LITTLE JUST ISN"T MY GAME

BY: TAYLOR TRUSS

The sound of leaves rustling, the air I smell with a scent not even a dog can pick up. A

beautiful night sky, and a natural breeze. I wish my wife was out here to see what I do,

unfortunately I made her cook me supper. Well, it's my loss. "What a cool breeze! I

would stand here all day if I could." I said obviously talking to myself. "Mitchell!" My

wife called from inside of the house. "Could you come here for a minute?" "Ok." was my

response as I headed toward the door. I love to do things for my wife, but I hate the ways

she describes me to others. My wife describes me as a tall, slim, light skinned man in his

mid 20's that thinks he knows everything and can't be told otherwise. I don't see how she

would think that. I brushed my hand through my hair feeling the breeze through every

strand that went up and came back down. "Okay, what was it you needed?" I asked

leaning on the counter, watching her stir one silver pot, as graceful as always. Alice

looked at me with her glimmering blue eyes that gave me a good feeling, a feeling I'll

wait to express when my daughter is sound asleep in her room upstairs. It's a good idea

that she's on the second floor and we're on the first floor. "Mitchell, could you go wake

up Crystal so that she can have dinner?" Alice asked moving her brown hair behind her

ears. I looked at the stairs and started walking towards them, stopped when I saw my

eight year old daughter running down the stairs pass me to her mom, with her pig tails

swinging side to side. "Mommy I have a letter for you!" Crystals said handing her mom

the letter and watching her open it.

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Sanchez,

Your daughter will be excused from class tomorrow due to her behavior problem

today. If you have any questions or further information concerning your child, please contact me

Sincerely

Mrs. Williams

"Crystal what did you do this time?" Alice asked putting her hands on her hips giving her

the you're going to get it this time look. "Nothing, all I said is that she was a stupid

fucker for not giving me the answer to a math problem." "CRYSTAL!" Alice shouted

taking her hands off of her hips. "Where did you learn that word?" "I heard daddy saying

it when he was in his room on the phone." Krystal said with a innocent look glued on her

eight year old face. My wife looked at me with that same expression she just gave Crystal

not even a minute ago. "Mitchell, I think I already told you not to curse in the house

while Crystal is around!" "Nobody pays you to think." I said turning my head the other

way knowing the consequences of my words. "Alice I really don't see what the big deal

with saying fuck."

"Mitchell!" Alice shouted

"Or damn!"

"Mitchell!" Alice shouted again. I decided to ignore it.

"Or ass!"

"Mitchell!" Alice said walking up to me, covering my mouth.

"Or bit--mfg."

"Mitchell, stop before you teach Crystal more new words!" Alice said upset with

me. "Crystal when you go back to school I want you to apologize to your teacher." "Yes

mom!" Crystal said as she grabbed her dinner and went upstairs. "I can't believe you

we're so careless Mitchell!" My wife said walking away from me. "I told you to watch

what you say around her!" "Alice, I can't even watch my nose, yet alone my mouth." I

responded sitting down in a chair. "Mitchell, that's not what I meant!" My wife stared at

me. "Alice, I know what you meant and I'm sorry for being a irresponsible adult father

figure to my daughter, now with this apology I would like sympathy from you." "Ok"

She said. I watched her as she sat in my lap and put her fingers through my hair. "I'm

sorry for always being so up tight and right to date with you and always jumping to

conclusions about what you do around Krystal. Do you accept my apology? Mitchell?"

