So Close, So Far Collection II: Almost Touching
Vignette Number Five: "Recharge"
To my Readers in the Distant Future: I'm not sure if this fic will stay online to a point in time when hybrid cars are a thing of the past, but they're fairly new inventions as of this writing. I wish I could catch a glimpse of how future Mankin fans live. Anyhow, enjoy chapter four.
I jolted in surprise upon hearing Jun's living room television blare loudly and then cussed under my breath. I knew she just turned eighty-five and had trouble hearing,but the volume level was louder than a seven forty-seven taking off!
I stuck my head in the doorway and snapped, "Warn me before you turn on the television, dammit!"
"Ai-ya! Don't sneak up like that! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Jun exclaimed from her recliner.
"You could hear me coming if you reduced the noise."
"No I couldn't. You have no idea what it's like to be my age."
"I'm technically older than you."
"You will never truly be old."
"Mmmfffglbbtt," I grumbled defeatedly.
I'm not normally ill tempered, but living with a senior citizen is enough to drive anyone up the wall. Oh, who am I kidding? I'm not annoyed with Jun; I simply miss her. I possess an old man's wisdom along with a young man's body and memory. That's why it's especially agonizing to watch the woman I love wither away.
The twenty-something vixen I knew is now plump with thin charcoal gray hair. Her skin is as wrinkly as a sun dried raisin. Don't get me wrong, her youthful beauty is not what I miss the most. Only a fool would think a relationship could last on something as shallow as looks.
What I miss is the energetic girl who would go "tee-hee" and bounce around like a hare in spring. I want to go on Friday night dates again instead of squabbling about what to do with newspaper sections after you've read them. "Fold them up and put them in the magazine rack like a civilized human being!" "Normal people leave them on the coffee table because you can spot them more easily in case you want to reread something, Jun."
Truthfully, we hardly even talk anymore, much less argue. This is the longest conversation we've had in weeks. Jesus, we've become an old married couple! Where did the sparks between us go?
We decided to turn our attention to a commercial for a fancy new electric car flashing on the screen.
"Since when have they had electric cars?" an astounded Jun asked.
"Since last December, remember?" I replied.
"Electric cars! It seems like they invented hybrids only yesterday. Guess I'll have to get one,"she muttered in half awe and half annoyance.
"Why does the thought of buying one aggravate you? It's not like you can't afford it."
She turned down the volume and answered, "The money isn't aggravating. Learning how it works is."
"Simple. It works like a normal car except the fuel source is a huge rechargeable battery."
"Rechargeable what?" She pricked up her ear.
"Battery!"
"Ohhh. Do you have to recharge it yourself?"
"I don't know."
Suddenly, her expression became...was it sleepy? No... it was...something between mournful and frightened.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"I'm fifteen years short of being a century old, that's what. I wish I could recharge myself like a car," she whispered.
The comment stung my insides like a dart. My beloved just realized she could die any day now. I walked hesitantly behind the recliner, bent down, kissed her head, and began massaging her frail shoulders.
"I wish you could too," I murmured.
Her lifespan couldn't be recharged but, no matter what, our romantic sparks could.
Here's an interesting bit of trivia for my hardcore fans: The idea for this scene came to me when I looked at an old photo of my grandmother.Well, let me know what you think. Ja ne!