Day 52 to 54

Day 52

Rose and Jan have a third son, Jason. I’ve learned I’m living in his old room, after he’d been kicked out for a litany of yet-unspecified problems.  Considering the family is harboring two grown sons who appear to be suckling heavily from the parental teat, this is saying something.

Jason is a slightly-more-crazy, less-plump, younger version of Jan. I’d actually met Jason on my first night moving in, and he’d made a definite impression already. He had pedaled up on his bicycle, introduced himself, and asked me to let his father know he was there. I complied, and resumed ferrying things from my car into the house.  Jason took this opportunity to relieve himself on the side of the house in broad daylight. I attributed this to some sort of dominance thing. Eventually, Jan came out and conversed with Jason in hushed tones.  Something changed hands and Jason pedaled away.  This odd interaction was explained by Rose.

“Jason’s not allowed in the house,” she said.  “He comes by every day for his cigarettes.  We give him one pack a day, otherwise he’d trade them for more drugs.”

This information nicely explains the bail bondsman keychain I found hanging in my closet. 

Day 53

This morning: First day of work. I get up around 7:30 to come into work. As I am heading out the door, I run into Jan, who is acting... really twitchy. He has the same crazy eyes a kitten gets before it starts tearing your couch to pieces with its claws.

"Noah, the house cleaners are coming tomorrow," he said, voice audibly quivering with excitement. "They said Monday, but they didn't have enough people on Tuesday, so they'll be coming tomorrow."

I look at Jan. Why was he telling me this now, at  the crack of dawn the day before they showed up? Why, for that matter, was this even on his mind? And why was he looking at me the same way Anthony Hopkins looks at Jodi Foster in Silence of the Lambs?

"Good to know," was all I could muster.

Jan showed no sign of moving from his blocking position in the hallway. I squeezed past, trying to avoid rubbing against his belly. "Have a good day at work," he called after me, as I flew the coop.

I forgot to ask why they have housekeepers when they can’t make a mortgage payment.

Day 54

Day two of work.  To guarantee avoiding Jan, I tiptoed out the door this morning before 7 AM and ran smack dab into Jason on the porch. 

“Hey,” he said, avoiding eye contact, “could you tell my mom and dad I’m outside and could use some breakfast?”

Jan and Rose were unsurprised to learn that their eldest son was waiting on the porch to be fed, like a stray dog.  I walked out on their argument over whether or not Jason deserved bacon.

Next Time: Initial impressions of new job, plus a new medical drama at home.