Aaron always got up earlier than I did, because he often used to go to daily Mass at St. Anselm's. The next morning, I pretended not to be awake when he snuck into my room, went over to my dresser and took a cigarette out of the package hidden in the top drawer. I was surprised at first that he knew where I had hidden my cigarettes - like he must have been through my chest of drawers to know that they were there, but then I got all excited figuring out that it had worked. I couldn't wait to see how he was going to justify it when he was caught!
But then I decided to play "possum" a little longer and see what he would do.
He snuck out of my room and went downstairs. Quickly and quietly I got dressed - no easy task because of our squeaky floors, and as soon as I heard him leave the house I raced downstairs to follow him.
The air was pretty cool even for April and I was used to being out of the house this early in the morning. I stayed far enough behind Aaron that I couldn't be seen but that I could still see him. He went directly to the church and into the door at the back reserved for altar servers and priests. I figured I was going to have to go into the church and find a spot where he couldn't see me or wait outside until he came out. I was pretty sure he wasn't going to smoke the cigarette in the church. I would have, probably, but Aaron is nowhere as crazy as I am.
I opted for the church, only because it was warmer and I could doze off now and then if I wanted to. St. Anselm's was a big, old church and it had many side altars and confessionals all around it. I chose a confessional because it still had a curtain that I could peek out of and I knew nobody would be in it at least until Mass was over.
I was just about to go in when I remembered that Aaron had been carrying his school books and that he was sure to be heading off to school right after Mass. Since I figured I was safe for a while, I ducked out of the church and headed home to get my books. Mom and Dad still weren't up which meant that Dad wasn't going to work today, probably because of a hangover, and Mom didn't have to be at work until 9:30. I grabbed a couple of pop-tarts from the cupboard, grabbed my English books, the only subject I ever bothered to bring home, and ran out again. On the way to the church I stuffed down the pop-tarts cold and was sorry that I hadn't grabbed something to wash them down.
I peaked into the church and the priest was just saying "Holy, Holy" so I knew I was about half way. Aaron was the only server. I studied him for a few minutes and noticed that he seemed more fidgety than usual. But maybe that was just because I was looking for it. I don't know. Then I almost started to laugh when I thought about Aaron having to go to confession and tell he stole a cigarette from his brother. Boy, I'll bet that will make Fr. Mulchahy wonder. I bet they won't take any boys in the seminary who admit to stealing. I felt really funny at that moment - I don't know how to describe it, both powerful and god-like, controlling things like I was.
I decided to stay outside now since I might be seen if I went back in. I pulled out a smoke and lit it. The first one of the morning is always so good, but today it even seemed better, anticipating my brother having one, too.
Soon some people started drifting out of the church - the early ones that go to communion and leave immediately - eat and run, the priest used to call it. After another few minutes the others started to leave. I ducked out around back where I could get a view of Aaron leaving. It wasn't too long before I saw that jerky Fr. Mulchahy and Aaron coming out together. They spoke for a few minutes, and then Aaron said good-bye and took off towards school.
I followed at a distance until Aaron went left at Ford street when he should have gone right. Instead he ended up at Memorial Park. I was able to follow a little closer now because this park was quite dense with trees. I was getting so excited now I wanted to pee my pants.
Shortly, he reached a park bench, looked around until he was sure there was no-one around, and then he sat down. I moved in a little closer where there were some bushes and crawled into the bushes where I had a pretty good view.
When I got into place and looked up again, he already had the cigarette out and was staring at it. Then he pulled out some matches - did I have those in the drawer? - and lit the cigarette. God, this was exciting - I felt like I was bursting inside. I watched him take the first drag of the cigarette - he inhaled, let it out. On the second drag, he coughed a little, but he continued smoking it until there was just a short butt which even then he seemed hesitant to throw away. He crushed out the cigarette, then picked up his books and headed back the way he came. I continued to follow at a distance.
When he got to Neuborn St., he turned up toward the school. He almost saw me two blocks later, because, suddenly, he stopped just past the corner and turned back. I ducked into a storefront and thought I had been seen, but when I peeked out again, he was nowhere in sight. Quickly but carefully I went along the street and when I got to the corner, I looked inside and saw Aaron buying a pack of cigarettes at the corner store.
