Personal Yummy #103
His black hair is so greasy. Greasy and stringy. So much so, that as he sits contentedly at the bar for two hours and sips from his pint glass full of ice, Pepsi, and a straw—as he does almost every day—it practically clings to his fingers when he brushes it to the side, out of his eyes.
He’s really not unattractive, however. About five-six, not dangerously overweight but a bit chubby and out of shape, he dresses decent enough and wears serious, smart glasses. And although he’s quite reserved, eccentric, and unusual, I’ve never seen him be mean to anyone, and never can imagine him being so.
Plus, today he has a thick, cream-colored hardcover along with him, keeping company with his Pepsi…
I’m so glad for this. For the past week, he’s been his other self—glassy-eyed, hollow, vacant. Leaving almost as soon as he sits down. The Pepsi and the surrounding people failing to help. The familiar words—he must not be taking his medicine again—coming from Nick, as he sadly watches him disappear out the door.
But today there’s the book.
“Hey, Jonathan!” I say, as I rinse a rag out in the sink behind the bar. “How’s it going today?”
He looks up abruptly. He has been staring down at the top of the bar, as he’s inclined to do.
“Oh, Jenna…I’m good… Yeah, I’m good… How are you?”
“Can’t complain, Jon,” I reply, walking around the bar and sitting halfway on the stool beside him. “You know, the usual workday.”
It’s amazing how much better his eyes look today—like there’s actually someone inside.
“What’s that you’re reading, Jon?” I ask as I point to the book. I’m really very curious.
Slowly, he picks up the book and turns the spine toward me.
“The World According to Garp,” I read. “By John Irving… Oh, how cool, Jon… What do you think of it?”
“It is really great, Jenna,” he replies, his eyes becoming even more alive as he flips through the pages. “Yeah, some of the stuff in it is really pretty crazy…just crazy—but you just have to guess where I got this.”
“Oh, I don’t know, Jon,” I reply, thinking. “How about at Barnes & Noble across the street?”
He shakes his head mischievously.
I try again. “Okay, then. The Squirrel Hill Bookstore on Forbes.”
“No!” he says, unable to wait any longer. “The Squirrel Hill Library!… And for only fifty cents! Can you believe that?”
“Wow, Jonathan. That’s awesome!” I say, thoroughly impressed, realizing how much a good hardcover costs these days.
“Yeah, they have a few shelves in the entranceway set up with used books on sale, and every now and then, if I look hard enough, I come across a great find, like this one,” he says, holding up the book once again.
“Oh yeah, Jon, now that you mention it, I have browsed those shelves before, but the only things I ever found of use were a few computer and math books, which I used to prepare for exams that I could take to test out of the requirement to take the actual courses at Point Park. You know, so that I wouldn’t have to spend the extra money on the courses. But anyway, I’ll really have to go back and check it out again… Maybe I could find some good literature there, too… But you know, Jon, I’ve actually been meaning to read the Garp book. I saw the movie with Robin Williams a few years back, and it seemed so interesting. Besides, I usually always enjoy the book much better anyway.”
“Oh, me too…me too,” he comments, nodding his head. “Well, you know, as soon as I’m finished—I’m about three-quarters of the way through now—you’re welcome to borrow it. And then…” (almost all of the life has returned to his eyes now) “…we can talk about it!”
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Did you enjoy this excerpt?
Discover the entire story about Jonathan, as well as more stories about Jenna and her friends, via The Grill on Murray Avenue: A Story of Innocence.
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