I watched as she moved her hand through my hair. I didn't want her to stop, neither did

my body, but I know something would happen that'll make her stop her tender, love and

care. As soon as she kissed me, the doorbell rang, interrupting what we were doing. "I'll

get it." She said groaning and walking toward the door. She must have been thinking the

same thing that I was. Now who in the world is ringing 'MY' doorbell, at a time when

everyone should be having dinner with their family? "I haven't heard from you all in a

while, come in, come in." I heard my wife say from the other room. I was headed for the

back door, but was stopped dead in my tracks. "Hey little brother what's the big rush?" I

turned around to see my older brother, Vincent with that same cocky grin as if we were

still twelve. He knows I hate it when he calls me little! I may be younger but I'm not

little! Little just isn't my game. There is not much difference between Vincent and myself

except we look like we could have be twins, but we were not born on the same day. We

were actually born 5 years away from each other. "Nothing" I lied. "I was just getting

some fresh air before I saw who was at the door uninvitingly but hey whose complaining

not me!" I watched Vincent's son come into the kitchen with something in his hand. I

realized what it was I started laughing. My wife walked up to me and she asked me what

was so funny? I looked at her and said, "That boy has a pink iPod, a candy pink iPod, you

know what that means!" I wanted to laugh until snot came up my nose and through my

mouth but unfortunately, I was stopped because of the threatening look my brother's wife

was giving me. But hey it's my house so I shrugged it off. "Mitchell, my son is not gay.

We went to the beauty supply store to buy him a iPod they only had pink left so he took

it." Raven said. "Who in the hell goes to a beauty supply store to buy a iPod? Now I

know your family is ….Awkward." I said still laughing. Raven walked up to me with

Alice next to her. "Wallace is in the R.O.T.C program and he's the best! He's above

them all!" "Well in his position he would be on top, including the boys!" I said walking

away, hearing footsteps close behind. I turned around and came face to face with

Vincent. He was honestly in my face like I was his wife! HisWIFE! "What do you want,

Vincent?" I asked with an expression that would kill two birds with 1 stone, not moving a

step away from where I had turned, no matter how close he was. Vincent took a step back

knowing what I would have done if he had not moved. "So where are we going to sleep

for tonight?" Vincent asked looking around as if he had not been in my house before.

"Let me get this straight, you come to my house, uninvitingly, and expect somewhere to

stay for the night in my house! Why are you here anyway?" I asked irritated. "I was

hoping that tonight could be a night that my wife and I could have to ourselves, you

know?" "You don't remember what today is Mitchell?" Vincent asked completely

ignoring the last thing I said about my wife and I. Raven however looked at me like cupid

stuck me in my ass with not the arrow of making you fall in love but the arrow that gives

you dumbass syndrome. Maybe it's because I don't know what today is. "Mitchell toady

is Wallace's birthday!" Raven said excited. "We were going to make him a cake to

celebrate but he insisted that he'll make it himself." "O-ok." I said cocking my head at

her. "I know, he's really showing his inner gratitude towards his father and me." "No." I

said giving her a straight look. "What he's really doing is showing his inner feminine

side towards his father and you!" I laughed hard thinking hard and walked back into the

kitchen, knowing that I was going to regret what I had just said. Vincent walked up to me

again, but this time it wasn't that cocky grin he always has. He was pissed. "Mitchell

since you're claiming my son as a female how about you daughter vs. my son?" I looked

at Vincent, then looked around in the kitchen eyeballing everything suspiciously.

"Hmm...two girls battling it out, sounds about fair." I said grabbing one of the chairs that

was next to the table. What do you want to do sell girl scout cookies?" I laughed again.

"No Mitchell we're going to play with paintball guns." "Fine!" was my answer. "You

better teach your son how to hold a paintball gun because if the tough gets going then the

going gets tough!" Before I could say another word, Alice stepped in between us as if she

had some big announcement she had to make. "We'll since we don't have any extra rooms

for the three of you to sleep in, Crystal can sleep with us and you three can find a way to

share her room. "That's good enough for us, besides I let Wallace sleep in the bed with

me whenever he wants." Raven said giving Alice a hug as a thank you for the room.

"You let your son sleep with you?" I questioned. "No wonder why he sits when he piss."

"Mitchell please stop before you start another problem!" My wife said walking into the

bedroom. I followed pursuit not wanting to be alone with Beauty and the Beast and their

gay son, Michael Jackson. I sat on the end of the bed and watched the T.V as Krystal

surfed from channel to channel. "Daddy nothing is on T.V, I'm bored! Can I watch

you? "She asked. I snapped all of my attention to Krystal, knowing exactly what

she was talking about. "What are you talking about Krystal? I don't play with your mom."

