Letters on a Page
There are some words I’ll never learn to spell
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL, 1987.
“What happened to you, Ari?” I had a simple response: “Accident.”
During lunch, Gina Navarro cornered me and questioned, “Accident?”
“Yup,” I replied. “That’s no answer.”
Gina Navarro. She seemed to think she had the right to interrogate me just because we’d known each other since first grade. If there was one thing I knew about Gina, it was that she didn’t like straightforward answers. “Life is complicated” was her motto. What could I say? So, I said nothing and just looked at her.
“You’re never going to change, are you, Ari?” “Change is overrated.”
“Not that you’d know.”
“Yeah, not that I’d know.”
“I’m not sure if I like you, Ari.”
“I’m not sure if I like you either, Gina.”
“Well, not all relationships are based on like.” “Guess not.”
“Listen, I’m the closest thing you’ve ever had to a long-term relationship.”
“You’re depressing the hell out of me, Gina.” “Don’t blame me for your melancholy.”
“Melancholy?”
“Look it up. Your sad sack moods are nobody’s fault but yours. Just look at yourself why don’t you? You’re a mess.”
“I’m a mess? Take a hike, Gina. Leave me alone.”
“That’s your problem. Too much alone. Too much Ari Time. Talk.” “Don’t want to.” I knew she wasn’t going to let this go.
“Look, so just tell me what happened.” “I already told you. It was an accident.” “What kind of accident?”
“It’s complicated.”
“You’re mocking me.” “You noticed.”
“You’re a shit.” “Sure I am.”
“Sure you are.”
“You’re bugging the crap out of me.”
“You should thank me. At least I’m talking to you. You’re the most unpopular guy in the whole school.”
I pointed at Charlie Escobedo who was walking out of the cafeteria. “No, that’s the most unpopular guy in the whole school. I’m not even a close second.”
Just then Susie Byrd was walking by. She sat right next to Gina. She stared at my crutches. “What happened?”
“Accident.” “Accident?”
“That’s what he claims.” “What kind of accident?” “He won’t say.”
“I guess the two of you don’t really need me for this conversation, do you?”
Gina was getting mad. The last time I’d seen that look on her face, she’d thrown a rock at me. “Tell us,” she said.
“Okay,” I said. “It was after a rainstorm. Remember the afternoon it hailed?”
They both nodded.
“That was the day. Well, there was a guy standing in the middle of the road and a car was coming. And I took a dive and shoved him out of the way. I saved his life. The car ran over my legs. And that’s the whole story.”
“You’re so full of shit,” Gina said. “It’s true,” I said.
“You expect me to believe that you’re some kind of hero?” “Are you going to throw a rock at me again?”
“You really are full of shit.” Susie said. “Who was he, the guy you supposedly saved?”
“I don’t know. Some guy.” “What was his name?”
I waited for a little while before I answered. “I think his name was Dante.”
“Dante? That was his name? Like we believe you?” Gina and Susie gave each other the look: This guy is fucking unbelievable. That look. They both got up from the table and walked away.
I was smiling the rest of the day. Sometimes, all you have to do is tell people the truth. They won’t believe you. After that, they’ll leave you alone.
