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Teenage Ghost
Evan had began to notice while hanging out at his friend’s house, he was not the only person in the world with family problems.
Several times Jeff’s mom didn’t seem to remember his name. She was always asking him, ‘What’s your name.’ in a most insensitive manner. He understood the woman was bitter and angry with the world. He knew how hard it would be for her to find another job ‘At her age’, because she often spoke about it to them. Though she never revealed her age so they could get a rough estimate of when it might happen to them. He did truly feel sorry for her and wanted to help, most times.
Other times she went off on tangents blaming Jeff for things missing around the house, forgotten chores, or when was the food going to be ready. She would conveniently, and frequently, forget his name and remind him she did not know it. Some days it was hard to know if she started off happy, that she would end her day happy. There was no consistency with her moods.
Evan looked at the kitchen counter, a prescription bottle of half taken pills.
Jeff’s mom walked in and grabbed the bottle, “What are you lookin’ at? Not thinkin’ of takin’ any of these are you?” She opened the top and downed three before recapping it. “They aren’t for little boys to take.”
“Mam’.” Evan was sure he should have called her anything else, but he knew no other term.
She grated at the term he had used, the term of old women. Only women past their prime are called Ma’am. She turned and looked at the teenage boy with annoyance.
“Why do you always say you forget Jeff’s name?” Evan knew it was the wrong time ask, but there was never a good time.
The woman’s face began to scowl at the boy for being curious. She snarled her response as if it were a warning for all curiosity to come. “Because he was named after his worthless deadbeat of a father, and I don’t want him growing into the man he could become.” The woman’s face was so distorted with anger and hate, she looked like an evil hag.
Evan took a step back and watched in silence as she walked out of the kitchen towards the back room.
After the sun had set and darkness was filling the yard, Jeff returned home.
“You didn’t tell me you were named after your dad.” Evan mentioned casually as the two watched television in the living room.
“I’m not.” Jeff looked at his friend puzzled.
“Your mom said….”
Jeff cut him off quickly, “Don’t pay any attention to anything she says. She likes to lie a lot so people wont her ask her any questions. She just wants to be left alone.” Jeff turned back to the tv, “It’s better if you just leave her alone.” He turned up the tv volume to discourage any more conversation about it.