Shine On
“Well, the way I’d know to tell a story was when it’d come to me twice.
I’d think about it, then it’d come back to me and I’d know to get it down.”
The old guy paused and looked about wildly. Then suddenly calmer, he said,
“Like this guy I used to know… a really hairy sort of fellow.”
The delivery girl looked at the crazy guy who had ordered Chinese food
not too long ago. Chinese food containers were all about the place, like
there had been a major scene. Usually very talkative, she decided to just
listen for now. This weirdo looked as if he really needed someone to just
listen.
“Hairy used to have the perfect life. He was rich, good looking,
he had it all… including the girl. You know, but one day they were together
and I mean together. They were standin’ there naked, and in the mirror
she saw it. The spot, right there on his fuckin’ back!”
The old hotel echoed the words over and over. Delivery Girl just stood
there and slowly it seeped in, there was a big hairy spot on the dude’s
back. Gross. This freak sure is tellin’ a weird story.
“Yeah!” hollered the Old Timer. Old Timer looked about, then grabbed Delivery
Girl by the elbow and promptly ushered her into the room. He then turned
back, looked up and down the hallway, and shut the door quietly. “Now,”
he said softly, “It may be up to us to save this guy.” He turned back to
Delivery Girl and looked her over.
Delivery Girl stood there looking at Old Timer as he looked at her.
“Damn,” she thought, “this guy is fucking insane.”
“Fucking insane,” she said.
“Yeah.” He walked briskly passed her.
The door was unlocked. Delivery Girl locked it then walked over to the
only couch in the room. Sitting in the chair next to it she remembered
what she had heard about Old Timer earlier. They said, “Yeah, Old Timer
is a really crazy guy. Check him out.”
Delivery Girl watched Old Timer as he made his way to the windows. He labored
intensely on a window that was painted with thick red paint, but could
not budge it. It was open for the duration. He sighed and standing upright
began to pull the chain that moved the curtain. As the light drained from
the room Delivery Girl lit up a cigarette. The flames from the lighter
danced through the room, shadows cast and lost in the moment.
“I’ll bet they told you to check me out,” said Old Timer. “Well, check
this out.”
He sat on the bed and slowly pulled his shirt up over his head, and then
off.
His back, when he turner to show it, had a single, hairy patch of hair
that bristled in the cold, then calmly settled down. The room was quiet,
if only for a moment.
“Yeah, well I’ve seen worse.”
She stood up and walked to the doorway, putting her cigarette out in the
toilet on the way. Looking back into the dark room, she said, “Well, I’ll
see you, Hairy. It is Hairy, isn’t it?”
Isn’t it… Isn’t it… Isn’t it… Isn’t it… Isn’t it…
The room dark, became much darker as the door closed behind Delivery Girl.
She walked down the hallway towards the elevator, laughing quite out loud.
Old Timer chuckled to himself, then turning on the light The Delivery reflected
it from the table. “Just look at that,” he thought, “Would you just look
at that.” Shine on.
A short story by Scott
C. Stuart
This website was created by Dana and Scott
Stuart. Copyright 1999-2999.
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