Play Video For Soundtrack But Remember to Watch It Again For The Back Up Dancers After You Read. KICK ASS PERFORMANCE that was!!!
#1 Jacob Sneak Peek
"Why do you call it The Lighthouse?"
By L.G. Flores
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
10:53pm
The Lighthouse/My Apartment
Boyle Heights, CA
I woke up at 10:03pm, been up almost an hour. It wasn't a nap I woke up from. Yeah, another all nighter 'til sunrise. I was doing so well sleeping through the night but I guess not as well as hoped. I feel like it's all mental, acting like a hermit that wants to go outside but it's not safe.
The light is on and the window is open. What soft music shall I play for passerby's walking the sidewalk so late at night/early in the morning; or perhaps cars stopped with their windows rolled down?
I pick...
Caifanes and their album "El Diablito"!
Boyle Heights can use a little Rock en Español to serenade. I would put on a pot of coffee but I'm out of grounds, also I hope I can knock back out. Okies, skipping the caffeine. Mellow short story blogging it is! Now what to write about?
I'm drawing a blank.
11:47pm
Still nothing. Maybe I should just turn off the lights and stare at the ceiling in bed. I do my rounds of online accounts to check. I post "Sleep attempt #1" on my Facebook status update. I log off but leave the computer on so I can listen to the rest of "El Diablito".
My eyes are pretending to rest when I hear the little birds twitter pate. I get up out of bed to check my phone.
1 New Message: “Hey Gina, sorry if I woke you but are you still up?" That's odd, Jacob just text me, this is the first time he ever has.
Reply: “I'm up, you okay?" (send)
A minute later
1 New Message: "I'm okay I guess."
Reply: "You guess? You want someone to talk to?" (send)
This time his response takes longer, I'm wondering if he's drunk and text everyone he knows, fishing in the hopes for a bite.... Wait; he included my name.
1 New Message: "Yeah, do you mind?"
Reply: "What's up Boston besides you?" (send)
1 New Message: "Idk, just feeling restless I guess.”
Reply: "Guessing again... Tisk, tisk. Are you over thinking?" (send)
1 New Message: "Lol, I guess I am. And yes."
Reply: "What you over thinking about?" (send)
1 New Message: "Idk just am. I tried listening to music, went for a walk, surfed online."
Reply: "And Paul is gone so the apartment is too quiet." (send)
1 New Message: "Yeah."
Reply: "It's been the same for me. You got gas in your car?" (send)
1 New Message: "I do but I already went for a drive."
Reply: "Well never mind then." (send)
1 New Message : "What were you going to say?"
Reply: "I'm offering to turn The Lighthouse back on so you can come over and talk with someone for real." (send)
1 New Message: "The lighthouse?"
Reply: "I'll tell you what it means when I see you next. Offer's there to come over." (send).
1 New Message: "Wouldn't Mikey mind?"
Reply: "Why would he mind me helping one of his friends out. Y'know I could correct that and say "our" friends but that's up to you."
The birds stopped chirping. Well back to staring at my ceiling.
Wednesday June 5, 2013
12:09 am
1 New Message: "Our. What's your address? And thank you."
Reply: '__________________' no prob. Look for the light on." (send)
Reply: Bring your toothbrush, I'm out of extras. I got razors and shving gel. Bring deodorant too" (send)
1 New Message: Man did Mikey score finding you! I'll be there in a bit. Thanks again :)"
Reply: "Of course he did ;) lol you're welcome. See you in a bit." (send)
Well that's about 30 minutes before he gets here, I should put a bra on and do a quick shave of my legs since I'm wearing shorts and I really don't want to do the prickly pear.
My vain insecurity makes me put make-up on because I'm not at the point with Jacob where he can see me without my face on let alone without a bra. I'm ready, now to tidy up The Lighthouse.
12:44 am
Creedence Clear Water--Chronicles Vol 1
(cell phone ringing) It's Jacob.
"Hey there Boston! You outside?"
"I think so. You're the "___" window in from the right corner?"
"Is the light on and do you hear Creedence Clear Water doing 'Fortunate Son'?"
