Exist (Blogophilia 17.5)

“Do you exist?”

The sudden burst of sound started Susan as she dusted the Xylophone. Quickly she turned and saw Bobby.  His eyes looked magnified his black glasses.  He was wearing the usual long sleeved polo buttoned up to the collar.  

“What did you say?”

“I said ‘Do you exist?’  It is a question from my Philosophy class. Something about identity.”

She really didn’t know why she even hung around Bobby. He was loud and geeky.  And he was always coming up with off the wall stuff.  Exist?  She sometimes wished she didn’t.  Kind of like today.    She had gotten stuck straightening the percussion area when Mr. Darren caught her dozing in her seat.   She hadn’t slept in two nights because of the cramps and she really was cranky.  All she wanted was to go home and cry.  

“Just go away, Bobby.  Please?”  Her head was beginning to hurt, too.

“Oh, don’t be so mean.  It was just a question.”  His eyes dropped and he turned towards the door.  Then he stopped.

“You hurting?”

“Uh, no…I mean..uh… I don’t think you’d understand.   Now let me finish what I’m doing.”

“My sister gets like this.  I usually try to avoid her when she is.”  

“Then you know why I want to avoid you.” She snapped.  “Oh, I didn’t mean it like that, but jeez I want to just die. “

“Maybe I can help?  Could I, maybe rub your shoulders or something?  I remember my Mom saying that helped sometimes.”

“I don’t know.”  Susan was pretty frustrated.  He just didn’t get that she didn’t like to be around anybody when she was like that.  But it was a nice offer.  She thought a moment.

“Oh, come here.  I promise I won’t bite your head off.”

Smiling, Bobby slipped behind her and gently pushed her down into the chair.   His grip was surprisingly firm as he worked his way up her arms.  Susan felt warmth she had never experienced as the tension in her neck released.   At least the top half of her was feeling better.   She closed her eyes and imagined it wasn’t Bobby behind her.  Just a beach with the ocean crashing in the background.  Floating along, she felt herself sigh.   A few seconds later, he tapped her shoulder.

“Wake up.  You can go home now.”   Bobby grinned.  “Did you know you snore really loud?” 

Susan gathered her things and quietly left the room.