Week 10
Finals are around the corner, but that doesn’t stop us from holding our scheduled apartment meeting. Each meeting each of us would lay down new conditions or rules, talk about old ones, and get rid of ones we no longer need. One special aspect is that each of us gets to talk about grievances or issues we find to be relevant. After Jack explains how he’s sick of having to be the only one who shovels the driveway, I agree to take turns with him. He’s satisfied with the deal, and sits down. It’s Isaac’s turn now.
He grunts as he hoists himself up from his seat, his frame now so plump it’s an effort to get up. His belly sloshes around slightly, and being the dominant part of his frame, it takes all my willpower to keep my eyes focused on Isaac. He looks annoyed.
“Okay, before I begin, I’d like to point out the obvious,” He points to his shirt. It’s beige fabric is stretched to the limit, and even then it’s barely covering any part of Isaac’s torso. His pudgy arms bludge out from the arm holes, and he tries to pull down his shirt over his stomach to no avail. He huffs in frustration as his fights with his belly, then gives up.
“Obviously, some one has tampered with my laundry and made my shirts shrink. I don’t know who did it, but all I have to say is ‘ha ha, we are all amused by your prank’.”
David and Jack look to each other in confusion. I grin a little and roll my eyes.
“However, there is a more urgent issue,” Isaac says, and he holds up his green mug and shakes it a little. “People keep drinking all the hot chocolate. I keep on having to buy more of it!”
Silence. We all just sit there and watch Isaac gesture at the mug. Finally, David speaks.
“Isaac, I don’t drink that stuff. I only use my black tea.”
Isaac looks over to Jack who raises his hands in defense. “Don’t look at me, I hate that cheap stuff.”
All eyes on me. I look over to Isaac. “The only time I used one of those packets is when you offered, and that was last week.”
Isaac stared down into his mug with a perplexed look. “Then why do I need to buy more?” He mumbled.
David piped in. “Isaac, how much of that stuff do you actually DRINK on a given basis?”
Isaac blushes. “Uh,” he says. “Three mugs a day?”
David leans back in confirmation. “There you go,” he spoke over to Jack. “We found our culprit.”
Awkward silence. I cough and lean forward. “Well, I guess that ends our apartment meeting. Thanks for coming you guys, and good luck on your exams.”
Jack and David nod, and rise to leave the living room. Isaac just keeps standing there, looking down at his mug, almost as if he stared hard enough, it would fill with more hot cocoa.