Along Came a Spider
Chapter 10: Orphans Saving Orphans
When I think of a cook I normally picture a fat, bald, guy with a huge white hat. In my head they're always Italian with high-pitched voices and big eyes. Charlie met none of these expectations. For one thing, his eyes are small and piercing, raging blue with laughter. His muscles bulge out from under his stained t-shirt, revealing many abnormal tattoos. His thick black hair is spiked on his round head, and he certainly isn't Italian.
"So she says to me, in her cute Vietnamese accent, 'I'm already married'. And I say, 'hell, aren't we all'." Charlie says in his thick, Chicago, voice. He roars with laughter at his story of the Vietnamese woman he tried to sleep with. I can hardly keep up with most of his stories.
"So you came all the way over here to tell me you tried to fuck a married Vietnamese chick?" Soda asks smiling. He had called Charlie back about this 'important information', and Charlie had insisted on dropping by. He said it was too good to announce over the phone.
"Oh yeah, about that. Shit, you know I gave that message...musta' been a week ago! What the hell took you so long to call back?" Charlie asks after some thought. Soda exchanges looks with Darry that I'm too tired to read into.
"We had some family issues that needed tending to." Soda answers apologetically. Charlie shrugs and mutters something like, 'I'm sorry I asked'. "When did you get home? Or…back in the states rather?" Soda asks him, anxious to get to the point. Charlie leans back in the chair that's usually Darry's and props his hands behind his head.
"Couple days after you. Can't go back to Illinois yet, I'm just on break. Not permanently excused because of a lousy shoulder wound." Charlie says without anger. Soda laughs.
"I'll have you know that this shoulder wound wasn't so lousy at the time. Bastard nearly blew my arm off." Soda counters. Charlie waves his hand dismissively. Darry shifts uncomfortably, obviously not enjoying the talk of war.
"Anyhow, I came here to tell you that Lieutenant Morgan has decided to award you and your friend Steve-o the Medal of Honor. Apparently saving Vietnamese orphans is considered heroic." Charlie tells my brother, winking at him. Soda laughs and shakes his head unbelievingly.
"You're kidding right? I mean…that's like the highest honor there is!" Soda exclaims. I can't help but smile at his excitement, thinking that maybe Soda going war wasn't all bad.
"Nope. Not kidding at all. Congratulations pal, you deserve it. You and you're friend Steve…the stingy-" Charlie congratulates. Soda stops him from muttering about Steve.
"Thanks. Thanks for telling me, and for stopping by. It's nice to see ya." Soda answers, walking Charlie to the front door.
"No problem. Maybe when this whole shit of a war is over with, I'll stop by again." Charlie states, shaking hands with Soda and Darry. "This is one kid brother you have here." He says to Darry. Darry nods proudly.
"Yep. They both are." He tells him. Soda gives him an approving look and turns back to Charlie.
"Stop by anytime. Oh, and Charlie?" Soda calls after him. Charlie stops at the end of the porch and turns to face him.
"Yeah, kid?"
"Sorry about that Vietnamese girl." Soda says smiling. Charlie laughs and heads to his car.
"No sweat kid." He answers, pulling the car door open. "I found another one." He holds up his left hand, revealing a gold ring. Soda laughs, shuts the door, and sits down on the couch beside me.
"So, you and Steve really saved some Vietnamese orphans?" Darry asks quizzically. Soda nods.
"Yeah well, you know how Steve loves kids."
oOoOoOoOoOoO
Steve doesn't really love kids. Actually, I don't think he really likes people. But he could have fooled me with the look on his face as we walked into the visiting room.
"Sodapop?!" Steve yells, practically diving over the unbalanced table to grab him. The little nurse looks ready to call for back up when Darry waves her off.
"We're friends. No worries." He assures her, and she sits back into the chair beside her patient.
"Oh my God! Oh my God, I thought you were dead, or gone, or missing or something! The uh…uh commanding offi-oh fuck it, it doesn't matter! You're okay; you're actually okay and here! My God!" Steve sobs.
"Uh…Soda is fine Steve. You know how I feel about you calling me God in front of other people." Soda kids him. Steve punches him playfully and sits back down in his chair. The three of us follow his motion.
"Two-bit swung by a few days and told me he had a surprise and wouldn't tell me what is was. But man I never. Ever thought. This, I mean…man." Steve gawks, looking at Soda happily. Finally his eyes rest on Darry and I.
"Pony…you're a lot bigger than I remember." He says nicely. I'm shocked by his tone, but I remind myself that Steve Randal has probably changed a lot over the last few months.
"Uh…yeah." I answer awkwardly. He smiles nostalgically.
"Still quiet huh? Gosh am I glad to see you guys! How have you been?" Steve says excitedly. A pang of guilt runs through me as I think we're probably the only visitors he's had since Two-bit.
"Fine." Darry answers. "How about you though? Steve…you don't look too good." He laughs genuinely.
"Yep. I guess that's probably true. The food here isn't as great as you and Soda's cooking." He answers. "No offense." He adds to the nurse. She gives a polite smile but says nothing.
"Has Charlie been by?" Soda asks him curiously. Steve thinks hard and shakes his head.
"Charlie the cook ya mean? No, aint seen him since Nam. Should I be expecting him?" He questions. Soda shrugs.
"Well, he came by my place to tell me some news." Soda says causally. Steve sits up straighter in his chair, anticipating whatever's coming.
"Don't hold out on me Sodapop.' He demands, growing anxious.
"Well Stevie, you remember some certain orphans that we more or less saved from a buncha crazy, Vietnamese, soldiers?" Soda asks. Steve squints.
"Yeah…more or less. Why?" He answers questioningly. The nurse tries to appear uninterested.
"Well, Charlie stopped by to tell me that they decided to award us a little thing the Americans call the Metal of Honor." Soda informs. Steve's questioning gaze turns into one of realization, surprise, and shock.
"You're shitting me?" Steve almost yells. Soda shakes his head.
"I shit you not." He answers. Steve stands up and hugs Soda again, then surprises me by grabbing me too.
"I knew things couldn't get any worse. Two-bit came in here blabbing about how I had to think positively and shit because things could only get better. And I'll be damned if he wasn't right." Steve says happily. He lets go of the both of us and smiles sincerely for the first time in a while.
"Two-bit said that huh? Didn't think he was the philosophical type." Darry admits. Steve scrunches his head up with thought.
"I didn't either. Then again, I think he might be crazier than I am." Steve answers. Soda looks at him curiously.
"Why?" He questions. Steve sits down and looks at us all seriously
"What's the difference between an orange?"
That joke was my and my friend's favorite all through middle school.
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