Joey never got used to being a husband or a father. He loved Alicia and he loved their kids, but he always thought they started too soon. The two had been college sweethearts, everybody's favorite couple. Joey was the popular frat guy, Alicia the sexy sorority chick. Things were great for them. When Alicia got pregnant halfway through their sophomore year, they eloped and were married before finals. He figured he always would, so it didn't matter when or how he married her. Besides, Cecelia's birth didn't slow them down at all. He never missed a function or a frat party and she took the baby to all her sorority meetings, thrilled that one day her daughter would be her "soror."
In his the drunken haze that were his undergraduate years, Joey managed to graduate on time and be there for the birth of their son, Junior. Degree in hand, Joey took the first job he was offered so Alicia wouldn't have to work while she finished her studies during the summer. Soon, the impending birth of their last child necessitated funds and focus so Joey became "Joseph" and went to work for Alicia's father. Shortly after Olivia was born, Alicia began teaching at a public high school.
Joseph worked hard to provide for his family, though he rarely saw them. He spent his twenties and much of his thirties managing accounts for Alicia's father's advertising agency by day and drowning his woes in whiskey and cola by night. He was always a faithful husband, always a loving and supportive father so when he told his wife that he was "kicking it with the frat" for their alma mater's homecoming, he felt he was deserving.
"Joey," Alicia said affectionately when he told her about all the festivities. She paused her dish washing and looked directly at him. "You're thirty-seven. Do you really want to be bothered with all of that now?"
Alicia had grown comfortable in all her roles. Their oldest was on her way to college, with the others soon to follow. The only "homecoming" Alicia looked forward to these days was returning from her celebratory "I'm-done-raising-my-kids" Cruise. Though she kept in touch with her college friends, Alicia had given up on college fun. She didn't want for anything. She had the perfect husband, good kids, a nice family unit.
"It would be nice to see the brothers again. And this is what homecoming is for. People like us." Joseph rationalized.
"You mean people like us who have a reason to be nostalgic? You want to take the kids, too, I suppose. All the parties are going to be aimed at them anyway."
"Allie, I know you're not interested in going. You and the kids can stay here."
Alicia raised her eyebrows. "Oh, so you want to relive your single days, sow your wild oats," she teased.
"No! I, uh-"
"Don't worry, Joey. It's fine. I don't want to leave the kids in my house alone and I certainly don't want to pull them out of school. You go. I'll book your rental car and hotel tonight." Alicia finished the dishes and sashayed to Joseph. "Maybe Junior can teach you some new dance moves." Alicia smirked, kissed Joseph on the cheek and went on with her cleaning.
Joseph smiled from ear to ear like a kid elated that his mother gave him the last piece of cake. He rushed to his home office and began making calls to fraternity brothers. Making plans for his trip.
The day of his departure he left early preparing for the five hour drive from his present to his past. His would be the perfect weekend of debauchery and at the end he would return to his wife and kids with a renewed appreciation. He knew Alicia would forgive any of his transgressions. After this weekend he would know "what's out there." He would be sure one way or the other about the life he's been living the last eighteen years.
Believing they were still considered "young alumni," Joseph and a couple of his fraternity brothers went to a homecoming party thrown by the current chapter members of his fraternity. Everywhere they turned there were young scantily clad girls. His brothers left him to dance and Joseph stood near the bar, afraid to mingle with this young crowd.
After thirty minutes, Joseph was ready to leave. He was on his second drink and feeling restless. He scanned the crowd for his frat brothers. Instead his eyes stopped on a girl he knew was Cecelia. He made a beeline for her.
"What are you doing here?" he barked, grabbing her arm.
The girl looked shocked, and instantly offended. "What the fuck are you doing here, old dude?" she quipped, causing her girlfriends to erupt with laughter.
Embarrassed, Joseph released her. "Sorry," he mumbled, head held low. He headed straight for the door. With or without his brothers, Joseph had to go.
Once outside walking, he saw more young girls. Afraid to accost any of them, he went into the first open door that would get him off the street. He began to recognize his alma mater's colors. He picked up a flyer from the hostess stand. "ALUMNI FISH FRY!" it read. He turned it over and scanned it until he saw the words "CLASS OF 1956."
