Chapter 22 – Larry and Gordo (This is why you don't make fun of people)
Larry and Gordo were in Gordo's sitting on his bed. Gordo had his laptop in front of him. Larry sat across from him looking and the info sheet for their science project. Gordo was searching for ideas online but was not finding anything of much interest to him. He decided to make small talk.
"So Larry, how do you like being popular now?" He inquired, his mind still on the subject it was on earlier.
"Its ok, they made me stop wearing my shirt all the time though," Larry answered with a smile on his face.
"What was deal with that shirt anyway?" Gordo asked with more than a little interest in his voice.
"You really want to know?" He replied with just a touch of reservation in his voice.
"Yeah, I do," he remarked with an honest smile hoping to get Larry to continue.
Larry took a deep breath and started to tell his story.
"A few years ago my dad lost his job. Money got really tight because he had trouble finding work. When Christmas was coming up he asked me what I wanted and I told him that I didn't want anything. I told him that I didn't need anything and that I knew they were having financial problems. I told him not to worry about it, that I was fine not getting anything so he could use the money for something else. Christmas came and he got me this shirt. He told me that he knew I told him to not give him anything but anyone as giving and loving as me deserved to get something for Christmas. He told he was sorry he couldn't get me something nicer and I told him that it meant everything to me." He paused and gathered himself again. He was obviously dealing with old emotions coming back to the surface by telling Gordo this story.
"I wore it to school my our first day back from vacation. I wore it every time it was clean. I wore that thing every chance I got. I was so proud of it. After a while some popular kids started making fun of me over it. They said that it was the only shirt I had. They said I was homeless. They said all kinds of things. Pretty soon I started wearing it everyday just to spite them. It was the only was I could think of to show them that their insults didn't bother me even though they really did." Larry stopped again this time to wipe a single tear from his eye and smiling before continuing his account.
"You guys probably don't remember this but one day when the kids were making fun of me you came up and defended me. You told them to leave me alone that they shouldn't judge me. Lizzie and Miranda were there too. They didn't say anything but they stood there with you, backing you. There was another time that they were picking on me and Ethan saw it. He told them that he thought my shirt was cool and he wanted to know where he could get one like it. After the kids walked off he just smiled at me and walked away but I never forgot it. I never forgot what you guys did either. It meant so much to me." Larry finished with a look in his eyes that was hurt, pride and thankfulness all at the same time.
Gordo was dumb struck. He had no idea what to say. After he few seconds he managed to tell him, "Wow Larry, I had no idea. That must have been so painful to you. I'm just glad we were able to help at all."
"Why do you think I've tried to be around you guys? Ever since then I have always believed that you guys understood me." He stated with an honest smile and happiness to his tone.
"Larry all I can say is that I am honored to be your friend," Gordo said, still in awe that a simple case of him doing the right thing had meant so much to Larry.
"Thanks mi amigo, that means a lot to me," Larry voiced relieved that his friend didn't find his story to be corny or sappy.
"No problem but we should probably get back to the project now," he suggested not wanting their real moment to become something sappy.
Larry nodded but before they could go back to work the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it," he told Larry. Matt was outside playing and Lizzie, Sam and Jo were at the store getting groceries. Larry and himself were the only two in the house. He ran to the door figuring it was Miranda. He didn't want to keep her waiting. He opened the door and sure enough the beautiful Hispanic girl stood in front of him.
"Hey! Can I come in?" She excitedly stated happy to see him.
"Sure!" He told her with a big smile. He was more than happy to see her and it was written all over his face. Miranda entered the McGuire's living room and placed her backpack down.
"Where is everybody?" She asked with a tone that suggested that she had a reason for asking this.
"Larry is in my room. Matt is outside. Lizzie and Mr. And Mrs. McGuire are at the store getting things for dinner," He replied flatly.
The happy look on her face changed to a look of purpose. She took a deep breath and look at Gordo. She was going to tell him how she felt and this might be her only chance. She built up all the courage she had in her heart, looked into Gordo's eyes and began, "David, we need to talk!"