"That's not what I saw and heard! Krystal said standing up on the bed. "You were on top

of her like a dog and you was saying, You like that don't you? And she was all like, Oh!

Baby! Yes, I love it! Then you said He---mgh Daddy! I can't talk when you cover my

mouth. Were I? Oh yeah," "Crystal go to sleep!" I heard my wife say from the

bathroom, in other words she heard everything Crystal was saying. Alice came out of the

bathroom and walked over to her side of the bed and brushed her hair into a pony tail.

When she was finished she laid down on her bed and clicked off the light. "Goodnight."

She said. "Goodnight." I responded back. I was waiting for Krystal to respond but soon

realized that she was already sleep in the short time she had been told. Krystal is a quick

sleeper, and when she is sleep you can't ever seem to wake her up without a fight. I laid

on my pillow and closed my eyes letting sleep take control. The next morning I woke up

to find myself alone in my bed, and in my room. I crawled out of bed and did the usual, (

Shower, brush teeth, etc.). I left out of my room and saw Vincent in the kitchen talking to

my wife with his wife nowhere in view. I don't think that she was even up yet. I don't

exactly know why but this pissed me off, go and talk to your own wife for crying out

loud. Don't try and flirt with someone's wife if the husband is still in the area. Seeing my

wife and brother laughing and talking just makes me sick! I walked into the kitchen, as

rude as all get up. "Hi!" Vincent said to me. "How are you doing this morning?" "You

have a nice day now!" I said to him and turned to my wife. "When are they leaving?" I

asked. "Mitchell, please don't be rude." My wife said to me. Vincent walked up to me

and put his hand on my shoulder. "I set up the backyard so that we could have our

paintball gun fight." He said. "That's nice." I responded. "Now get your pissy hands off

of me! I said like the arrogant bastard that I am, and was raised to be. Which is true

because I don't know my father, so I take 'Bastard' as a compliment Vincent moved his

hand off of my shoulder and said, "I'm going to go and get my son ready, I suggest you

do the same with your daughter." Krystal came down the stairs, shortly after Vincent had

went up, and came down with camouflage clothing on. She stood in front of me and said,

"I'm ready to terminate gay cousin!" I laughed, but my wife was not too impressed.

"Krystal this is why your are suspended from school, do not repeat things your hear other

people say." I took Krystal outside and noticed Vincent was walking not too far behind

me, and I hadn't eaten breakfast yet. I get really arrogant when I don't eat. Vincent

walked away to the other side of the yard and kneeled down beside his son, telling him

something. I looked around in my backyard looking at all of the obvious things, like trees

and squirrels. A tree here a tree there. A squirrel here a squirrel there. I looked around

until my sight landed directly on Vincent and Wallace. I knew Vincent was nervous.

When he's nervous he rubs his head. He was rubbing his head constantly. I looked at

Krystal, whom was loading a paintball gun, eager to shoot someone. I had a good feeling

that we were going to win this. But what will happen if I win? I mean, we didn't actually

bet anything. If I do win, I'll spear the odds. but if I lose, the odds are definitely on my

side. It was time to start and I stepped in front of Krystal so that we could have eye

contact. "Are you ready for this Krystal?" "Yeah!" She shouted "Awesome!" I said back

moving to her side as we both charged at the other team. We came back to our post, not

even a fullminute later, paint balled! Krystal looked at me as any eight year old child

would in this situation. "Daddy I don't want to play anymore, this hurts and we're not

going to be able to win!" I walked up to her, mad that she would want to quit on me at a

time like this. "Listen here, if you quit on me I will shove my timberland boots so far up

your but, you'll be throwing up shoe laces for the next 2 weeks." She huffed at me. I