Even in his boredom at home, Joseph never thought about aging. It never occurred to him that he was too old for anything. He never thought about what life would be like when his kids were adults and he and Alicia were alone in their home. He couldn't remember a time when they had ever been alone. He couldn't digest the age of this room. Suddenly it was all around him, more pungent than the smell of the fried fish. He saw older women looking at him. He watched them interact with each other. He couldn't help but see Alicia. He couldn't help but feel like he was married to this age.
Suddenly he was just as embarrassed as he was with the younger kids. Joseph called his fraternity brother.
"Aye, Joey! What up, dude?" Gerald had four kids but he had never married. He was totally unattached, always having fun. Joseph envied that and Gerald's greeting immediately brought a smile to Joseph's face.
"What up with you? I've been looking all over!" Joseph began to walk toward his car.
"We found this other set, man. Come up the street a little. Just give the chick at the door your name and she'll let you in."
As soon as Joseph walked into the party, he felt good. The music was good. He saw familiar faces. He finally felt like he was getting what he came for.
He danced and drank and flirted. He spotted a woman at the bar that made his heart do a little flip. He walked calmly to the bar and ordered himself a drink.
"Hi!" she said over the loud music.
"Hey!" Joseph smiled and replied.
"What's your name?"
"Joey!"
"I'm Savannah."
"Cool."
Joey and Savannah danced for the rest of the night. He bought her drinks. He stole kisses. They looked like lovebirds. When the DJ announced his last song, Joey decided Savannah was the woman to test his love for Alicia.
"You wanna get out of here?" he whispered in her ear.
"That would be great." she replied.
They walked to Joey's rental car in silence, maneuvering through crowds of young people. He passed the long-closed fish fry and the young alumni frat party. He smiled to himself triumphantly, giving himself a mental pat on the back for a plan well made.
Joey paused before putting the key in the ignition.
"Where to, beautiful?" he asked smoothly.
"Where ever you want to take me." Savannah's sultry voice hung in the air. Joey caught the innuendo.
He started the car and Savannah stopped him. She placed her hand in his crotched and massaged ever so gently.
"You're not a prostitute, are you?" Joey asked.
"Not at all. This is all free." Savannah began to unzip Joey's pants.
"And, uh, you don't know my wife, right?" Joey laughed nervously.
Savannah chuckled. "Never met her." She dropped her head and began to pleasure Joey orally. He couldn't believe his luck.
Savannah brought Joey's hand to her own crotch. He felt something very familiar, but truly unexpected.
"What the-" Joey jumped and pulled Savannah up by her neck. "Is that a dick?" Joey yelled.
Savannah looked stunned. "What does it look like?" she asked indignantly.
"Get the fuck out of the car!" Joseph was instantly sober and ferociously angry.
"You been rubbing on me all night! I thought you knew what was up!"
"Get the fuck OUT of the car." Joseph hissed this time taking off his seatbelt. He got out and met Savannah on the passenger side. He wasn't sure which pronoun to use, but he knew it was about to get its ass beat.
Joseph pulled Savannah out of the car by her hair. He beat up Savannah as if reclaiming his masculinity with every punch. It wasn't a long fight, three solid punches and a kick in the groin.
Joseph threw cash at Savannah. "That's for a cab." he spat.
He went to the car and tossed some napkins from the fast food lunch he had earlier. He ordered, "Clean yourself up."
Joseph got in the car and drove to the hotel and retrieved his bag. He hit the road home, five hours straight from his past to his present. This trip had renewed his love for Alicia. He realized on the way home that only home he would ever have was where ever Alicia resided. The only homecoming that mattered was going home to her.
When he got home, Joseph showered until his fingertips turned white. He walked through his house as if it were his first night there. He laid on the couch and watched music videos. He found himself disgusted by the images. The life no longer appealed to him. He no longer wanted to be the life of the party. He turned off the television and went to sleep with his perfect wife.
