"Man, I can't believe you're gonna be living with our TEACHER," Gerald exclaimed as we worked on making the bed of the empty room that was to be where Mr. Simmons and his roommate would be staying.
"I just feel bad that there's only one bed. I offered them two rooms but Mr. Simmons said it was fine and that he didn't want to take up more space than necessary." I said while fluffing the pillow into its case.
"Mm mm MM, he is too good a guy. He's going through all KINDS of crazy and he's worried about taking up too much room in a BOARDING house." Gerald said and I nodded my head with a sad expression.
"I know, it's so sad. I'm just glad there was something I could do to help," I said while exiting the room with Gerald and closing the door behind me.
"When is he and his friend coming over anyway?" Gerald asked and I shrugged my shoulders.
"Sometime before five, or maybe after? I guess I'm not really sure. I didn't want to pressure him into coming over if he's not ready yet. And besides," I said as we made our way to the living room. "Maybe it's better if they show up after dinner. You know how the boarders can be..." I said while trailing off and Gerald smirking beside me as we took a seat on the couch.
"A little overwhelming?" He offered and I nodded my head.
"You've seen them first-hand. They aren't... the most sensitive people in the world," I said while picking up the remote and turning the television on.
"THAT's an understatement," Gerald said with a sly smile and I rolled my eyes.
"I just want him to be comfortable," I mumbled while looking down at my lap. "He's already suffered enough."
"I know, man, but you've already offered him and his friend your home. There's not much else you can do at this point, ya know?"
I nodded my head and sighed while changing the channel to the ongoing investigation of the fires. "Maybe I should talk to the boarders," I decided, "Maybe if I talked to them they could control themselves for at least a little bit until they get adjusted here."
"Yeah, man. It's worth a shot," he said with a shrug, his eyes blankly glued on the television. "But do you really think they'd listen to you?"
I thought about this and sighed. "Probably not. But like you said, it's worth a shot, right?"
The dinner bell rang, and the boarders each exited from their rooms to make their way to the dinner table where the smell of fresh food was lacing the air. Grandma had made another casserole, hopefully one that was edible this time, and a bunch of fresh vegetables from the garden. I left my room and slowly made my way downstairs to where everyone was gathering around the kitchen.
"Hey guys?" I said as I parted through the crowd and made my way to my usual spot at the table, the others taking theirs. "Can I ask you all a favor?"
"I don't have any money, kid," Ernie said and Mr. Hyunh shot him a look.
"Give him chance to talk, Ernie," he scolded. "You're rude. Rude!"
"Oh, I'M rude, huh? I was just covering my bases, Hyunh." he retorted and I sighed while watching as chaos began to ensue like it usually did.
"How you know he was asking for money?" Hyunh asked with a cross of his arms.
"Well we ALL know he wasn't going to ask Kokoshka now, was he?" He countered back and Oskar frowned from where he sat across the table.
"Hey! I have money!" he fought back and the table laughed loudly at his absurd comment.
"Hey, look at me," Ernie said making wild gestures in the air, "I'M Oskar, I have MONEY, hah hah hah, what a load of crap!"
Suzie laughed and then gave Oskar a sympathetic look after her giggle. "I'm sorry, Oskar, but you never have any money."
He frowned and took a scoop from the casserole and plopped it onto his plate. "I do too," he fought back, "Suzie how could you say that about me?"
"Because it's true?" She said while taking the casserole from him and scooping some onto her plate as well. "Oskar, since I've known you you've never had any money."
"Yeah, and you're always taking ours too!" Ernie piped in while pumping his fork-clad fist in the air. "Don't you remember last week when you cheated at poker and took me for all I was worth?"
"Or when you took my piggy bank!" Mr. Hyunh added. "Not nice, Oskar!"
He offered a nervous grin and chuckled. "What piggy bank? Heh heh heh heh..."
"Guys!" I exclaimed over their sudden roar of fighting that took place after Oskar laughed. "Can we just be serious for a moment? Just give me two minutes, I have something to say."
They all dropped their utensils and sat quietly, staring at me. A rare moment of silence between the group and I was startled that they even listened to me.
"What is it, colonel?" Grandma asked and I sighed while staring down at my empty plate; the casserole not yet making its round to me.
"We're going to have some guests stay at the boarding house for a while," I started, my words shaky as they came out of my mouth. "And they're really... they're going to be sensitive."
"Is it those people from the news?" Suzie asked while taking a bite of her food. "Your teacher and his friend?"
I nodded my head. "Yes, it is. They've been through a lot recently and I'd really like to welcome them to the boarding house with open arms and, well, normalcy. I think they could really use that right now."
