24.1.09

see these bones

Everyone's right and no one is sorry
That's the start and the end of this story
From the sharks and the jets
To the call in the morning

Everyone's right and no one is sorry
That's the start and the end of this story
From the sharks and the jets
To the call in the morning
And life is just bets anyway

Look alive, see these bones
What you are now, we were once

Try as they might, no one's immune to
Misfiring and acting on the wrong clues
And thinkin' it's time to redo and redo

I feel rain in the movies and the talk before the screen lights
I hear strings in the park
I don't like to call her right, except when its too late at night
I mostly just think in the dark

Look alive, see these bones
What you are now, we were once
Just like we are, you'll be dust
And just like we are, permanent

You were too tired to eat, too hungry to sleep
Just imagine the speed, it's just what you need

Look alive, see these bones
What you are now, we were once
And just like we are, you'll be dust
And just like we are, permanent

The lights in the city are more or less blinking
Which side of the story decides what you're thinking
Warm arms and cold faces
We're squinting, we're hurrying
We'll take inventory
We're digging, we're burying

Do you remember when the line was blown
Do you remember when it fell
Do you remember when you went to her house, remember ringing the bell

Look alive, see these bones
What you are now, we were once
Just like we are, you'll be dust
Just like we are, permanent
nada surf


Dayton didn't see how things could get better. It was best to stay away from Bex as much as possible from now on.

"We'll send a fruit basket," Geoff said. He had to remind him all the good things. He wasn't with Nancy anymore. He was here. Things were going to look up. He just had to give it time.

Dayton supposed he was right. It was still a shock that he was here. That Geoff had taken him back. It wasn't like anyone was actually worried about him. No phone calls from his parents. Not even his sister. He didn't even want to think about Nancy calling to tell his parents that he'd moved out. He just needed to forget her.

"See. You're on the right track. Don't think about her," Geoff told him. "So what if she tries to start something up about you with them. Its not the end of the world."

He guessed he was right. Geoff had somehow gone on without the support of his parents even if he did have an uncle who left him the farmhouse.

"He wasn't a real uncle," Geoff finally admitted. "Just a good friend who was always there for me. He was like family."

Dayton supposed he had to trust him on that one. It wasn't like Dayton's family had done that much for him. They hadn't seen him through college. He couldn't even remember when they cared if he had a lunch money at school for the most part. It was always the hard way when it came to just about anything. Even his own bed at home was a piece of crap. He never thought about these things until now.

"Its going to be OK?" Geoff told him.

"You mean it?" He felt himself being reluctant. It was hard to change. Hard to think anything might be long lasting. Even friendships.

"You'll see," Geoff just smiled.

It still startled Dayton that he could actually be with someone without being totally drunk. Of course, he found Geoff absolutely intoxicating. But Geoff was more than just a rush in the bedroom. He was there.. long afterwards the makeout, the wakeup and the in betweens. He was making early morning phone calls, doing his best to find a job for Dayton.

Things were going forward. Geoff had seen to it.

"You're not going to tell me you've had sex with all these people or anything, or that I have to-" Dayton wasn't sure he understood all this networking stuff after spending so many days inside with Geoff before the thaw began of winter, or perhaps just a break from the cold.

"Are you kidding me?" Geoff just laughed. They were in the kitchen making homemade egg burritos.

"I'm serious," Dayton told him, feeling he'd much rather just be in the comfort of Geoff's bed than having to work his way somewhere.

"Yes, I'm pimping you out," Geoff teased. "Look, I know someone who needs someone down at his playhouse, to work. That's all there is to it. He'll put you to work. Believe me. He will."

"Like what?"

"He'll figure out pretty quickly what you can do," Geoff smirked.

"This better not involve crossdressing," Dayton didn't want to get worked up about this, but he was definitely no drag queen.

"Um, no. Mostly, building sets. Taking them apart, storing them."

Dayton guessed he'd have to take his word for it.

"Look, you're going to feel better about a lot things once you get in there and start back to work," Geoff assured him. Work, it sounded like a faded memory to Dayton now.

4 comments:

taffy. said...

geoff is so good!
i love nada surf.

Natalie said...

About the last post: eeek! Two broken legs? Poor Bex D:

Nada Surf! I love that song. And aw, Geoff is taking care of Dayton splendidly. I wonder what his new job will be?

ellie said...

Hope Dayton has some faith in Geoff. Yeah, I like Nada Surf too.

dawn said...

theatre work would be perfect for dayton. a place where he could put all that brokeness and maybe light a fire for getting from behind the scenes and putting it on the stage? maybe....

rev. road.....well, all i can do is give a perspective from an old married lady and i do think that it was a brilliant look at how two people struggle to find themselves and try to learn the art of negotiation and responsibility. what struck me as so interesting in this film was the poignant fact that we are such a highly addictive society. we're always looking to get a high, whether it's from sex, or playing house and being married or packing it up and moving to france. we're always trying to find what makes us feel whole. marriage is just never as black and white as we might imagine it is. i never understood how complex it was until i was much older and even now, i still marvel at it. layers and layers upon layers. wasn't it fun how cigarettes and smoking was its very own character? and the costume and set design was to die for. it really got snubbed at the oscars though, didn't it?
hope you're staying warm and having a great wkend.