"Yeah."
"Well let's check if it's you outside." I walk to the window and look outside. "There be you. I'll meet you at the door."
"Okay." (click)
I put on my navy blue rubber clogs and walk down stairs to open the front door. I see Jacob with his back pack and Red Sox baseball cap on backwards. He's wearing tan cargo shorts and a broken in plain grey t-shirt that had the sleeves cut off.
He's wearing black tennis shoes with white anklet socks. I can see behind his smile there is a bit of what looks like he feels he's imposing. This is the second time he's been over.
"Hey you." I say and reach to give him a hug and I make it warm.
At first he's guarded, then I rub his back and I feel him hug back, "You so look like you could use a real hug," I tell him, still hugging him.
"Yeah, thank you."
"Ready to go upstairs?”
"Yes."
I open the front door and Jacob follows me in and up the stairs. We walk the hallway passing the doors of other apartments 'till we reach mine. I open my door and he wipes his feet on the welcome mat that this month is a baseball plate that says "Home".
Yeah my sense of humor that shows my personality before you even steps in. I take his back pack and place it next to mine on top of the milk create where I keep my water jugs for weights, my Perfect Push-Ups, the abs wheel, yoga mat and small ball with horses on it I use for leg lifts.
"You want to hang your keys and put your wallet in the basket?" I ask him.
"What?"
"My apartment has a tendency to swallow things and play hide and seek, or you can put them in your back pack."
"Um I guess I can hang them and put my wallet in the basket." I take his keys and hang them "What does your key hanger say?"
"Aqui estan las pinche llavez which translated means Here are the fucking keys."
He get's a chuckle out of that. I then point to a small basket I keep on my black dresser with the scars my T.V. hangs out on top of. "I keep the basket for what's in pockets so whatever comes in, leaves on the way out."
"Good idea."
"Well Boston, welcome back to The Lighthouse!"
"Why do you call it The Lighthouse?"
"I tend to have my days turned around so I sit by the window with my desk lamp on, working on my laptop until day break and then I lay down for a nap."
"Oh so you call it that because of the light by the window?”
"Yup, pretty much and I play music. I like there being some life at night while the rest of the world is asleep like normal folks do."
"That's cool."
"Would you like something to drink?"
"What do you have?"
"Lets trek it to la cocina and find out."
“The what?"
"The kitchen."
"Oh, okay."
I open the moto fridge to see what there is. “I got water and milk, but there's also Chocolate Malt Olvatine, oh and diet green tea that is a laxative."
"Oooookay. Ahhh... I can go for some coffee if you got it."
"Shit out of luck, I haven't bought any."
"Water is fine."
"Nope, I want coffee too and Mr. Boston you so happen to be in luck after all!"
"Why is that?"
"It's $1 coffee Wednesdays at 7/ELEVEN.”
"You don’t say?”
“I just did! Give me a sec to throw some jeans on."
I open my black dresser with the scars and pull out a pair of jeans. I go to the bathroom to change. I'm not comfortable dropping trou in front of Jacob yet. I come back out, go to my closet to get a belt, I loop it through and put on my Airwalks wannabe chucks without the sticker shock; and these without socks on. I take a five spot out of my wallet and my I.D. and put these along with my small knife no longer than 4 inches long; in my pocket. Jacob sees this.
"You carry a knife?"
"Yup. I rather not but you never know y'know? I'm grateful I've never had to use it and pray I don't have to ever."
"Why don't you carry pepper spray?"
"Too easy to spray my own eyes by accident. Anyway it's a short walk to the store."
"We're not driving?"
"Nope."
"Oh, should I leave my wallet behind?"
"I would, but take your I.D. just in case the cops need to identify your body."
"I don't want coffee that bad."
"I'm fucking with you, but take it anyway. Oh and leave your keys."
Jacob may have grown up in Boston and been in the Navy, but whiteboy is in East LA and... again I’m fucking with you guys! East LA is the next town over and Boyle Heights has been cleaned up for the most part. Yes there is tagging here and there; and one drug squat looking house that sells meth I know of, thankfully don't know where, and I only know because of a long story. Most that blaze have their medical cards so it is what it is with the drugs. I haven't seen drop down drunkards around. It helps the Police Station is close by.
