Written for day 2 of Friendship Week!
prompt: jerry’s brunch/the waffles
@birlcholtz come get your friendship food
_X_
Hops shifted on his feet, silently begging the universe for a break. He’d been looking forward to this Jerry’s trip all day - he deserved this reward after the Most Awful Week Known to Humanity™. He’d thought it was a good sign when his last class let out early. Hops had made his way to put his name down for a table for five and gone to wait outside - it was too nice a day to wait indoors for the others to show up.
Hops had just been standing there, soaking in the sunlight, when he’d felt someone’s eyes on him. When he looked around, there was another guy nearby, watching him. The hostess had told him at least twenty-five minutes for a table; hopefully someone else showed up soon.
waffles + waffle dads
Nursey 📚: yo!
Nursey 📚: i’m out of class and headed to Jerry’s now
Nursey 📚: anyone else there yet or do i need to get a table?
Thank god.
Hops 🐰: I’m here already
Hops 🐰: got on the list
Louis 🇸🇪: omw
Dex 🧰: must the chat be called that?
Dex 🧰: I’m coming from all the way across campus so i’ll be at least 15
Louis 🇸🇪: if the toolbox fits…
Nursey 📚: YES
Bully 🏍️: i’m on my way also!
Bully 🏍️: YES
Dex 🧰: i should fine you all.
Nursey 📚: but would you?
Nursey 📚: oh captain my captain 😘
“Hey there.”
Hops keeps typing as he looks up and sees Creepy Guy a little closer to him than before.
Louis 🇸🇪: ^^THAT should probably be a fine
Nursey 📚: 🤷yo chill
Hops 🐰: @Nursey if you could be my intimidating older brother like 5 mins ago that would be SUPER
“Hi.”
“Nice day out, isn’t it?”
“Yup.”
“The sunlight really brings out your eyes.”
What the actual fuck.
Nursey 📚: 👀
Nursey 📚: 🏃💨
Nursey 📚: bet
“Um...thanks.”
“Where are you from?”
“Excuse me?”
Louis 🇸🇪: who do i have to kill 🔪🔪🔪
Bully 🏍️: @Louis no murder
Bully 🏍️: we don’t have bail money
Bully 🏍️: a light maiming tho….
Dex 🧰: @Louis @Bully not even the fine jar has enough despite Jack and Bitty visiting last week
Dex 🧰: @Hops hang tight Nursey’s class real close
“Woah, hey, just trying to get to know you a bit, is that a crime now?” the other guy says, hands up defensively.
Hops 🐰: 🧍♂️
“I don’t even know your name - and I don’t want to, so don’t take that as an invitation.”
Creepy Guy is a little closer now, still grinning at him.
“C’mon darlin’ I -”
“Jon! How’s my baby brother?!”
Nursey’s here, and doing that thing he’s so good at: being a human wall, protecting his teammates. Hops feels the tension leave him as Nursey grabs him in a hug, still rambling a little about Oh hey, Mom said she sent you something, should arrive tomorrow, how was your class, have you been waiting long?
When Nursey draws back, Hops looks around worriedly, but Creepy Guy is nowhere to be seen. The last bit of tension Hops had has disappeared completely.
“Oh thank god.”
“Yeah he fucked off as soon as I got here,” says Nursey.
“Thanks bro, I probably could have gotten rid of him myself, but it would have taken a lot longer.”
“Sure thing,” Nursey says easily.
“I still appreciate it.”
“Hops, it would be an honor to be your older brother, I’m happy to get that guy to back off.”
“Thanks, Derek.”
“Got your back, Jonathan,” Nursey teases.
“Hops!”
“Holy shit, you okay?”
Bully and Louis were apparently just behind Nursey, and jog across the street to join them, looking worried.
“Yeah I’m okay - just some creep hitting on me, but like, weirdly.”
“Gross. You okay now, conejo?” Bully asks, pulling him into his side. Hops snuggles close.
“I’m okay. Nursey helped.”
“Yeah! The only person allowed to hit on you weirdly is Bully!” says Louis.
“That’s ri - Hey! I hit on him in a completely normal way!”
