I was intoxicated with anticipation after receiving an invitation to hang with my crush after school. Participating in criminal activity was the last scenario to cross my mind as I fantasized about our rendezvous. Oblivious to the fluorescent lights that illuminated the retro-colored decoration scheme I fluttered in unison with the shoddy student updates, and spirit themed flyers moved by the current generated from students rushing out of classrooms. Drunk with young love I stumbled through the cramped rectangular hallways of my high school.
As I approached Brian’s faded Crayola blue 1987 Volvo 740 he told me that our plans might be difficult to accomplish. He had just received his driver's license and according to a recent Washington State law it was illegal for him to drive minors around. He disregarded this rule, but his mother didn't. I opened the passenger door and the aroma of Nag Champa incense monopolized my olfactory. Sweeping piles of trash off of the seat I reluctantly suggested he just drop me off at my house. Brian denied the idea of postponing our date and escorted me to his home.
He explained to me that if his mom were home he would have to sneak me into his house to avoid being caught in a criminal act. Brian sounded quite confident when he told me he was sure his mother wouldn't be home though, and even if she was he had a plan to get me into his house undetected. For some reason I felt that everything would go smoothly even though I was unaware of his backup plan.
"Time for plan 'B'," he nonchalantly said to me as he drove past his house. Brian parked the car a few blocks away in front of a cluster of evergreen trees and out of his mother's range of sight. He casually asked me if I was claustrophobic as he pulled an industrial sized duffle bag out of his trunk. I finally realized what plan "B" was. I stared at him in disbelief, but his facial expression clearly communicated he was serious. My judgment was skewed by young love and irrationally devotion but, if that was the only way to get into his house I was whole-heartedly committed to fit into the bag.
Surprisingly I managed to compress my body into a tight ball small enough to squeeze into the bag. The only problem about concealing me was that I just so happen to be very claustrophobic. Brian said that I wouldn't be in the bag longer than three minutes. I knew I could tough it out for that amount of time. I stayed hidden in the bag on backseat for the trip back to his house. I was almost completely enclosed in the duffle bag except the zipper being cracked open just enough for me to suck in some fresh air.
I felt like I was suffocating when Brian zipped up the bag all the way. Clouds of odor from a used sport jersey colonized the small amount of unoccupied space. That's when I felt my heart begin to race. I was already panicky from being confined to such a small space, but the thought of being discovered added a whole new level to my anxiety. My breathing became irregular and I started to discretely shake and sweat. Reminding myself I'd be free of my confinement shortly was the only thing that calmed me down.
Brian cautioned me to be as still and quiet as I could while he struggled to pick up the bag made from heavy durable cloth. I suddenly became very self-conscious of my weight, and I asked him if he thought he could actually carry me. He claimed he was sure of his abilities, but the unstable bobbing of the bag gave him away. He warned me we were about to enter his house to be silent.
I couldn't clearly hear what exactly was said after the door shut behind us but I gathered enough information to understand what was going on. Patty offered to help him carry the bag upstairs. He quickly declined her proposal, and tried to assure her of his capability. His mother wasn't as easily convinced of his strength as I was. She asked him once again if he needed help, and again he avidly opposed any assistance.
I prayed that Patty wouldn’t interfere any further, but once she saw Brian dragging the bag upstairs she rushed over and picked up the other end of the bag. My heart nearly pounded out of my chest. "You shouldn't drag this on the ground! You'll tear a hole in it!" She scolded. It reminded me of something my mom would say. Suddenly I felt her hand studying the bag. She asked about its contents with obvious skepticism in her tone of voice. Brian merely repeated the same answer he had given her before.
As we all got to the top of the stairs Brian protested to any more help and demanded his mother to let him be. Patty must have found all of his fierce disputing rather suspicious. Brian started to carry me down the hallway haphazardly, but his exhaustion forced him to drag me again. "It didn't feel like there was a musical equipment in there!" Patty finally voiced her doubt.
Thump-thump! Thump-thump! I could both hear and feel his mom's footsteps rapidly approach me. My heart rate increased at the same rapid pace. "Mom! What are y—?" She unzipped on end of the duffle bag before he could finish his sentence. My legs poured out of the bag as if they were water rushing out of a punctured container.
"Who is this? Who is in this bag?!" She demanded to know. I didn't respond. I just held as still as I could hoping that I would suddenly become invisible. Patty nudged my foot, and told me to come out of the bag. I finally came to terms with the reality that I wouldn't disappear. I wriggled my way out of the bag and stood up. I emerged to find myself standing in the hallway outside his room. Powder blue walls cooled the boiling atmosphere. Brian broke the awkward silence, "Mom this is Lisa. Lisa this is my mom."
I was mortified. My ears felt like they were hot enough to be melting my earwax. I could tell my cheeks were beet red, and a nervous grin was cemented on my face. The task of maintaining any direct eye contact with her was impossible. Ashamed, I fixed my gaze on a framed cross-stitch picture of a poem surrounded by embroidered teddy bears.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn around,
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch the ground;
Teddy bear, Teddy bear, climb the stairs,
Teddy bear, Teddy bear, say your prayers.
Teddy bear, Teddy bear, climb the stairs,
Teddy bear, Teddy bear, say your prayers.
1 comment:
I love it! Finally I get to experience your end of this. Just one thing to fix; it was a 1991 240 DL.
Post a Comment