the trip -- The Flaming Squid's Short Story Post

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Date Posted: 21:54:51 11/17/02 Sun
Author: Chris Karabelas
Subject: the trip

*** I am a 16 year old guy, so keep that in mind when you read this, the topic was picaresque, and it cuts off so abruptly because i was over my word limit. I hope you enjoy it, and i would appreatiate imput, so e-mail me if u want to; vze4p6xr@verizon.net
************************************************************************

The flight was long. It wasn't a bad flight though, I had watched the in-flight movie as I dreamed of times past. As I looked out the window I witnessed the sun emerging from the horizon. It was actually a very beautiful sight, the way the clouds surrounding the plane reflected the colors of the suns assent up the horizon.
The man sitting next to me was a mess. He was obviously a very sick man, who was balding, and had earlier decided to take liberty in passing out on my shoulder. I could see the little bits of white powder starting to accumulate in the corners of his mouth, and I began to stare at this spectacle with complete amazement. I had also noticed this peculiar specimen deeply lacked in the oral hygiene department, and as result I took many failed attempts to spray binacca in his mouth.
As I was starting to consider leaving my seat to have a quick walk about on the plane, the captain came over the loud speaker and informed us that we were about to land at our destination, Basel Switzerland, a place of many old memories. The plain started to slowly decline in altitude, and that sick bastard of a man next to me decided to rouse himself. The nose of the plane went towards the sky as the wheels landed on the hard wet ground.
The flight attendant decided that it was her responsibility to make sure that I made it out of the airplane ok, and handed me some bullshit about it being company policy and all. I really hated that, the guy that was sitting next to me on the flight seemed like he needed more help than I did. As I got off the plane I really didn't care anymore though, I was finally in the place where I had spent so many happy years of my life, before things started to get complicated. I got on the train from the airport, and to be totally honest I was so excited about the adventure that laid ahead of me, that I really don't remember the train ride at all.
When I arrived at my hotel it was six o�clock in the morning, and I made the decision to take a nice warm shower before I did anything else. As I emerged from the shower I gave my mother a call back at home as she had instructed me to do about a million times before. Her voice was raspy, I guess it was because it was midnight back in the states and she was sleeping. She stayed on that phone for ever playing a game of twenty questions with me, about what to do, and how did I feel, and so on and so fourth. As I hung up the phone I decided to check out my room.
Hotel rooms had always fascinated me as a kid, with their tucked beds, uniform closets, little T.V., little fridge, the little soaps in the bathroom, and to top it all off, the little mint that laid on your pillow. I always wondered who were the people that actually ate those mints. I never was able to bring myself to actually consume them. They just seemed to perfect to even touch let alone eat, I had a hard enough time with the concept of pulling apart that beautifully made bed just so I could sleep comfortably. It just didn't seem right that somebody would waste their time, and pride just so some snot nosed kid could tear apart their masterpiece.
I felt like calling somebody and telling them that I had arrived, but it was only about seven thirty, so I decided that I would get on the tram and begin my venture into town before i decided to call anybody. As I was waiting for my tram I was suddenly reminded of how perfect and uniform everything was in Switzerland. The tram came right on time, and left as soon as it came.
When I had arrived in town I stopped in a Kiosk and bought a pack of Camel Lights, and lit a cigarette as I walked through the busy town. All of the clerks were setting up shops as all of the local people began flooding the town. Old people hobbled in their worn brown trench coats, and pulled down their hats, as the people working at the chestnut stands started to warm their dirty little hands on the steam emerging from their machines. The middle aged women with their brightly died hair began filing the streets, with their daughters who literally were wearing all black with platform shoes. Absolutely nothing had changed, and that was exactly how I liked it.
The phone rang four times, as it was lifted off of the cradle my friend Conner's groggy voice slowly became audible. �hello.?� he asked in a dazed and far off voice
�Hey man, you'll never guess where I am!� came my obviously very excited reply.
�huh?� he said, as it took him a moment to register what was going on. he cleared his throat and tried again, �Oh hey man wuts goin on? was your flight okay?�
�Yeah... good stuff, It was a little long, but all in all, it was good stuff. I was just walki�n around the town and I was wondering if your lazy ass wanted to join me?�
Eventually the whole group was reunited at about noon time. My man Conner, and his twin brother Kyle, my insane friend Chris, and the only swiss kid in the group Ben. We had met in front of a McDonalds, our usual meeting place, and decided to go and get some herb for later that night.
The cashier remembered me as I entered the store, she was a middle aged woman with died red hair and about five earrings' on one ear. It felt good, not just the fact that she remembered me, but the fact that something so controversial in America was just so laid back in swiss society. The store had always looked the same, there were about five glass cases that proudly displayed various apparatus for smoking. As well as a big shelf that displayed all of the different varieties of herb one could purchase. I paid the cashier my money and continued down the street.
It was about two o�clock and we had all decided that we were hungry, and wanted to settle down and get a bite. As we ate we talked of times past. Though we were talking of times that were a year ago, they felt as if they were somehow suspended in time and were waiting for me to come back. We all laughed at the time Chris managed to get his head stuck in a giant pickle jar, and the time Conner, hit on a girl with his fly down at the very seats we were sitting at. As we were sitting Chris got the bright idea to huff a helium balloon that was hanging on a rail that was obviously left behind by some kid who shortly before, was joyfully playing with it, and suddenly now didn't care about it enough to bring it home with him. As Chris huffed the balloon he entertained us with old made up Italian Opera songs. Jesus that kid did some funny shit.
The day was short. I laid awake on my bed smoking another cigarette as my clock struck four. We had been out in town since two, and eventually everybody had to say goodnight and begin their departures to their houses. I pressed my cigarette into the ashtray, which was filled with butts. I slept.
The sun was in the sky when I was awakened by a miniscule scratching on my door. As I roused myself I began to stumble to the door. The door creaked open, and was greeted by the petrified face of a maid. �Oh.. so sorry mister...� she managed to stammer as she ran away. I had no clue what the hell happened until i managed to feel my way into the shower. As I looked down I noticed that the little man wanted to play. I just laughed, and got prepared for another day filled with adventure.
I was to meet the gang at school, it being a monday and all. When I arrived at the door of my old school, and I took in a deep breath as I thought of times past. I clumsily pushed the door open as I nervously stepped inside of the building. The building was one of those artsy modern ones. It more than closely resembled a jail house, which suited the building use rather appropriately. The school had no bells and whistles what so ever, there were no special lights, no place to sit down, and the place smelled musky as hell, I began to wonder what made me like this place. I turned one of the corners, and noticed that the walls were totally blank. There were no pictures, no names, no nothing. The walls were just a pale white colour, the kind one would expect in a hospital.
When I rendezvoused with my old friends we went into town again. It felt good and all going into town as we did, but it just wasn't anything different. Everything just felt too comfortable. The rest of the week continued in a similar fashion. I woke up, scared the shit outta my maid, met up with friends, and by the end of the night I managed to get wasted.
Sunday had come and it was time to depart from my friends. I said my goodbyes, and got on my plain. The plain was the same, the in-flight movies, safety demonstrations, and even those god dammed peanuts. Though I was not sitting with that peculiar man, this time I was seated next to a cute girl. as I continued my journey I looked out my window and noticed that the sun went down. Its kinda funny how time does that, you know, change and all.

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