Gene, Dottie, and Simple Company

Dottie hated Gene more than she had ever hated anyone in her life, and that was saying something because she was almost 80 — which is plenty of time to come across people to hate — and because she knew Mitch, her granddaughter’s husband, and everyone who met Mitch hated him the most.

Except Dottie. Dottie hated Gene the most, and she wrote to him every Thursday to let him know it:

Gene,

I can see why your ex-wife left you for another man. Your hippie lifestyle and untraditional values may have been all the rage decades ago, but a geriatric man living in Atlantic City and still playing guitar in local bars past decent hours is not the kind of man to grow old with.

Also, Animal Crossing is delightful. It is both relaxing and educational. I would advise against being so judgmental about a game you have never played. Not all technology is the devil’s work, and it is no one’s fault but your own that you’re outdated. Hashtag do not hate.

Dottie.

Gene hid a small smile behind the lip of his coffee mug as he placed the letter down on the countertop. Saturdays were for breakfast at Gilchrist Diner and for Dottie from Elder Scrolls. No, not the video game. Gene had never played any of those. Elder Scrolls was the pen pal service for seniors he had signed up for after his divorce. He wasn’t looking for a new romance — just something to distract him from how big his house sometimes felt for one person. Winding up an old lady that he had never met once a week was surprisingly effective:

Dear Dottie,

You would have liked Sharon. She was also a deeply devoted woman of God and attended Sunday service regularly. In fact, I think the only time she didn’t make it in over 40 years of marriage was the day after she got caught with Father Tom in the pews. Really strong traditional values, that woman had.

The part about how I spend my free time — you might be right. But I think it’s more an effect of being alone than a cause. The bars I frequent aren’t too shady, and the music isn’t too bad. If you’re ever in AC, stop by Knife and Fork. I play there three times a week (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays). You might actually have fun for once.

And for the record, as a Satanist, I’d be more interested in Animal Crossing if it were the devil’s work. Hashtag 666.

Warmly,

Gene

Dottie frowned. She was not quite sure if Gene was joking about the Satanist thing, but she could not put it past him.

“Look at this, Barbara.” Dottie beckoned her daughter over. Barbara and her husband Steve drove up to North Bergen once every couple of months to spend time with Dottie. Ever since her father Charlie had passed away twelve years ago, Barbara made it a point to make frequent trips to see her mother. Sometimes, she worried about how much time Dottie spent on the Nintendo Switch and sitting around with the same two friends and grumbling about Gene, and how little she spent doing new things with new people.

Barbara peered over her mother's shoulder and scanned the scrawled writing. “What did Gene say this time?”

“It’s tasteless,” Dottie complained. “I’m happy to let people believe what they believe, but to intentionally goad others into having a reaction — it isn’t right.”

“I don’t know, Mom,” said Barbara, picking up Dottie’s syrupy plate and carrying it to the sink. “You still write him back. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you have a crush on Gene.”

Dottie rolled her eyes as she reached for a pencil. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

Barbara gave a small smile as she turned on the faucet. It was both a bit amusing and a bit disorienting how time had slowly reversed the roles of mother and daughter.

Gene,

Barbara thinks the Satanist business from your last letter was tasteless. Do you feel that you gain something from being intentionally disagreeable? Charlie used to say, “Life is too short to be an asshole,” and it would serve you well to adopt that philosophy.

I do not think I’ll be coming up to Atlantic City. I do not really have the time for it. That is, I do have a lot of time on my hands day-to-day because I am always at home, but I do not have as much time left because I am old. Ever since Charlie passed, it seems a bit silly to waste it on new adventures. I appreciate the invitation, but I would rather keep to my Animal Crossing and the handful of people I love. These things make me happy.

If the bars and guitars make you happy, then I suppose you should keep doing that too.

Dottie.

P.S. You are wrong. I don’t think I would have liked Sharon.

Gene hung up his black bomber jacket in the closet with one hand as he read Dottie's letter. He had just returned from a lively Friday night gig at Knife and Fork and felt very much alive. Ever since he stopped chemo and the drugs were no longer sapping his energy, he was himself again. He intended to feel that way as long as possible.

Gene checked the grandfather clock in his living room. Saturdays were for breakfast at Gilchrist Diner and also for Dottie, and it was past midnight. He grabbed a pen.

Dear Dottie,



Charlie was a smart man. It’s such a shame how in any pair of two, one life is always shorter than the other.

I understand what you mean about not having enough time. I feel it, too. But it's not sad or scary — it's freeing. I feel much more at peace now than when I was chasing things I wanted to want but didn't actually want. My son doesn't understand it and thinks I'm crazy for not wanting the same things as him, but he'll learn one day, and so will Barbara. They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but the secret is the old dog's old tricks are actually pretty great.

Writing to you makes me happy. If you don't mind too much, I'd like to keep doing it.

Warmly,

Gene