"Normalcy?" Ernie repeated and scoffed. "What part of this house has EVER been normal? I mean look at this food," he said while picking some of it up with his fork and Grandpa shot him a glare.
"You watch yourself, Ernie," he said with narrowed eyes and I frowned.
"Can't you guys even try? Just try for one night to be normal?" I pleaded and then sighed to myself and quieted my tone. "Look, these people just lost their home. They have next to nothing left. Their emotional states are probably off the charts right now. Can we please not act like animals at dinner tonight?" They all looked around at each other suspiciously as if trying to decide which one of them would ruin it all the most.
Because, even as optimistic as I was, I knew somebody would ruin it.
Grandpa cleared his throat and smiled in my direction. "Sure, Shortman. I think we can handle toning it down for just one night, don't you?" He asked the boarders and they all nodded their heads slowly as if still processing the idea of it.
"Alright," I said slowly as the casserole finally made its way to me. "Thank you, really. I just think they'll need some time to... adjust. And let's be honest, all of us are a lot to adjust to."
"Right, ALL of us," Ernie muttered to himself before taking a big bite of food, the doorbell ringing and causing everyone to freeze around the dinner table.
"Well?" Ernie broke the silence while pointing his fork in the direction of the door and chewing on his food. "You gonna get that or not? They are YOUR guests."
I swallowed the bite of food I'd taken and ignored Ernie's comment entirely. "Okay guys," I said while scooting my chair out to stand up, "That's them. Please, PLEASE be on your best behavior, okay? This is my teacher, remember, and I really don't want to scare them off."
"Aye aye, captain!" Grandma called out as I left the kitchen and made my way to the front door, settling myself with a deep breath before opening it to reveal my teacher and his roommate who looked practically unrecognizable.
"Mr. Simmons, Peter," I greeted them though Peter merely stayed stoic and Mr. Simmons offered a heartbroken smile.
"Hi Arnold," he said, curled into himself as Peter steadied him with a hand on the small of his back. He looked horrible and I could tell that even 'normal' for our boarding house family wasn't going to help anything.
They'd already been through too much.
"Please," I said while opening the door further, "Come in. We're just getting started on dinner. Have you two eaten yet?" I asked and they shook their heads.
"We just left the-the house," Mr. Simmons stuttered out and Peter rubbed at his back for a moment. "I'm sorry, we couldn't find anything to bring with us that was salvageable. Just... just..." he gestured to his clothing with a sigh. "This."
"It's alright, Mr. Simmons. We understand completely. Come on in, I'll introduce you to everyone."
Slowly, they entered the house, their eyes wandering around their new environment as they carefully followed me into the kitchen.
The chaos that normally ensued during the dinner hour, came to a screeching halt as the two figures darkened the doorway to the dining room. The faces of both men held numb, listless expressions, though Mr. Simmons' eyes were noticeably more red than his partner's and his cheeks were pale. They both wore dull, beat up hoodies with patches in colors that didn't match and ratty old jeans that had been mistakenly stained with bleach. 'Much more suitable for house or yard work than the dinner table,' one of them surely thought to themselves. The energy in the room shifted from familiar and comfortable to something vaguely threatening. Peter's right hand rested protectively in the small of Mr. Simmons' back; the left cradling his shoulder. Without a word, he led Mr. Simmons to the nearest empty chair and helped him into it by pulling the chair out for him and gesturing for him to take a seat.
"Suzie, why don't you ever pull the chair out for me?" Oskar whined quietly and Suzie merely rolled her eyes.
"Oh Oskar..." she said quietly before I spoke up to address the entirety of the boarding house.
"Well everyone," I said awkwardly as one could hear a pin drop in the silence that surrounded us, "This is my teacher, Mr. Simmons-"
"You can call me Robert," he said softly and I nodded my head before swallowing hard and gesturing to his roommate who was taking the seat next to him.
"And this is his roommate, Peter." I said before taking my own seat and slowly sliding the chair into the table.
The boarders all looked at one another with concern before staring at me and waiting to introduce them. "Oh, right," I said to myself while shaking my head in embarrassment before clearing my throat and pointing to each one of the boarders where they sat around the table. "This is my Grandma Gertie, my Grandpa Phil, Ernie Potts, Oskar and Suzie Kokoshka, and Mr. Hyunh there at the end."
Peter and Mr. Simmons nodded their heads at each person, greeting them silently as Grandma slid in to give them each a plate and some cups of water and milk. "Do help yourself," she said in a surprisingly normal tone. "There's plenty to go around."
"Yeah if Kokoska doesn't eat it all first," Ernie said and I shot him a glare from across the table.
"Could you pass the casserole, Mr. Hyunh?" I asked while offering my hands to take it from him and pass it down to Mr. Simmons and Peter. They looked hungry but most of all exhausted. The passed two days had taken a tole on them, that was evidently clear. Their faces were lost in the new world around them and I couldn't help but feel sorry that this is where they'd ended up.
