Re: Si/Jamie: diner
[Si listened, not interrupting, as Jamie told his story. He, Si, just smoked his cigarette down. In spite of being one, he hadn't played the role of big brother much in his life. He was more use to being part and parcel of a pair—he and Amy had been lumped together for everything, and being twins had a way of superseding other sibling relationships. Then, he'd gone off and gotten hooked and she'd gone off and gotten married, and then she'd died and no one had thought about Si, really. Which was to say, he wasn't very good at this, even when he tried, like now. But, he was trying.] That guy sounds like a dick, [was what he said first.] The one from your company. [Si sighed, licking at dry lips as he thought and as his cigarette dangled from the hand at his side.] I remember my first foray into public humiliation. At school. Mom had just died. I was in a different class than Amy. I hated the bathroom—they were between the classrooms and really dank and dark, and everyone was still talking about Bloody Mary, and this was after The House. I would try to wait all day, without taking a piss. [Si shook his head.] Except one day, I just really couldn't hold it, so I don't even ask to go to the bathroom. I'm trying to undo my fly as I run toward that little between-classrooms room. Except I'm not going to make it. I know it. Everyone's looking up, because I stood and started booking it without asking. My pants are coming down. I trip. I piss myself anyway. [Si laughed a little and closed his eyes in remembered embarrassment.] I remember just crying forever about it.