[CLASS VALEDICTORIAN INVITES THE ENTIRE CLASS OF 1982 TO JOIN HIM FOR AN AFTER GRADUATION BASH AT HIS FAMILY'S COUNTRY CLUB HOME IN PALM SPRINGS]
I Never attend my own prom, or after grad events. Personally, I didn't find my schoolmate all that engaging or desirable. I had a few close friends and that was all that mattered. My Sister Sue, on the other hand, was the social one, and demanded the right to go.
I had graduated two years before her, and was now fully immersed in my studies in college and my part time job. It was fortunate for Sue that my College courses were on summer break, and I only worked three days a week.
Still living with your mother at twenty is pushing the boundaries of social acceptance. But I had a plan and in a few years, I'd be out in the world and making my own way. I had plans to get a good tech job, and travel. My musings were interrupted by a knock on my bedroom door.
"What?" I croaked. Trying my best to sound half asleep. "I'm sleeping!"
"No, you aren't idiot." screeched my younger sister. "You're probably jacking off. Lemme in!"
I opened my door and retorted. "And you wanted to watch?" I gave her a crooked grin.
She looked down at my crotch quickly then back up at me. "Ass!" she croaked, and walked in.
"So what do you want?" I wanted to know. Sounding as put out as I could. "I have a hard weekend of doing jack shit I need to focus on."
Sue sat at my desk and began spinning in my desk chair. "Well, there is this party." she began "The whole class is going to a party in Palm Springs." With that last, she locked eyes with me.
"And Mom graciously agreed to let you go?" I gazed back steadily. "But hey, why shouldn't she. You're an adult now, any trouble you get in is on you now." I batted my eyes at her.
She broke our gaze and began spinning again. "Yeah, well that's the thing." she was looking at the ceiling now as she spoke. "She says she won't take me there. I have to find my own way."
Realization hit me, and I grinned. "So you thought. My handsome generous Brother has nothing to do, I'll go scam a ride from him. Am I close?" Her face was a scrunched up when she looked at me.
"I suppose I am." Then she sighed and turned away. "I really want to go. There's a guy..."
and I cut her off. "A guy you like and it's a good chance to get together with him?"
"Fuck off!" she yelled and got up. "Fine! I'll find another way!"
I giggled and said. "I didn't say no. Then threw a pillow at her. "You're Paying for gas."
Her grin returned and she gave me a terse, "Thanks." and she was gone.
That Saturday, I spent three hours each way, taking her to a private Country Club near Palm Canyon Dr. and dropped her at the gate. Stuffy pricks wouldn't allow people in without an invite, even if I was just dropping her off.
Sue said she'd have one of her girlfriends bring her home on Sunday after it was over. I gave her a wave and asked for my money. She passed me a twenty dollar bill with a sour face, and I smiled. I blew her a kiss and drove off.
He phone rang about eight that night. Immediately my mind imagined that my Mom had gotten drunk and was in jail or something. Yeah, she was a drinker. Bar hopped with 'the girls' every weekend.
"Gateman, Goodbury and Graves. You kill'em we chill'em." I said as I picked up the receiver. Instead of an angry comment from my Mom, or someone yelling that it wasn't funny. I heard sobbing.
"Who is this?" I asked, I was pretty sure I knew, but wanted confirmation.
"Dave" came the weak voice. "Can you come get me? I'll pay you." It sounded like Sue had been crying for a while and just got up the nerve to call me.
"It'll take me three hours." I said then asked, "Where are you?
She said she was at the Denny's about half a mile from where I'd dropped her off. I told her to get some coffee and take a deep breath, I'd be there as soon as I could. I give my sister a lot of shit. But that's MY prerogative. She's MY Sister. I was upset that someone else had messed with her.
I won't go into all the things going through my head on the drive back down. But suffice to say I was pissed off. I made all kinds of plans to do something terrible to someone. But knew I wasn't going to. I just like plotting to give payback.
Just over three hours later I pulled into Denny's parking lot. Sue was sitting outside on a bench. She jumped up when she saw me and got in the car and slammed the door.
"I thought I told you to stay inside and grab some coffee." I said in a low voice. I didn't want to sound like I was scolding her.
"The Manager said my crying was disturbing the other customers." she explained.
"Do I need to go in and talk to him?" I raised my voice just enough to show my displeasure.
"No." she sniffed and hiccuped. "He comped my coffee and asked me to wait outside."
I huffed, looked out at the diner and scowled at the employees looking out the large glass pain windows. Then I dropped the car into drive and slammed on the gas. Hoping to squeal the tires on my way out of the parking lot. It didn't quite work out that way.
We headed home after that. On the way she explained that the guy she'd gone to see there turned out to be a real dick and not only wanted to have sex with her, but wanted to pass her around to three of his buddies as well.
I listened, and drove. Made a few comments under my breath about retaliation. But eventually she finished and the car grew silent. Wed finished the drive home. It didn't seem that our Mom was home. Not that it was much of a surprise. Saturday night? She'd be home after two in the morning.
Sue stopped at her room, and I walked past toward my room. She grabbed the sleeve of my jacket as I passed. "Am I ugly?" she asked. A sniffle following her comment.
"What?" I responded. Maybe a bit too abruptly. "Who told you that?"
Now while Sue is no beauty queen, and definitely not a runway model she certainly wasn't ugly. To begin with, genetics had short changed her in the height department. It would also be safe to say that Dolly Parton would never consider her a rival in the boob department.
But Ugly? No. She was about five three and only about a hundred pounds soaking wet. She was built like any other tomboy. Not curvy, but not masculine. You could definitely tell she was a woman at a glance. No, definitely not ugly. And I said so.
She told me that the guy she was meeting had told her he was doing her a favor. That not many people would want her because of her looks, so she should take what she could get.
"You'd have sex with me, wouldn't you? She asked in a shaky voice.