"What kid of casserole is this if I may ask?" Mr. Simmons questioned while scooping a spoonful onto his plate.
"Tater-tot and beef casserole with a few special ingredients," Grandma answered with a smile and Mr. Simmons stopped putting food on his plate and sighed.
"I'm so sorry," he said while looking down at his lap and Peter merely offered him a nod and switched his empty plate with Mr. Simmons'.
"Sorry for what?" I asked and he shook his head in embarrassment.
"I'm a, well, I try to stay away from meat products and fish," he said in near shame and Peter patted his back while passing him the bowl of vegetables.
"That's nothing to be sorry about," I said as the boarders nodded quietly amongst themselves. "Everyone has different eating habits. Its just something we'll have to get used to, right, Grandma?"
"Of course, Arnold," She said with a wink before taking her seat again and taking a bite from off her plate.
"So, uh, Peter was it?" Ernie asked while chewing his food and then swallowing and pointing his fork in Peter's direction. "What is it you do for a living, eh?"
Peter scooped up some of the casserole on his plate and said before putting it in his mouth, "I sell beepers."
"Well that sounds interesting," Suzie commented. "Do you know much about them?" She asked and Peter shook his head while focusing down on his food.
"Nope. I' just sell 'em." He responded quickly and I pursed my lips while trying to figure out just what it is Mr. Simmons saw in him to want to be roommates. They seemed so different from each other.
But who was I to judge? They'd been through a lot and maybe that's just how he was right now. Maybe the fire had really changed them in ways that were more evident in Mr. Simmons and less in his friend? I had to try and be sensitive to the issue, I had to try and make my home feel like theirs. I had to try, it's all I could do.
"So what's YOUR deal, Robert, right? You're a teacher, huh? Man, you got your work cut out for you." Ernie said next and I fought the urge to dive my face into my hand.
Mr. Simmons took a breath and shakily said, "...Oh, I wouldn't quite say that. I love my job. All of my students are very special to me." His words were earnest but the tone behind them was devastating. Mr. Simmons was clearly struggling with all that had happened and in the worst ways possible. His friend, however, seemed to be handling the whole thing pretty well. He was a strong guy, someone that maybe Mr. Simmons clicked with because of his brawny exterior and stoic nature. He seemed to keep him grounded in a way that Mr. Simmons couldn't do himself. It was as if Peter was the only thing keeping him from completely losing his mind.
It was nice to see a friendship like that. They must be very close.
The sound of snorts filtered out from under the table as Abner entered the room in search for lost crumbs of food- he was always our little vacuum cleaner, but my eyes opened wide when he flitted across Mr. Simmons' feet.
"Oh!" He exclaimed while jumping slightly from the table. "What was, what was that?"
"It's just Abner," I replied while lifting the tablecloth to look at him from where he sat under the table. "Abner..." I said as he hopped up on Mr. Simmons leg and looked up at him.
Mr. Simmons lifted the tablecloth to see Abner's brown eyes staring up at him and a small smile flitted over his face. "Oh hello there, friend," he said and I anxiously snapped my fingers.
"Abner, don't jump on people, that's bad!"
"It's alright, Arnold," he said while awkwardly reaching down to pat on the top of Abner's head. "He seems very sweet."
"So the two of you," Grandpa asked with a raised brow while interrupting the conversation about Abner, "You're roommates?"
Mr. Simmons dropped the tablecloth giving Abner the signal that he wasn't interesting anymore, and him and Peter shared a look before Mr. Simmons nodded his head. "Yes, we have been for years."
"That must be a...special kind of friendship you two have." He commented and Mr. Simmons blushed as Peter eyed him.
"Very special. He's...he's my best friend. We've been through a lot together," he stopped for a moment as if remembering what had happened and then swallowed hard. "Especially as of lately."
"We're so sorry to hear about your house, aren't we Oskar?" Suzie egged him on with a nudge under the table and he stopped eating and shot straight up.
"Yeah, yeah, very sorry," he said unnaturally. "How did it burn down?"
"Oskar!" Suzie scolded, but Mr. Simmons held a hand up and shook his head.
"It's alright, we too are wondering just how it happened. But so far the investigators are still looking into it." He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm sure it was all just a simple mistake."
"Crazy one, crazy mistake," Mr. Hyunh said with a shake of his head.
Grandma looked around the room before settling her eyes on our guests. "How is everything tasting?" She asked and Mr. Simmons simply stared at his plate which he hadn't touched while Peter answered for the both of them.
"It's great, thank you for your hospitality," he said. "We really appreciate it."
