Hearts & Dog-Tags 11

I haven't written one in a while. Turns out, when I sit down to write one, the idea just comes to me! It's simply magic. MAGIC.



    "Okay, I left you one hundred dollars for food. It's on the counter where I showed you earlier. Do not lose it and do not spend it all on pizza! Remember, my cell number is on the fridge along with all emergency numbers. The neighbors know you are here alone, so if they hear anything suspicious, they will help you. I feel like I'm forgetting something... Ugh, I'm going to worry about you so much! Do not burn the house down! I have to go now, my taxi is here. I love you! See you in a week!"

    You may think, "Awe, this is a mother leaving her child home alone for the first time!" In some ways, I guess this is true, but in most ways, it is no where near true. This is Sammy talking to Paul. Surprised? Didn't think so.
    Sammy is heading on a news retreat where a bunch of small-town news correspondents get together and go camping. No cameras allowed. Just good old bonding. This is the first year Sammy got invited. She, along with star news reporter Tanya Jones, and the not-so-camera-guy Jerry were off to the camp ground to meet with the other news-savvy people.
    This left Paul alone for a whole week. He thought it was going to be awesome. He thought he would become a 'solo party of Paul', as he called it. He thought it was going to be one week of non-stop partying because there was no rules set by Sammy. He was way off.

Day 1:
    "Hey Paul! We made it to the camp ground! Hows it going?"
    "Sammy! It's good to hear from you! Everything is awesome! I'm just about to watch a football game!"
    "Typical. I remembered what I forgot to tell you! The...... so don't.... fire..."
    "Sammy, what? You're breaking up. Sammy? Hello....?"
    Paul never felt so alone. He just held up the silent phone... until the football game started. Then he almost forgot about the whole thing. Including what Sammy was trying to tell him.

Day 2:
    "Pizza or Chinese food... or go grocery shopping? Pizza." Paul mumbled to himself.
    It was 3pm and he just rolled out of bed after going to sleep at 6am. It felt like summer vacation to him. He stayed up watching old movies that were on TV about superheros. He then ran around the house pretending to be a superhero. For 2 hours straight.
    The pizza arrived and he lost the first thirty dollars of his hundred. He got an extra large so he could eat it for multiple meals. He spent the day eating half of the pizza and watching TV.
    There was no call from Sammy.

Day 3:
    Paul got up at 4pm today.  He was woken up by the phone ringing. He let it go to voice mail. The message was from Sammy, it said, "Hey Paul, the service isn't good up here. I hope you didn't use the toaster, it's broken and might catch on fire. That's what I tried to tell you before. I will try and call you tomorrow. Love you!"
    He suddenly kicked himself for not picking up the phone, and then he landed on the floor hard. He ate the rest of the pizza and watched a documentary on pidgins. It was very informing.

Day 4:
    Paul was sick of pizza, so he decided to order Chinese food. He ordered a meal for three, which came to thirty-five dollars. He was down to his last thirty-five dollars from the hundred.
    He waited by the phone for Sammy to call. At 8pm she finally did.
    "Sammy?"
    "Paul! It seems like I haven't talked to you in forever! How are you holding up?"
    "Me? I'm great! How are you? You're the one out in the wilderness."
    "I would hardly call it wilderness. It's a beautiful cabin in the middle of no where."
    "That sounds aweso-" Sammy cut him off.
    "Jerry stop kissing... phone with Paul... breaking up...Paul..."
    "Sammy!? You're breaking up with me!? You're kissing Jerry!?" His shouting was no use, the line was dead.
    Paul tried calling back, but there was no answer.

Day 5:
    Paul was a mess. All he could do is eat, sleep, and watch TV. All he could think about was the phone call.
    "What does Jerry have that I don't?" He would mumble to himself.
    He played the message Sammy left him a couple days ago over and over again. He decided to buy another extra large pizza as comfort food. He only had five dollars to his name.

Day 6:
    Paul stayed in bed, ate pizza, and listened to Sammy's message over and over again. By now he had it memorized and would say the words along with her. It was a little bit creepy.
    He did a lot of thinking. About love, life, and how they all relate back to Sammy. He didn't know how to live without her. He didn't want to find out what it's like to.
    Sammy was going to be home tomorrow night and that's when it was all going to end. He needed a plan. He needed to win her back. He needed to think of a better one that didn't involve killing Jerry.

Day 7:
    Paul got up at 12pm. Sammy was supposed to be home around 5pm. That is is she's even coming here. He told himself that she would need to and moved on with his plan.
    First things first, he cleansed the house. He shoved things in closets and threw away too much stuff in the garbage, but first glance, it was a pretty clean house.
    He also cleaned himself. He's been alone for a week. No one reminded him to take a shower.
    Paul then walked to the grocery store and got three things. Sammy's favourite gum, Sammy's favourite chocolate bar, and a sample size of Sammy's favourite perfume. It came to $4.63. Paul threw the five at the cashier, grabbed his stuff and ran home.
    It was past five when he arrived back. There was no sign of Sammy. He set up what he bought on the counter and hoped she would show.
    At 5:36pm a car rolled in the driveway and Sammy came running through the door. Paul didn't move. She ran at him and gave him a hug.
    "I missed you so much! I tried calling but the stupid cabin had horrible service! I think I phone line went down or something. It was awful!"
    Paul was surprised by the way she was acting. He decided to play it cool, "How is Jerry?"
    "You won't believe it! Jerry and star reported Tanya Jones got together! I guess what happens in the cabin, stays in the cabin."
    Realization washed over Paul. Jerry was kissing Tanya. The phone line was breaking up. He felt like an idiot for ever doubting her.
    "Hey, look what I bought you!" Paul pointed towards the goods.
    "Let me guess. All you bought this week was delivery, so you bought this for me with your last five dollars so I wouldn't be mad at you."
    "Yeah...something like that."
   
___________________________
Then Paul winks at the camera.