Crime exists everywhere, but what I see the most in Boyle Heights is hard working folks wanting to get ahead and give their children a good education. The cholos, I haven't run across any lately. They mostly cover their ink or get it lazed off for a second chance, and go to Victory Outreach and sign up with Homeboy Industries and became bakers of bread. Good stuff too. Jacob follows me out and I lock up again.
Another reason I carry a knife at this hour, though 7/ELEVEN is just down the street, Hollenbeck Park is across it, and those that know better don’t go there alone at night, like for the skate park; and definitely avoid the back of the lake under the freeway overpass. Even with Boyle Heights going through a rebirth, bodies haven’t stopped being dumped in the lake. I heard of one woman that was 36 years old, and found in the morning floating. She was just a bit over a year older than me. I saw the report briefly on the Metro 260 monitor, but couldn’t hear the details because it was so loud on the bus and my hearing slips sometimes. If I could speculate, it may have been tweak related and she pissed off someone enough that she died.
I don’t know if she left any children behind. I just don’t know and it sucks to say it, but I’m lucky that wasn’t me getting fished out and my finger prints used to trace my name, then my dental records used to confirm it really was me; besides someone that knew me, having to see my corpse pulled out of the file cabinet cooler, and agree it was. I doubt she got an autopsy, heck there wasn't prayer candles clustered with rosary beads in remembrance of her life. Who was she? She wasn’t me and I’m on a mission to get me some coffee.
"Gina have you thought of moving away from here?"
"I have left a few times but East LA will always be home and it calls me back."
"I think you deserve better."
"Thanks for thinking that but don't put down Boyle Heights or East L.A., they're going through their Renaissance slowly but surely. The ethnic diversity is happening and so far folks get along. It's a place that isn't bland without culture. There's music, art galleries and even the local teenagers are organized on Facebook for their backyard gigs. I'm impressed their scene has ska included. I tripped out seeing a horn section at the first gig I had been to in yeeeeears! Plus it's affordable to live here; there is the Metro Gold Line and other public transit. And many folks ride their bicycles, I like it here."
"If you say so."
"What don't you like about my town ese?"
"I guess being white and outnumbered."
"I would say you are more light peach with pink swatches over your cheeks."
"Ha-ha.”
"Relax Jacob, don't feel or act like you don't have the same rights as everybody else to walk these public streets. You show the world you are a scared victim ready to happen, then you will be a victim. Make that common sense a common virtue boy!"
"How much farther is this 7/ELEVEN?"
"Less than two blocks."
"Okay."
We walk and I scan around, looking behind us and Jacob does the same.
"Jacob?"
"Yeah?"
"You've been wondering why you moved back to California haven't you?"
"A little."
"Were you happier in Boston?"
"Not really."
"It still hasn't registered California is your home yet huh?"
"It's beginning to."
"You like being back with The Retards?"
"Yes!"
"7/ELEVEN is at the corner."
Jacob still looks like he feels out of place. He also looks like he needs friends to nurture him. I don't know much about him other than Mikey is like a brother to him and that he's had a rough life. I don't know the details about why it was rough, but at least for the time being, it's looking up.
We arrive at the Shell gas station and open 7/ELEVEN's doors. I wave to the graveyard shift clerk that is familiar with my face; actually I think all the employees know mine. When I'm not feeling like cooking or haven't gone to the market yet, I get their chili dogs and a liter of Brisk fusion of Iced tea and lemonade for 99 cents. Trensas turned me on to those since she's on a budget too. I hang a left and Jacob follows and looks a bit lost with the coffee counter.
"What are you in the mood for, hot or cold?"
"What are you getting?"
"Hot."
"I'll take hot too."
"Want a flavored latte?"
"Is that what you're getting?"
"Yessum."
"Okay."
"You know how to make one?"
"Ah no."
"Well then I'll show you. Pick the size cup you want, they are all a $1 today."