Unbelievable, I thought. Aaron had passed the first test. I was already thinking about how I could get him next.
The rest of the day went pretty quickly. I tried to find Aaron at lunch before my detention - we have these stupid lunch hour detentions - but I couldn't find him. The detention teacher on Tuesdays was Mr. Dinsmore. Of all the teachers at Corcoran High, Mr. Dinsmore was the wimpiest. He was very short and skinny and wore these plaid jackets that were too loose on him. I'd like to say that he wore a bow tie because that would complete the picture but even he wasn't dorky enough for that. I told him that I wasn't feeling well about half way through and so he sent me to the nurse's office, probably glad to get rid of me. I noticed he didn't write anything down so I figured I was fairly safe to skip out instead of heading off to old Mrs. Keefer, the nurse.
I looked around some more for Aaron but couldn't find him in the usual spots so I went out to the Smoking Yard for a cigarette. On my way, I thought, Of course, he'll be at the Smoking Yard!" But he wasn't. The Smoking Yard really wasn't a Smoking Yard. You really weren't allowed to smoke at Corcoran High. Even the dumb teachers had to go out to their cars and light up. But there was this empty field not too far from the school where everyone just hung out and it became the unofficial smoking place. Nobody really bothered us there and there weren't any close neighbours to have a hairy fit or anything.
When I got there most everyone of the regulars was there. I asked around to see if anyone had seen Aaron but no-one had. This wasn't the kind of crowd that Aaron hung around with.
There were usually three or four different groups hanging out. You could tell each group by the clothes they wore. The "jocks" were farthest in and it was the smallest group and the oldest. There were a few of the senior football team, staying back to make sure they weren't seen by their coach, and they were usually surrounded by lots of girls - cheerleader types, but all smoking away like they were their mothers or something. Then there were the really tough "wankers". In another life they would have been called "bikers" or "hoods" and they seemed like they were mad at everybody. They wore their hair quite long, loved leather and wore anything with logos of whatever Heavy Metal rock group was in at the time. My group was probably called "the losers". We were an odd assortment of kids who basically weren't into clothes or hair much: we looked like every and any type. But, we were pretty intelligent really, having higher IQ's than both the other groups.
Sometimes there was a fourth group, but these were usually frosh who weren't able to fit into any of the regular groups yet. The "skinheads" didn't stay around school much.
Only Teddy and Jay were hanging out. I lit up and joined in a conversation about Teddy's gaming when suddenly Pepper Conklin came over from the wanker group. Pepper was his usual charming self.
"Hey, asshole!" he called.
"You talking to me?" Teddy challenged.
"No, the other asshole: Kelly."
"Looks like he wants you, Chris." Teddy grinned a stupid grin and he and Jay took off.
"Yeah, wha'd'ya want?" I asked.
"I hear you got arrested for a Becker's gig. That true?"
"Yeah," I said. "What about it?"
"Nothin', man. Just want to let you know that there are better ways of making a few bucks - and safer." He looked a little spaced out.
"I'll remember that, man." I hoped he didn't pick up the sarcasm. "Thanks."
"Anytime," he grinned. A part of a tooth was missing. "You'd have more fun hanging with our group than with those two dipshits."
I took one final drag on my cigarette and threw the butt with a flick of my finger. I had seen Bruce Willis do that and thought it was so cool.
"Thanks, man. I might just do that. Say you haven't seen my brother, Aaron have you?"
"Don't think I really know him, man. What the fuck's he look like?"
"No, that's okay. He doesn't usually come around here anyway. Look I gotta get back to class. Maybe tomorrow, okay?"
Right. And it's gonna rain tomatoes, too.
I took off toward the school but decided that I really couldn't sit through Geography and Science, so I took off toward the library. I couldn't go home yet because Dad might still be there and I might pick up a book or two that would help me with my latest "experiment." Besides I needed to do some thinking about what I was going to do next.