In his the drunken haze that were his undergraduate years, Joey managed to graduate on time and be there for the birth of their son, Junior. Degree in hand, Joey took the first job he was offered so Alicia wouldn't have to work while she finished her studies during the summer. Soon, the impending birth of their last child necessitated funds and focus so Joey became "Joseph" and went to work for Alicia's father. Shortly after Olivia was born, Alicia began teaching at a public high school.
Joseph worked hard to provide for his family, though he rarely saw them. He spent his twenties and much of his thirties managing accounts for Alicia's father's advertising agency by day and drowning his woes in whiskey and cola by night. He was always a faithful husband, always a loving and supportive father so when he told his wife that he was "kicking it with the frat" for their alma mater's homecoming, he felt he was deserving.
"Joey," Alicia said affectionately when he told her about all the festivities. She paused her dish washing and looked directly at him. "You're thirty-seven. Do you really want to be bothered with all of that now?"
Alicia had grown comfortable in all her roles. Their oldest was on her way to college, with the others soon to follow. The only "homecoming" Alicia looked forward to these days was returning from her celebratory "I'm-done-raising-my-kids" Cruise. Though she kept in touch with her college friends, Alicia had given up on college fun. She didn't want for anything. She had the perfect husband, good kids, a nice family unit.
"It would be nice to see the brothers again. And this is what homecoming is for. People like us." Joseph rationalized.
"You mean people like us who have a reason to be nostalgic? You want to take the kids, too, I suppose. All the parties are going to be aimed at them anyway."
"Allie, I know you're not interested in going. You and the kids can stay here."
Alicia raised her eyebrows. "Oh, so you want to relive your single days, sow your wild oats," she teased.
"No! I, uh-"
"Don't worry, Joey. It's fine. I don't want to leave the kids in my house alone and I certainly don't want to pull them out of school. You go. I'll book your rental car and hotel tonight." Alicia finished the dishes and sashayed to Joseph. "Maybe Junior can teach you some new dance moves." Alicia smirked, kissed Joseph on the cheek and went on with her cleaning.
Joseph smiled from ear to ear like a kid elated that his mother gave him the last piece of cake. He rushed to his home office and began making calls to fraternity brothers. Making plans for his trip.
The day of his departure he left early preparing for the five hour drive from his present to his past. His would be the perfect weekend of debauchery and at the end he would return to his wife and kids with a renewed appreciation. He knew Alicia would forgive any of his transgressions. After this weekend he would know "what's out there." He would be sure one way or the other about the life he's been living the last eighteen years.
Believing they were still considered "young alumni," Joseph and a couple of his fraternity brothers went to a homecoming party thrown by the current chapter members of his fraternity. Everywhere they turned there were young scantily clad girls. His brothers left him to dance and Joseph stood near the bar, afraid to mingle with this young crowd.
After thirty minutes, Joseph was ready to leave. He was on his second drink and feeling restless. He scanned the crowd for his frat brothers. Instead his eyes stopped on a girl he knew was Cecelia. He made a beeline for her.
"What are you doing here?" he barked, grabbing her arm.
The girl looked shocked, and instantly offended. "What the fuck are you doing here, old dude?" she quipped, causing her girlfriends to erupt with laughter.
Embarrassed, Joseph released her. "Sorry," he mumbled, head held low. He headed straight for the door. With or without his brothers, Joseph had to go.
Once outside walking, he saw more young girls. Afraid to accost any of them, he went into the first open door that would get him off the street. He began to recognize his alma mater's colors. He picked up a flyer from the hostess stand. "ALUMNI FISH FRY!" it read. He turned it over and scanned it until he saw the words "CLASS OF 1956."
Even in his boredom at home, Joseph never thought about aging. It never occurred to him that he was too old for anything. He never thought about what life would be like when his kids were adults and he and Alicia were alone in their home. He couldn't remember a time when they had ever been alone. He couldn't digest the age of this room. Suddenly it was all around him, more pungent than the smell of the fried fish. He saw older women looking at him. He watched them interact with each other. He couldn't help but see Alicia. He couldn't help but feel like he was married to this age.
Suddenly he was just as embarrassed as he was with the younger kids. Joseph called his fraternity brother.