"What size you getting?"
"Today I'm going for the medium."
"I'll take that too."
"Okies first you add your shots of flavored syrup."
"What kind do you get?"
"I go for hazelnut and caramel usually, but there is vanilla and honey also."
"I'll have it like yours."
"Okies. First squirt 3 shots of hazelnut and then 2 of caramel and fuck it 1 shot of vanilla." He does it. "Next pour coffee up to about 1/2 of the way."
"Which one do I get?"
"Well I think decaf is pointless but if you want it..."
"Fuck decaf."
"Right on, Colombian is next to that." He pours it in to about 1/2 of the way up. "Okies you got a couple of choices. The machine on the left has cold milk and half and half; the machine on the right has steamed milk along with pre-made cappuccinos."
"Which one do you use?"
"The steamed milk." Jacob watches me. "Trick is to stop pouring about an inch up from the top or you'll over fill your cup." Jacob follows my directions and almost went too high. "Okies now we stir with the swizzle stick and if you want you can add ground cinnamon."
"Is that what you do?"
"Yup, just watch which end of the cap you open before you shake."
I do it first and then hand Jacob the cinnamon. He shakes some on his and I stir both cups with the same stick. Jacob tries his and was pleasantly surprised. I hand him one of the cardboard cup bands so the cup wouldn't be too hot in his hand and we lid. "If I brought a marker I would write your name on it so you can pretend it's Starschmucks" he laughs.
"You called it Starschmucks."
"Of course, aren't you a friend of Foamy?"
"Who?"
"Oh you are so fired! Foamy The Squirrel!?! He looks like Invader Zim."
"Who?"
"I so got to enlighten you. Okies now to check the Calendar section."
"The what?"
"The L.A. Times Calendar section, it's where the horoscopes and funnies are."
"Oh."
We turn around to check where the newspapers are. No LA Times, just La Opinion. "Ah fuck-a-duck! I got to wait till 5am when they get delivered."
"Why do you know these things?"
"Because I'm cool like that. Hey if you want tamales, the tamale ladies set up around that time too."
"What are tamales?"
"Ah damn Boston, you don't know!?!" he squints at me. "It's a Latin American. The kind they sell is steamed corn dough with a filling in side or mixed throughout. They are wrapped in corn husks that have been dried, and then softened in hot water. You know, I'll make some for you and the guys another time. You want anything else under 2 bucks?"
"I'm cool, I got my coffee." I pay for both our drinks and back to ‘The Lighthouse’ we go.
We chit-chat on the way back, still scanning and looking behind us. I'm relaxed but alert and Jacob bless his heart is trying to do the same. He sees my window with the light on, the music had stopped playing. "Ooops, time to change the record."
"Gina, thanks for letting me come over."
"Hey I was awake and it's nice to have the company."
I open the front door and back up the stairs, down the hallway till we are safe at home plate. I open the door.
"Okies Mr. Boston, you can play disk jockey."
”Jockey? Alright, let's see what you got."
I go back to my band list then give up the chair so he can look. Jacob looks though my list. "You got Dope?"
"My ex's music got saved in my external hard drive. There's some Metallica and Guns n' Roses he liked in there too."
"Nah, I want something mellow."
"Depeche Mode work or The Cure?"
"Why am I not surprised you listen to those bands?"
"Would you prefer Dropkick Murphys to make you feel like you're back home?"
"Fuck yeah!"
"Shhh! Not so loud I got neighbors!"
"Oh sorry. Yeah that would be cool."
I lean over, across him and go to my Amazon MP3 downloads.
"I got Blackout--Do Or Die--Sing Loud, Sing Proud--The Meanest Of Times--The Warrior's Code, pick one."
"Hmmm, whatever you want."
"Whatever's Clever got it... Warrior's Code, it has 'Captain Kelly's Kitchen but oh I got to play this one for you first."
Jacob waits and then he laughs, covering his eyes... “Gina you're too cool!"
What did I play for lonesome Jacob?
Dropkick Murphys--"I'm Shipping Up To Boston"