Page 82 of Joey

“Ummm…” I don’t really know how to answer this. So I say, “Yeah. You know. Off-brand Barbies or whatever.”

“Dollar-store stuff?”

“What do you know about the dollar store?” I ask, turning to look at him.

“I get it.”

“You didn’t grow up poor, did you?”

“No. Not rich like Joey. No one is rich like Joey. But my parents own a whole bunch of go-kart places.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Like we have two dozen of them in like five states in the Midwest.”

“Hmm. That’s kinda cool. I bet that was a fun childhood.”

He thinks about that I guess. His childhood. Because he’s quiet for a while. Then when he does finally say something his voice is low. Soft, even. “You remember that time,” he says, “when I took you go-karting in Tokyo?”

“What?” I laugh.

“Street Kart. That’s what it was called. And they let us take those custom karts out onto the street. But first we had to dress up like our favorite superhero because that’s like… the law there.”

I laugh. “You’re nuts.”

“Remember I dressed up like…” He pauses to think.

“Mighty Mouse,” I say.

He snorts. “Oh, I’m gonna make you pay for that.”

“You can change it.” I chuckle.

“No, I can’t. Now it’s in my head and I’m picturing myself dressed up like stupid Mighty Mouse.”

I laugh again.

“But you… you were—”

“I was—”

“Oh, no. Fuck you!” he says, cupping a hand over my mouth. “You don’t get to put me in a Mighty Mouse costume and then make yourself Wonder Woman.”

I try to talk but his hand is too tight so my words are lost.

“You were dressed up like Sailor Moon. And fuck, you looked hot.”

I grab his hand and push it down so I can say, “Sailor Moon is sexy.”

“She so is. And now I’m totally picturing you in a hot cosplay outfit.”

“Oh, Huck.” I laugh.

“Anyyyyyway. That go-kart day was fun.” He turns his head to look at me. “Wasn’t it?”

I nod. “You bought me popcorn. And then we went to the park afterward and fed the ducks.”

He smiles. It’s a crooked smile. One half of a smile, really. But it’s sexy, and devious, and maybe even a little bit evil all at once. “You sure do like to feed things. Ducks. Fish. What else?”