Spammer by Anel Viz

“Spammer”

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...

(Author’s note: In keeping with the theme of Internet spam, I have not given the main character of this story a name.)

4. Independence

Everyone at the plant recognized them as best buds. They didn’t think it was weird, Norm being almost fifteen years younger. They’d hit it off, so why shouldn’t they do more than sit together at lunch? Bowling, ballgames, fishing, a movie – what could be more natural? Norm went out with girls, if only for show. They both did, the older man a lot less, as you’d expect. Kids Norm’s age are always going on dates.

They were a group of guys who’d taken to sitting at the same table at the lunch hour. He and Norm, Gus, Jim, Barney, and sometimes Joel. A couple of women tended to sit with them, too. Patty and Francine were almost always there.

Norm would be graduating early, halfway through his senior year. He was a smart kid who got through his courses easily, and he’d taken the bare minimum he needed to graduate.

“Are you gonna take ’em up on that scholarship, Norm?” Gus asked.

Norm shrugged. “I’m not all that big on school. College is expensive, too, and my folks aren’t about to kick in. Besides, what would I study?”

“I dunno. Computers?”

“You can take those courses at the Vo-Tech for a hell of a lot cheaper.”

“I bet they’d let you use the scholarship to go to the Vo-Tech,” Francine said.

“I’ll think about it.”

“What does your buddy think?”

“I think that if Norm takes them up on that scholarship he should go to a real college and get a real degree. He could pay for the Vo-Tech himself easily enough. There’s the University of Minnesota at Rochester. Rochester ain’t that far. Winona State, too.”

“Why not a private school?”

“Too expensive,” Norm said. “Even for Rochester or Winona I’d need close to a full-time job to cover it. Like I said, my parents aren’t gonna help out. And Rochester and back is a long commute. How’m I gonna find time to study. College courses ain’t that easy, you know. Not something you can breeze through like high school.”

“You could look for a job there.”

“I like it here. Hormel’s good, steady work. Don’t have to worry about lay-offs.”

After he graduated, Norm found he had other decisions to make. “Now that I’m outta school, my father wants me to start paying rent,” he told his friends in the lunchroom.

“And why shouldn’t you?” Francine asked. “They’ve been supporting you since you were born. Don’t you think it’s time you paid your fair share?”

“They want six hundred a month. Six hundred, just for a small room. And all the same chores. I can do better than that.”

“But you won’t have to pay utilities,” Gus pointed out. “Do have any idea what those cost?”

“And you get free food too,” Joel added.

“Not that either. He thinks I should pay one-fifth the food bill, my share of what they and my sisters eat.”

“Sounds like a bargain to me. I bet you eat more than any of them. I’ve seen you pack it away when we go grab a bite at Perkins after a ballgame.” He already had it in the back of his mind to suggest that Norm move in with him, but wasn’t about to say so right off the bat or the others would think he sounded too eager.

“Looks like you should start looking around for a place of your own,” Barney said.

“I have, a little. But they all want a month in advance and a damage deposit too. I’ll also need to buy furniture. Month to month I can afford – I think – but it’ll be damn hard getting started.”

“You mean to say you haven’t been putting money aside?” Francine, looking truly surprised. “Youngsters!”

“Why don’t you try negotiating with your parents, get them to agree to less...”

“Fat chance!”

“Or you could find yourself a roommate. Move in with me, for instance.”

“You mean it?”

“Why not? I could take my computer stuff out of the extra bedroom and put it in the living room. You’ve seen it; it’s a fairly big place. We won’t exactly be on top of each other.” (Of course they would a lot of the time, just not that way.)

“You’ll have a lot more privacy than at home, too,” Joel said, and winked. “You’ll be able to have girls over all night.” Norm blushed. “Well, won’t he?”

“I sure as hell won’t stand in his way.”

“You see? Don’t tell me that hasn’t been a problem. I bet you’ll save a bundle on motels.”

Patty and Francine were laughing. Then Francine checked herself, probably thinking she was being unladylike. “Let’s not discuss Norm’s sex life here, OK?”

He could see Norm was tempted, but didn’t know how the others would take it if they actually became roommates.

“If we split the rent,” he went on, “that’ll be almost two hundred less than your parents are asking. Of course there’s the utilities too, but heat’s included. The landlord lives downstairs and pays all that. I got my own electric meter, though.”

“Gee, I dunno...”

“You pay half the food, too, or we each buy our own and eat what we buy. Just don’t go filling up my fridge with dead animals.”

“You’d save on gas, too,” Joel said. “You two could carpool to work.”

“Definitely. I’ll admit I’m the one who stands to gain financially here, and I won’t have to do all the housework myself. On the other hand, I’m giving something up too. I haven’t had to live with someone else in over ten years. I’m not sure how I’ll adjust.”

“Take him up on it,” Gus said. “The two of you get along great. Just think how much more independence you’ll have.”

“And you’ll still have a father figure to watch out for you,” Francine teased.

“Anything but that! I don’t want to be Norm’s or anybody’s daddy!”

Norm looked up at him. He was ready to accept, had been from the beginning. He just needed one more word of encouragement from him.

“If it don’t work out you can always go back to your parents’. I’ll refund whatever percent of the rent you haven't used if you don’t stay the month, all of it if you leave before the end of the week.”

Norm held out his hand, and they shook on it.

Posted: 09/19/08