The Conrad Boys

you

you

Terry doesn't see this don't you knock

come look at my room then I gotta finish

this before school I maybe know off my

fart getting really strong impressive

considering it's probably made out of

couch cushions did I tell you about the

knights of the round table and tell me

later

they're also from the fort now cuz the

new life everyone safe even the dog

people who live in the dungeons and

buildings

what are you talking about Ben seriously

leap Benjamin

swords and nunchucks and searchers and

dungeons and dragons and moats and

knights please make him leave he's just

fine I thought you finished her homework

last night I did this is extra credit

you took down the wall what'd I say

about using the good pillows but my fork

here I will take a back

I can't believe your mom still makes

your lunches my mom stopped making my

lunch in the fifth grade and yet somehow

you still survived so tell me tell you

what you know what did you get in I

don't know what you're talking about

such an did you get into

Columbia yeah you know I can't believe

it let's ditch school I can't get extra

credit cares anymore Charlie you did it

you're a minute

I'm so glad you could come today my neck

has been killing me a lot of stress oh

yeah my husband was using paper shredder

last night and it fell on his foot Oh

terrible 25 pounds I cannot remember the

last time I've seen him curse so much

just something wrong no no I'm okay

we spent the whole night in the ER

Susy

are you okay

oh my god

we couldn't have predicted any more take

the name of the Father and of the Son

and of the Holy Spirit Lord come into

your hands we commend the soul searcher

in heaven as we have on earth hail Mary

full of grace the Lord is with thee

blessed art thou among women and blessed

is the food

I've seen been yeah I put them to bed

you can't just take them away without

letting me know first I'm sorry Charlie

you should rest why don't you sit down

give me that plate no one will mind if

you take a little nap too here let me do

this stop stop it's okay just get

some water

Charlie stop it's okay

don't go

your mom and I we used to love it out

here we would come here everyday and

just sit here and talk and laugh plan

you're both gonna go to law school yeah

and then she met your father he didn't

even come to the funeral

are you surprised No

how's Ben he's okay you know he's having

some problems at school his teacher says

he's emotionally withdrawn maybe he

needs a change of scenery Ben could live

with me for a little while no thank you

but we're doing fine what about college

I'm deferring and money while I'm

working at the restaurant plus they have

the money mom left us charlie look I

know you want to take care of them all

by yourself but you're so young things

will change let me take Ben for a few

months just to see no thank you but he

can live with me while you go to school

and figure out what it is you really

want I know what I want yeah hmm I know

what I want I'm only trying to help then

stop trying to take him away I'm sorry

Louise I appreciate your concern but Ben

and I talked about it

I'm gonna take care of him

Shh Ben wake up it's okay it's only a

dream I'll take a deep breath good

everything's okay do you want to tell me

what happened

I was in the castle

yeah everyone who's there

you were there too yeah it was a really

dark then everyone started turning into

vampires

just like Dracula uh-huh and I looked at

you can you start turning into vampire -

it's just a nightmare kiddo

nothing like that could ever happen I

was so scared

yes just make-believe there's no such

thing as Dracula or vampires how do you

know because I read about in one of my

books Dracula was really just this mean

old king named Vlad who like to put rats

on sticks wait a second

close your eyes and put out your hand

vampires hate garlic

you came on a good day this apartment

always went really quickly

yeah people love the trees I always it's

kind of like living in a tree house

it's a quiet here oh yes very quiet

that's good and in case you're wondering

yes these lovely brown furnishings are

included I beg the owner to get rid of

this stuff but he's one of those drive

the car till the wheels fall off types

you know I you look familiar

really yeah you that temp about young

last Sunday it's a matter of fact I was

that's it

first night right first time in a long

time hmm moving home sort of I'm

interested great I'll get you an

application and here's my card

and I put my personal number on the back

thank you Joey see the rest

another box for Ben this room looks like

a cardboard city are you ready for

tonight the party oh the party you

promise about Ben

mmm you already told me Louise is taking

him tonight I'm not really in the party

mood you're coming I don't care what you

say I never have fun of these things

course not with that attitude listen you

can't stay home every weekend reading

about the Hundred Years War it's not

good for your help I won't know anyone

you'll know me so pick you up at 8:00

scooping this Kelsey anytime out

cool dragon can I do something

what

why are we here again fine what do you

want we have beer I don't want anything

come on I don't listen you up it's fine

you have something I'll Drive you home

me

I don't think he's into me never know

look at this crowd

you're here not by choice

he wants you to go over there ya go t

check they're fine

is this the line for the bathroom

how long does it take

come on man he says the people out here

I've got a piss

it's dead today yep

are you okay yeah why you seemed kind of

upset last night

I'm fine you know if you ever need to

talk I'm fine you can sit anywhere you'd

like I'll be back

hi

hi what's good here

what are you having turkey cloud on

wheat sounds good you just made up my

mind

so how about some company okay are you

sure yeah

I'm Jordan Charlie what you reading

Charlie this is called the histories by

Herodotus Oh ancient Greece that's right

I tried reading that once didn't like it

much why not

it's too dry I prefer literature why

it's wet let's just joking see you like

novels I'm a writer what do you like to

write whoever catches my fancy at the

time poetry short stories sometimes I'll

work on my novel a novel basically it's

about my travels places I go people I

meet

how very Jack Kerouac can I get you