Cleaning House

What the fuck? How did I get here, San Francisco with a Goddamn lesbian for a roommate. She was in the bathroom telling me her life story. I watched her from down the hall not wanting to get to close. She looked at herself in the mirror as she scrubbed her face-as if she didn’t know where it was.

It was 3:00 am and I wanted nothing more than to curl up on the sofa and sleep. When she emerged from the bathroom she showed me my room. My room? It didn’t sound right. The room was small with a large window that had a great view of the building next door, the only furniture was an unmade bed and a dresser.

“It belonged to my ex, she left everything when she moved out so I sold everything but the bed and chest of drawers.”

“Good enough for now:” I shrugged my shoulders as if I was used to better.

I walked into the room and collapsed on my bed. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up as soon as my face hit the mattress. It was too fresh…everything smelled clean. I inhaled deeply. Lemon, wax and some other cleaning product I didn’t recognize.

“When did your girlfriend leave you?”

“Day before yesterday, I went out last night to celebrate the purge.”

Shit, for once I kept my mouth shut and didn’t say it out loud.

I scooted all the way on the bed, sat up and took off my boots. She was still watching me.

“Got any sheets?”

Jane tucked her behind her ear and disappeared she returned with sheets, a towel and a bar of soap. Too bad there was no food, because I was fucking hungry again.

Jane yawned “ I’ll show you the rest in the morning, I’m tired.”

With that she turned on her heel and left me alone. I looked at the towel and soap, scooping them up I headed into the bathroom—I took a lonbg much need shower. Both arms were sticky up to the elbow, and itchy.

I washed away the borrowed makeup and lotion and realized that tomorrow I needed to get supplies.

I went back to the bedroom, made the bed and fell into a deep sleep. I woke up at noon to Jane standing in front of me with coffee in a paper cup.

“Hi, don’t feel bad I just woke up an hour ago.”

I pushed myself up, the room was filled with light and I was lying sideways on the pink floral sheets. I wiped the drool from my face and took the coffee from Jane’s oustreched hand.

“Thanks”

I took a sip and nearly spit it out—cream and sugar. I just didn’t see the point of ruining a good cup of coffee. I drank it anyway.

Jane stood there drinking her coffee her eyebrow raised as she zipped.

Fuck, I pulled the sheet up. I was butt naked.

Jane smiled and walked out of the room without saying anything. I guess the show was over.

I pulled on my Jeans, wife beater and boots. I forgot to buy frigging underwear. Limping into the living room I found Jane curled up reading the paper with her shoes off.

“Do you have any paper?”

She got up and handed me a note pad.”

“Pen”

She handed me one, smiling over her coffee again.

“What did you say happened to your clothes?”

“My asshole boyfriend burned them.”

It was true but that had been nearly six months ago in Denver. He came home and I was high, passed out on the couch. That isn’t what pissed him though—the fact that I was naked and my dealer was lying on the floor next to the couch is what pissed him off.

It was too bad really, I really liked Gabe but he had a bad temper. I hadn’t even gotten busy with the dealer. We had been drinking and smoking and things just got a bit out of control.

Oh well.

“I see.”

“Do you need to borrow some?”

“No, I am going shopping today.”

“Where?”

I shrugged and walked back into my room. I had added another 300 dollars to the wad the old lady gave me.

I knew it wouldn’t be like that every night. I pulled out 1500 dollars and walked back to where Marie was sitting on the couch. I handed her 500 and told her I would be back later.

“Do you need a coat?”

I stopped with my back to her, and shifted to my other foot.

“Please”

She came back with a heavy hooded sweatshirt. I put it on, while I was zipping it up I got Jane looking at me again.

“It goes with your outfit.”

I looked down at it, it was black with white writing on it that I didn’t bother to read.

“Thanks”

I walked out the front door without a clue where I was going.

I found myself in Walgreens, with a basket full of goodies.

Mascara, lipstick, gloss, liner, foundation, plain lotion, lotion with shimmer in it, bar soap, liquid soap—Loreal, Revlon, Max Factor, Cover Girl. I stopped myself before I was completely out of control. I still needed clothes.

Instead of going back downtown I wandered into the Haight. I bought a hodge podge of thrift store clothing and new stuff. By the time I was finished I couldn’t carry it all, I had to flag down a cab. I was lightheaded and had to be at work in two hours.