A Tree! A Tree! (2018) Pt. 01

Same enthusiastic head bob.

I whistled. I used the cheap paper napkin to wipe the sweat from around my eyes. It had been so long since I blushed like that I had forgotten how it made wet rings around my eyes. I examined the napkin and then crumpled it. I shook my head in disbelief. I noticed the woman at the next table still staring at me, obviously and obliviously eavesdropping on us. "Is that a good book? I'm guessing it's not because you're not exactly reading it." She made some weird noises, like a hamster trying to sound self-righteous, and went back to reading.

"So..." I said trying to act casual. "Do you use Facebook much?"

He looked puzzled. "A fair bit. Not every day."

"I'm trying to act casual here. Help me out." I took a sip of my second coffee and cleared my throat. I shrugged my shoulders helplessly. "So... ah... do you have any sisters?"

"Four. Three older and one younger. And, no, my parents aren't Catholic."

I looked innocent like the question never crossed my mind. Tom fished out his phone and gave it his thumbprint. He did some swiping, which I assumed was somehow relevant. Then he looked up at me and said, "I should warn you. This family photo. My mom... okay, not only do none of us share the same dad, none of our fathers are the same race. Mom does not discriminate when it comes to men." Then he added softly, "Good lord does she not discriminate when it comes to men."

He handed me his phone. Five women, spanning an enormous range of ages, posed for a family picture with Tom. It was a truly fascinating picture. The range of skin color stunning, from Tom's skin to mine, and the facial features were all over the place, from Indian to African American to Tom.

"The only one I'm close to is Liz. She's eight years younger than me. By the time she was two, Mom more or less checked out on us again, so insofar as anyone raised her, I did. I stayed at home through my masters so she wouldn't just be left with Mom."

"No wonder you're so kind to the interns," I whispered.

"Sorry?"

"Oh, nothing." Then I smiled. "Look! You all are standing in front of a tree!"

Man is he a cutey when he blushes.

"Now that things are all calmed down, let me ask: did you even ever talk to these crushes of yours? Like those two friends, Emily and Jane. If someone went up to them on the street and said, do you remember Tom —— would they know who you are?"

"Emma and Jane. Yeah? I hope? I Facebook friended Emma and she eventually accepted the friend request, but she didn't respond to my one message to her."

"Her loss," I said.

For once his smile looked innocent. With that we began the long march out of the most publicly embarrassing conversation of my life.

It took awhile but we eventually had something like a normal conversation. It felt like an accomplishment. The only hint of what had happened before was that at one point I looked down and was horrified to see how much skin I was showing off. I hastily redid a few buttons. Tom looked disappointed.

Cheeky bastard.