy wakes up and feels like he vomited in his sleep. He wonders if he text messaged or called Lauda. He imagines that he is giving Lauda and his mother a presentation on why he left them both, and imagines having to 'let them down easy'.
Thursday
NIGHT OWL
WHAT IS THIS? meaningless blog writing, short story
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
excellent
I like it. Good job.
i like this version a lot
Ken,
yours and everyone else's night owl has been reviewed.
check it out at everyday yeah
Post a Comment