Salubrious part five

The lunch hour went agonizingly slow. He decided to go to a local soup and sandwich shop instead of Salty’s. But he got a tomato soup and it felt like it was making fun of him. The soup was red, like Allan was red.

The sandwich bread was tomato based too.

“This is ridiculous,” Charlie shoves the food to then sighed, feeling nauseous.

He had been looking at his phone, deciding whether or not to call or text. But what exactly was he wanting to say? He didn’t really know.

Did he want to text Zoey to try and get back together? Well, maybe. But he just didn’t like how he felt when he was with her. He didn’t like how he acted when he was with her. Angry, annoyed. Ready to argue about stupid shit.

He decided to just text Allan about hanging out this weekend but he accidentally called him. Pim had given him two tickets to the Dethklok concert for him and Zoey’s six month anniversary, but they were broken up now.

The phone started ringing. “Fuck, fuck, fuck!” He hung up. But within a minute, he saw Allan had called him back.

“Uh, hello? Charlie? Did you call me just now or was that a butt-dial?”

Charlie coughed nervously, clearing his throat. “Uh? It was just… I was trying to text you.”

“Is it about the job? Mr. Boss is curious if you two finished early.”

“Yeah! You two got the job done already?! It’s raise time!” Charlie heard Mr. Boss yell over the phone call.

“Hold on, please. Charlie is trying to tell me what happened,” Allan said quietly to Mr. Boss in a muffled tone, and his boss said in twanging country accent, “It better not be a work-placed accident, we ain’t got no insurance for that….”

“No, no, Allan, can you get away for a second? It’s not about the job. Actually, don’t tell the boss but Pim is taking this job solo. Please don’t say anything.”

He heard a nasally chuckle, “What kind of person do you think I am?” He heard a shuffling and Allan saying something to their boss.

A few moments later, he heard Allan taking in a breath.

“Okay, Charlie, I’m outside the office, I had to lie to Mr. Boss and tell him I needed to get my inhaler.”

“Wait, dude you have asthma? Oh man I’m sorry. You didn’t have to say that.”

“I do have asthma but I’m not actually having an attack. I’m okay.”

“Oh, good to know. Good to know,” Charlie exhaled as a shaky sigh came out.

“So what was it you wanted to talk about?”

“Well…” he snorts in a lazy way, “I was trying to eat my lunch. I just couldn’t. You know?”

Allan sighed. “Are you sick?”

“Maybe. Well, no.”

“Do you need me to make you a medical appointment somewhere?”

Charlie grunted in a flustered voice, “Ugh, man. Do you really want to be the only reason I smile?”

It came out really fast and full of nervous energy. He didn’t think he’d actually be that direct to Allan.

“Well, that’s what I was saying to you. So, yes. But, if you don’t want me to be your smiling friend anymore..”

“No. No, dude. I totally think you are doing an amazingly good… well, at least not amazingly bad job at it. I can be very bad at my job sometimes. Pim has to help out a lot.”

Allan chuckled, “I think whoever has you and Pim to help them smile again is lucky.”

Charlie felt himself go hot again. “Lucky?”

“Yes. You are the kind of guy that says things very bluntly for what it is. People need that brutal truth to actually change their life. And Pim has that loveable sense of wonder and hope. Between the two of you, it would take a Grinch of the highest level of asshole and bastard for you not to make them smile.”

Charlie grinned helplessly. “Ah, well, thanks man.”

“No problem. So what did you want to talk to me about?”

“Uh, so I know I invited you for drinks and you said you couldn’t. So, I have these tickets to the Dethklok concert this weekend. Would you wanna come with me?”

“Sure. Will Pim and Glep be there too?”

“Uh, no. I have only two tickets. Is that ok?”

“Well, remember…” Allan takes in a short breath. “You said I made you uncomfortable with the nose thing? Sucking on your nose. You said that. I don’t know if I should just… give you space.”

Charlie sputtered out a gibberish response, “We-ye-uh… nose—bros?”

“Sure, Charlie, we’re bros. But that didn’t answer my question.”

Charlie wheezed an anxious laugh, losing it. Of course he heard it that way! He put the phone away near his leg. He took in a large huff of a breath shakily and let it out slowly.

Going back to a silent Allan on the other line he said clearly, “Uh, Allan, let’s just try and have a normal hang out. We will vibe to good music, have a drink or two. Smoke a joint.”

“I don’t smoke. I never smoked before, I mean.”

“Uh, that’s no problem. I can teach… I mean I can show you,” Charlie’s face felt hotter. “We can toke one out before the pre-show.”

“Who is opening?” Allan asked.

“Um.. I think Melodicka Bros. Those guys on YouTube? That might be the opener. I’m not sure.”

Allan made a noise of approval. “I like their Lord of the Ring metal covers.”

“Really? I like that Violet who sings vocals. So, you in?” Charlie felt his groove get more in line with how he usually talked.

“Sure. But I might need to bring my inhaler.”

“Oh shit, yeah. If that is a serious health issue, don’t worry. You don’t have to smoke with me. We can just hang out and chill to the music.”

“No. I can do it. Just a puff or two won’t affect me too much.”

“Ok. Well, that’s settled that. So, how’s everything?” Charlie asked, feeling an awkward tingle in his throat.

“Fine. Earlier, I was going over the refrigerator inventory again. Glep was chilling with his iPad. Boss is probably wondering when you and Pim will be back after that job. And you? What did you get for lunch?”

“Oh, tomato soup. And a tomato herb sandwich. I’m just not hungry. I can wrap it up to give it to you?” Charlie offered.

“Oh, that’s very nice of you. I’ll have it.”

“Really? I already ate off it?” Charlie laughed a little.

“Oh. That doesn’t matter.”

Charlie bit his lip. “Doesn’t matter?” He said under his breath. Suddenly he felt like he had a dry mouth.

“Nope. It doesn’t matter at all. Your germs won’t hurt me…” Allan said in almost a whisper. It made Charlie gulp.

“Huh?” Charlie said in a choked voice. “How can you be so sure?”

“Because I know you, Charlie. Duh.”

Charlie blinked, gripping the phone tightly. “I do practice good hygiene.”

“Fuck yeah. We’re Smiling Friends. We have to have nice smiles,” Allan exclaimed.

“You think I have a nice smile?” Charlie blurted out. He wanted to hit himself. Usually these intrusive thoughts would not come out in such a verbal manner.

“Hmm. Yes. I do. It’s very nice, Charlie…”

Charlie’s mind suddenly became blank, he couldn’t breathe or talk. ‘Is he fucking with me? He can’t actually be coming on to me, is he?’ Charlie thought in a panic.

“So do you, man,” Charlie replied in the calmest voice he could muster. “Anyway, uh, see you later. At the office, I mean. And this weekend.”

“Cool. See you later. Bye,” Allan said, abruptly hanging up.

Charlie paled. He looked at the red tomato soup. He told a waiter to get a to-go box for the food. He stared at it, licking his lips uncontrollably.

He put a finger in the bowl, swirling it around for a second. Then, he placed it in his mouth, savoring it with a smile.