Lenny was thinking that American English was an ignorant language. His eyebrows were pointed and full of worry. He chewed the inside corner of his mouth. Across from Lenny, George sat silent and whistled a lit match through his pipe. A grandfather clock chimed and tick-tocked through the room of daze dust and sun. George exhaled a cloud of smoke.
“How was Len-Fest?” George’s curious eyebrows and ears curled.
Brimming, Lenny stated, "A modern debauchery recalling the days of Caligula Rome."
“That’s always good,” George unfolded his arms. A little annoyed about missing this "caligula" thing.
“Well, besides the horses it was actually pretty legit.” Inserted Lenny. He thought about the party and about the seducer of his friend and the stained carpet.
“Well I hope it wasn’t too tame.” Winked George.
“I had encountered much stress, offered Lenny coughing, 'but managed quite nicely. My brother wound up coming with some of his friends.” Lenny began a sip of beer but stopped… “ This friend of my brother's is some tragic disposable hero. Real 'live for the music' guy. Completely over the top. Quite sure he ripped into the PA he brought with a guitar.”
"Was he any good?" George asked.
"No, he partially cried while singing an original titled 'Basement Mother Blues."
"How old is he?"
"30."
"Wow."
"Yea."
“Did you play?”
“Yea, me and my brother alternated on drums.”
“How is Sal anyway? He’s married no?” George asked recalling Lenny’s brother. The tall bright guy.
“Yea, couple years. New baby.”
“Oh shit, congratulations. “
“Yea, well that’s what happens.” Lenny winced.
“He still at the plant?”
“Nah. Laid off with a six month severance.”
“Fuck man, my mom got laid off too.” George offered. Lenny looked at George's screwy blue eyes.“Really? Sal’s wife also.” “Damn,” George scratched himself. “My parents are pissed because Sal and Lena just went to Arizona for vacation and are now planning on Cabo.” Lenny snorted.
“I read about that in the paper.”
“About my brother?” Lenny asked, questioning reason.
“About laid off people taking vacations . . .why not right?”
“Well the problem is each of them have debts the size of a house, and my brother’s wife got a job but first morning they called early to tell her the job wasn’t in the budget.”
"Damn."
"Yea."
Each of them paused. Lenny wanted to laugh, like when he did when his dog was being put down and afterwards seeing a new puppy on his way out the door almost winking. George was thinking about yard work and a rubbish fire and crashing through the woods with a big stick. Then they both thought about the time when they were fighting a war in the desert. And they didn't want to talk about that.
"Stupid clock." Lenny spat and dusted off the clicking grandfather clock. "You should get a cuckoo clock." George smiled and exhaled another cloud of smoke into a beam of sunlight.
"Nah. This is like a family heirloom."
"Is it worth anything?"
"Not in dollars my friend."
"Does it work?"
"Not properly."
"Get a cuckoo clock."
"Shut up, George."
Silence came over them and the ticking clock again filled the room. George and Lenny both felt terribly lonely. They wanted to speak hot and fast and laugh at something really funny but there was nothing. Lenny started to think about an Arab girl that reached out to him as she died. George put on the Television.
"Seinfeld's on."
"Yea."