“Uh-huh, sure.”
“Fuck you Sweden, it worked, we are dating.”
“By the grace of god, because you certainly weren’t smooth about it.”
“That’s it -” Bully moves to try to get Louis into a headlock, but Louis dodges and runs around the group. Bully chases him and Hops and Nursey make eye contact and dissolve into laughter.
“You know, this sort of behavior is why the hockey team gets banned from places,” says Dex. His voice is stern, but he looks mostly amused at their antics.
“You tell ‘em, Dexy,” says Nursey, face lighting up as he looks at Dex.
“Simmer down, lads,” Dex calls over the chaos, “I’ve been looking forward to this all week, I don’t want to get thrown out before we even get inside.”
“Sir yes sir,” Louis and Bully chorus, Louis with a sloppy salute. Bully slings an arm back over Hops’ shoulders. Nice.
“You know about how much longer, Hops?” Nursey asks as he threads his fingers through Dex’s. The tips of Dex’s ears turn pink.
“Table for five for Jonathan?” calls the hostess from the doorway.
“Sick,” says Louis, “Let’s go.”
They all pile inside and Hops is more than content basking in the warmth of his friends’ chatter and teasing. All in all, not a bad end to the week. Not bad at all.
There was quite a bit of rain overnight, and the low was only 54 degrees. The rain continued off and on through most of the day, and the high just got to 57. A difference of three degrees for the day seemed really extraordinary.
My blood sugar was down to 206 this morning, which was not surprising in that I avoided food for most of yesterday. But it did not fall as much as I had hoped, so I am looking forward to my appointment with the PCP next Tuesday.
After our coffee and brain games, I got on the computer for my morning routine, and Nancy did a yoga session before calling her friend Vicki in Tucson for a chat of a little more than an hour.
Then Nancy and I made breakfast sandwiches with egg, cheese, bacon and chipotle mayo, followed by showers and getting dressed.
About 12:30 p.m., we got out and took a walk around the neighborhood. We kept it short so we wouldn’t get caught if the rain started up again. We did 0.91 mile in just over 18 minutes, a total of 2,100 steps.
Then we drove over to Jerry’s to look at blinds for the new house. We also checked out a few other things—like flooring and bathroom vanities—as we wandered about. The rain began again while we were away, and once we were home, we lay down for a nap.
About 3:30 p.m. Kathleen arrived to take Nancy with her to Michael’s to do some shopping for frames and decorations for the wreaths they will be making at Anne’s on Friday.
At 4:30 p.m., I started cooking a pot of rice for our dinner. Once Nancy made it home about 5, we cooked up the green beans and heated the leftover meatloaf, and we sat down to eat about 5:30.
I took off a little after 6 p.m. to pick up Henry and get to the men’s recovery meeting. Tonight’s reading was from the “Living Clean” book and was about “love.” Chuck was celebrating 18 months in recovery, and there were several men there from one of the treatment houses in the area.
When I got home at 8:30 p.m., Nancy and I began streaming a special episode of “Harry Wild” that ran nearly an hour and a half. So, our evening ran a bit longer than usual. Plus, it turned out that another of my photos on Flickr had been chosen for the “Explore” page today.
Tonight’s low is likely to reach 51 degrees, and the high tomorrow might get up to 58. But most of the rain has disappeared from the forecast for the next few days, with Friday and Saturday promising sunshine and low temperatures into or near the 30s.
Nancy mentioned today that we need to get Christmas presents for family members, so we might get out tomorrow and do some shopping. Other than that, we have no plans.
+ + +
On this day in 2017, the Marriage Amendment Bill receives royal assent and comes into effect, making Australia the 26th country to legalize same-sex marriage.
December 9, 1898, was the birth date of Emmett Kelly, an American circus performer who created the clown character “Weary Willie,” based on the hobos of the Great Depression in the 1930s.
Today is National Pastry Day, Christmas Card Day, Genocide Prevention Day, International Anti-Corruption Day, International Day of Veterinary Medicine, National Llama Day, National Opal Apples Day, Techno Day, and Weary Willie Day.