"Aye, Joey! What up, dude?" Gerald had four kids but he had never married. He was totally unattached, always having fun. Joseph envied that and Gerald's greeting immediately brought a smile to Joseph's face.
"What up with you? I've been looking all over!" Joseph began to walk toward his car.
"We found this other set, man. Come up the street a little. Just give the chick at the door your name and she'll let you in."
As soon as Joseph walked into the party, he felt good. The music was good. He saw familiar faces. He finally felt like he was getting what he came for.
He danced and drank and flirted. He spotted a woman at the bar that made his heart do a little flip. He walked calmly to the bar and ordered himself a drink.
"Hi!" she said over the loud music.
"Hey!" Joseph smiled and replied.
"What's your name?"
"Joey!"
"I'm Savannah."
"Cool."
Joey and Savannah danced for the rest of the night. He bought her drinks. He stole kisses. They looked like lovebirds. When the DJ announced his last song, Joey decided Savannah was the woman to test his love for Alicia.
"You wanna get out of here?" he whispered in her ear.
"That would be great." she replied.
They walked to Joey's rental car in silence, maneuvering through crowds of young people. He passed the long-closed fish fry and the young alumni frat party. He smiled to himself triumphantly, giving himself a mental pat on the back for a plan well made.
Joey paused before putting the key in the ignition.
"Where to, beautiful?" he asked smoothly.
"Where ever you want to take me." Savannah's sultry voice hung in the air. Joey caught the innuendo.
He started the car and Savannah stopped him. She placed her hand in his crotched and massaged ever so gently.
"You're not a prostitute, are you?" Joey asked.
"Not at all. This is all free." Savannah began to unzip Joey's pants.
"And, uh, you don't know my wife, right?" Joey laughed nervously.
Savannah chuckled. "Never met her." She dropped her head and began to pleasure Joey orally. He couldn't believe his luck.
Savannah brought Joey's hand to her own crotch. He felt something very familiar, but truly unexpected.
"What the-" Joey jumped and pulled Savannah up by her neck. "Is that a dick?" Joey yelled.
Savannah looked stunned. "What does it look like?" she asked indignantly.
"Get the fuck out of the car!" Joseph was instantly sober and ferociously angry.
"You been rubbing on me all night! I thought you knew what was up!"
"Get the fuck OUT of the car." Joseph hissed this time taking off his seatbelt. He got out and met Savannah on the passenger side. He wasn't sure which pronoun to use, but he knew it was about to get its ass beat.
Joseph pulled Savannah out of the car by her hair. He beat up Savannah as if reclaiming his masculinity with every punch. It wasn't a long fight, three solid punches and a kick in the groin.
Joseph threw cash at Savannah. "That's for a cab." he spat.
He went to the car and tossed some napkins from the fast food lunch he had earlier. He ordered, "Clean yourself up."
Joseph got in the car and drove to the hotel and retrieved his bag. He hit the road home, five hours straight from his past to his present. This trip had renewed his love for Alicia. He realized on the way home that only home he would ever have was where ever Alicia resided. The only homecoming that mattered was going home to her.
When he got home, Joseph showered until his fingertips turned white. He walked through his house as if it were his first night there. He laid on the couch and watched music videos. He found himself disgusted by the images. The life no longer appealed to him. He no longer wanted to be the life of the party. He turned off the television and went to sleep with his perfect wife.
I read this, and not today, and could not respond. Whew. I was merely stunned. This story checked me back into a reality that I, sometimes, involuntarily repress. Because, you know, when we arent a part of one of the many worlds within our, otherwise, very small world, its as if they are as distant as sun rays that will never beam on our days during our lifetimes. And its effed-up that it was this --an episode with a "Savannah" -- that would knock some good sense into a grown man. The dude has two daughters who may someday grow up to become mothers, and wifes, too, who, he knows and would hope, would deserve loyal men. Nonetheless, what struck me most was the realization that there ARE Savannahs out there. You know what? ...I may want to party with one, one day. Because thanks to you, Nicole, I now think we, men, may need to encounter Savannahs out there to set us straight if ever we may stray a bit.
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