"I could help with the dishes if you'd like," Mr. Simmons chimed in, but Grandpa shook his head.
"Not tonight you won't. I think it's time Arnold and I here show you your room. Whattya say, Shortman?" He suggested and I nodded my head, anxious to get this first dinner over and done with.
And I was sure they felt the same way.
They rose from the table, each nodding towards the rest of the boarders and then followed Grandpa and me down the hallway to the first door on the right, right next to the bathroom.
"So this is your room," Grandpa introduced while handing Peter the key and opening the door. "Arnold and his little friend Gerald just cleaned it up this afternoon so it should be pretty tidy for you two."
"Thank you, from the bottom of my heart," Mr. Simmons said as his eyes shone with preparing tears. "I can't tell you how much your kindness means to us in this trying time."
"Don't sweat it," Grandpa said. "You've always been a great teacher to our boy Arnold, here, heck, to me even!"
"Yeah, Mr. Simmons. It's the least we could do."
"Well we appreciate it very much," Peter said as they entered the room. "It certainly beats the alternative, doesn't it, Robert?"
He nodded his head sadly, his eyes half-lidded and ready for bed. I couldn't imagine they'd gotten much sleep since the whole ordeal. Hopefully the bed and couch would be comfortable enough for the both of them. I wondered who would sleep where.
"If you need anything at all," Grandpa said as we stood in the doorway of the room, "Pookie and I are just down the hall and Arnold is upstairs. We're happy to help you two in any way we can."
"And we're sorry about the other boarders," I blurted out, my mouth feeling like they deserved an apology for all that was the awkwardness at dinner. "They really are good people, they just take...some getting used to."
"I'm not worried, Arnold," Mr. Simmons said with a half smile. "They all seem like some very special people. You all are to have us here in your home."
With that, we left them alone to get settled in whatever way possible. The boarders were curious though, constantly stopping at the closed door to listen in at the soft sobs emitting from the room. I was sure it was Mr. Simmons, completely distraught by all that had happened. I just hoped their friendship would give him some peace in knowing he wasn't alone in all of this. His friend had lost his home too.
And in some ways, so had all of us.
I knocked on the door, bag in hand and waited until Peter greeted me. "Hello, Arnold. Isn't it late?" he asked and I nodded my head while reaching up to rub at the back of my neck.
"I guess, yeah, but I uh, I just wanted to uh," what was it with this guy that made me so nervous? "I just wanted to drop off some stuff for you two."
"Let me get Robert," he said while turning around to find Mr. Simmons lying on the bed.
"No, it's alright-" I tried, but soon it was Mr. Simmons looking down at me from the doorway, a surprised look on his face.
"Arnold? Shouldn't you be in bed? We have school tomorrow..." his voice trailed off as if knowing he couldn't take being away from school any longer.
"I know, I just wanted to drop off some things for you," I said while handing him the plastic bag full of toiletries.
"Oh Arnold, you didn't have to do that," he said while opening up the bag to see what was inside. There were various kinds of shampoos, conditioners, body wash, toothbrushes and toothpaste, a few disposable razors, some body sprays and deodorant; practically everything Grandpa, Grandma and I could scrounge up on such short notice. It wasn't much, but I hoped it was enough to bring them some comfort.
"I know it isn't much," I said while looking down at my feet, "and we weren't sure what brands you two liked so we just settled on Old Spice, Colgate and Head 'n Shoulders. If that's alright."
Mr. Simmons looked up to me with watery eyes and smiled. "Thank you. That's very sweet of you." Peter turned his head from where he was now lying on the bed and glanced at me in the doorway with a straight face before turning over to the opposite side.
"The room treating you okay?" I asked and Mr. Simmons nodded.
"It's wonderful, thank you." He offered a sad chuckle. "I feel like I can't stop thanking you for all you're doing for us."
I raised my hand and shook my head. "There's no need to thank us, Mr. Simmons. We just wanted to do our part."
"Well, Arnold," he said while setting a shaky hand on my shoulder, "I think you're doing more than enough. And we're very grateful."
"Glad to help, Mr. Simmons," I said with a smile. "Goodnight," I said before turning around and making my way up the stairs to leave Peter and Mr. Simmons be for the night.
It had been a long day, and even longer for them I'm sure. I couldn't imagine losing my home only to crash at someone else's and feel so out of place. I just hoped that they could feel more comfortable as time went on while their home was being fixed.
It would be a long few weeks. But helping my teacher and his roommate? That was truly priceless.
Once again, guys, please PLEASE let us know what you think of this story, there's a lot of work that went into this and i'm really hoping you're enjoying it. Please leave a review and lemme know what you think!
And thanks again, Spec, for the great idea!
-Polka & Spec