Larry and Gordo were in Gordo's sitting on his bed. Gordo had his laptop in front of him. Larry sat across from him looking and the info sheet for their science project. Gordo was searching for ideas online but was not finding anything of much interest to him. He decided to make small talk.
"So Larry, how do you like being popular now?" He inquired, his mind still on the subject it was on earlier.
"Its ok, they made me stop wearing my shirt all the time though," Larry answered with a smile on his face.
"What was deal with that shirt anyway?" Gordo asked with more than a little interest in his voice.
"You really want to know?" He replied with just a touch of reservation in his voice.
"Yeah, I do," he remarked with an honest smile hoping to get Larry to continue.
Larry took a deep breath and started to tell his story.
"A few years ago my dad lost his job. Money got really tight because he had trouble finding work. When Christmas was coming up he asked me what I wanted and I told him that I didn't want anything. I told him that I didn't need anything and that I knew they were having financial problems. I told him not to worry about it, that I was fine not getting anything so he could use the money for something else. Christmas came and he got me this shirt. He told me that he knew I told him to not give him anything but anyone as giving and loving as me deserved to get something for Christmas. He told he was sorry he couldn't get me something nicer and I told him that it meant everything to me." He paused and gathered himself again. He was obviously dealing with old emotions coming back to the surface by telling Gordo this story.
"I wore it to school my our first day back from vacation. I wore it every time it was clean. I wore that thing every chance I got. I was so proud of it. After a while some popular kids started making fun of me over it. They said that it was the only shirt I had. They said I was homeless. They said all kinds of things. Pretty soon I started wearing it everyday just to spite them. It was the only was I could think of to show them that their insults didn't bother me even though they really did." Larry stopped again this time to wipe a single tear from his eye and smiling before continuing his account.
"You guys probably don't remember this but one day when the kids were making fun of me you came up and defended me. You told them to leave me alone that they shouldn't judge me. Lizzie and Miranda were there too. They didn't say anything but they stood there with you, backing you. There was another time that they were picking on me and Ethan saw it. He told them that he thought my shirt was cool and he wanted to know where he could get one like it. After the kids walked off he just smiled at me and walked away but I never forgot it. I never forgot what you guys did either. It meant so much to me." Larry finished with a look in his eyes that was hurt, pride and thankfulness all at the same time.
Gordo was dumb struck. He had no idea what to say. After he few seconds he managed to tell him, "Wow Larry, I had no idea. That must have been so painful to you. I'm just glad we were able to help at all."
"Why do you think I've tried to be around you guys? Ever since then I have always believed that you guys understood me." He stated with an honest smile and happiness to his tone.
"Larry all I can say is that I am honored to be your friend," Gordo said, still in awe that a simple case of him doing the right thing had meant so much to Larry.
"Thanks mi amigo, that means a lot to me," Larry voiced relieved that his friend didn't find his story to be corny or sappy.
"No problem but we should probably get back to the project now," he suggested not wanting their real moment to become something sappy.
Larry nodded but before they could go back to work the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it," he told Larry. Matt was outside playing and Lizzie, Sam and Jo were at the store getting groceries. Larry and himself were the only two in the house. He ran to the door figuring it was Miranda. He didn't want to keep her waiting. He opened the door and sure enough the beautiful Hispanic girl stood in front of him.
"Hey! Can I come in?" She excitedly stated happy to see him.
"Sure!" He told her with a big smile. He was more than happy to see her and it was written all over his face. Miranda entered the McGuire's living room and placed her backpack down.
"Where is everybody?" She asked with a tone that suggested that she had a reason for asking this.
"Larry is in my room. Matt is outside. Lizzie and Mr. And Mrs. McGuire are at the store getting things for dinner," He replied flatly.
The happy look on her face changed to a look of purpose. She took a deep breath and look at Gordo. She was going to tell him how she felt and this might be her only chance. She built up all the courage she had in her heart, looked into Gordo's eyes and began, "David, we need to talk!"