Four of Cups [Reversed]

Back In School-NIGHT

Seeing no one I dash across the now-darkened intersection I pass between two sleeping dormitory style houses and scale a small, dilapidated chain link and barbed wire fence.

As I do so, the fear of tetanus, briefly flashes through my mind, followed by a second fear of landing in broken glass, dog shit or anything hard, disgusting or pointy. Still, I blindly leap over the fence and into the bushes at the edge of the quad.

I land crouched and remain still, plotting my next move. A dog barks—but not viciously. More like he wants to play, but I’ve still got to cross the exposed quad before I reach safe haven in the form of an unlocked university building, and I can’t have my cover blown.

Fear wanes as I survey the empty quad before me from the bushes. I untangle myself from the branches and walk quickly as possible across the lawn to the cafeteria, trying not to attract too much attention.

Looking for a familiar face as I enter the dining room, I catch one passing me in the corner of my eye as she leaves the restroom. And I turn.

“Hey, Iris what’d you do with your hair?”

It is now even much more reddish than its old red color and she has it in two pigtails. Though she misses the question, she spots me as she sits at a table.

“Hey, Frank. We were hoping to bump into you. We could use your help.”

“We?” I wonder, then a giggle to my right reveals her partner in crime, Andrea. I pull up a chair across from Andrea.

“Well, no one has to pull my arm to help out a couple of lovely young ladies.” Embarrassed, Andrea stifles a smile by staring at her plate. I smile too. Andrea must need help on her video project. And I would like her to help on mine, too. We’d make a good team.

The bell rings and I make a quick goodbye and exit, hoping to use the cover of the moving crowd. I leave the cafeteria. In the hall someone keeps stepping on the backs of my shoes.

“Alright, who’s giving me the flat tire?” I exclaim and turn to find Iris. She giggles, shyly.

“She must like me a lot,” I think, “To ditch Andrea and follow. She shows it like a little boy pulling girls’ hair.”

I fall back and hug her and ask what that was all about stepping on my heels. She asks why I’d left the cafeteria so suddenly. I shrug and she takes me by the hand and leads me back to the dining room.

But getting back, and wondering where to sit again, I see some lunch trash on the table. Most prominent is a pile of bacon on a napkin. I remember that was Andrea’s place and feel guilty again. But instead now Iris plops down to claim the bacon and the seat. I get up and leave again to avoid her Iris’ craziness and look for Andrea.

On the window sill are some free drink coupons for the nearby bar. THE BELLY OF THE WHALE BAR it’s called.

Odd name for a bar.