knew she was mad at me. I didn't care. That was one of the many wrong fatherly

mistakes that I made. It was time for round two! I looked at Krystal to make sure that she

was ready. She gave me a nod which signaled 'Ready' and we charged at the other side

yet again. This time we came back in two minutes. Better than the first time. But I still

wasn't happy. "Daddy I quit! I don't want to do this anymore, we're losing!" I walked up

to Krystal but this time I was really in her face. "Listen to me, say something else about

quitting and I will take a pill that will turn me microscopic size, go in through your nose,

and go all the way up to your brain. Then I will take a pill that will turn me back regular

size, therefore, me bursting out of your head with pink fluid flying everywhere. It won't

even be a lot because you're not even that smart to have a brain that produces so much

pink fluid!" Krystal ran back into the house crying. Vincent walked up to me. "So we

won?" He asked. "Yes you all won your first match ever!" I responded walking back into

the house with Wallace and Vincent close behind. "You could have bet me my respect for

your son, but hey you didn't so I don't really care. "I see someone is a sore loser!"

Vincent said. "I mean, this is worse than that time we played with each other in

school and you lost, so you threw a hissy fit, and shitted on yourself." Vincent said

laughing after every word. I noticed that Alice, my wife even had a couple a giggles up

her sleeve. Including my daughter and Raven. I stood up, not liking to be the one made

fun of and stormed off in to my room, leaving a laughing crowd in confusion. Alice came

into the room ten minutes later. "Are you done laughing at me? Because if not you can

stay out there with the other clowns. I said still upset. "I'm sorry Mitchell." She said still

laughing. "It's not all fun and games when the joke is on you now is it?" I turned away,

ignoring her. I knew what point she was trying to get across. "Don't you think that

Wallace feels the same way, maybe even worse, hearing that his own uncle is calling him

gay, just for having a pink iPod?" Alice sat on the bed next to me. "Mitchell, if you really

think that Wallace is gay then I can't change your mind, but don't call him gay, knowing

that everyday when you wake up you're going to have to deal with the guilty conscience

crawling through your head. And It's going to live with you for the rest of your life."

"Okay." I said "I will not call him gay." I agreed with my wife just to make her shut up. I

know it's mean, but if I didn't agree sooner, let's' just say, it's like talking to a fifth

grader at a college level. I love when my wife talks to me, but when she nags on me, I bet

if I put a barking chiwuawa in a room with her, she'll still win. Don't get me wrong I

love my wife to death, cross my heart and hope to die, but nagging is where I cross the

line. Not that I would tell her that in person, no, I'm a man, a guy of free will. I wouldn't

dare speak out of term in my marriage. Anyway, my wife hugged me and gave me a

quick kiss before she left out of the room. I left out too not long after and saw Vincent

and his family leaving. I wanted to throw a party. I walked up to Wallace. I want you to

know that being the man that I am, I'm not going to apologize for being the bad guy in

the situation. Instead I had a different approach. I held my hand out for him to shake and

he took it, no questions asked. "So maybe next time I see you, you won't have a candy

pink iPod that makes you look gay, huh?" I asked Wallace looked at me, still emotionless

and said "Maybe next time I see you you'll not be such a jerk to society?" Wallace said

which actually sounded like 'shut the fuck up!' He let go of my hand and proceeded out

of the door, not even looking back to see if he had hurt my feelings. I guess I deserved

that since I didn't care about his. I watched as they pulled out of the driveway in their

black Mustang and headed home. I closed the front door and walked into the kitchen to

see Krystal eating a fried peanut butter banana sandwich and Alice watching her like she

had just seen the end of the world. I sat down next to Krystal wanting a bite of her

sandwich, after all I didn't eat yet. Krystal noticed that I was trying to grab her sandwich

and smacked my hand like I was her little brother. I stood up and grabbed the hot tea pot

that was sitting on top of the stove, eager to pour this steaming hot green tea down my

daughter's back, and when she asks me, "why I did it?" I will just tell her the honest

truth. Because little just isn't my game.