Educational Experience

Chapters Thirty-two and Thirty-three

I combined two chapters here because I really wanted to introduce you to "Uncle Nik." You can skip over to that chapter if you wish--I wouldn't be the least bit "insulted." The initial chapter is important, because it sets up something that will happen later, as all chapters should. So yes, it's read-worthy and you'll miss something big if you skip it.

But Nik...is a trip. I loved creating him, and I hope you love reading him just as much. He leads Colton to his "Huck Finn deciding to save Jim" moment--some of you will know exactly what I mean. Every "coming of age" story should have at least one...

32.

When we got to the Fun House, the girls were all in Cat’s room having a little hookah party to calm their nerves. With weed, not that foofy flavored tobacco you get at those places people go in town.

Some nice Indica, by the piney smell of it. When I was little, a few of my mom’s boyfriends used to spread bud out all over the tables and counters to start bagging it up. A few of ‘em wanted me to sell it at school or at least take it around to all the people who sold for them—Aisha’s mother’s pimps used to talk that shit to us, too.

That’s because they don’t put little kids in jail as a rule for things like that. But I never did it. Another thing I got slapped silly for. Standing up to those no account cowards our mothers got involved with.

Even so, between them and the dealers we’d hung with, the girls and me, I got to where I could tell you what kind it was by the smell. What the feel would be like, when you smoked it. Terpenes, you know—Google that shit.

Anyway, when I walked in, I sort of had to laugh because it was the kind of scene that most men dream of. They were draped over these big pillows and whatnot, wearing nothing but the little silk tank top things they sleep in. If they sleep in anything.

The tanks have these teeny little string straps that never stay up on their shoulders—they’re no match for those big boobs, those tops. If they’re not wearing bras, those big bazongas get to wobbling around and the tops slide on down. So after a while, you look over and there’s all these nipples staring at you.

And I don’t think anybody had any panties on. So there were all these perfect “moons” hiked up on those pillows, like pearls in a shop window, right? I love my life. I do. It was pretty screwed up at the moment, but you come home to something like that… I mean, seriously…

So I rubbed and slapped Cat’s butt on the way past and they all sat up holding onto those tops because Wyatt wasn’t used to us yet. In fact, she got a little tense when I slapped that ass. But Cat just gave me this woozy little wink and streeeetched her arms up, yawning like she was about ready for bed. And one strap fell down and exposed almost the whole breast on that side. Kodak moment…

“Having a very merry Christmas, huh?” I said, as I plopped us down on the love seat nearest their little circle. I took hold of Wyatt’s hand, just in case. She sat back, leaning against me, I think trying not to look rattled. But she was. I could tell she was holding back a little bit—when she was all good, there was more weight to it, when she leaned on me.

Mike held up the little tube and said, “Salud.” Her eyes were just little slits with big lashes curling up from them. And after a big pull, she said, “One hit, maybe? To take the edge off?”

Because they knew. I could tell—maybe not everything, but enough.

So I said, “Nah, I’ve gotta keep my wits about me. For all we know, they might make me drop. Judge’d love to see me come up dirty for something.”