The Pen Pals

The Pen Pals

My brother honks out snores every night. On and on it goes. It keeps me awake, so I resort to my own entertainment. About a month ago I calculated a fake birthdate to get myself a Snapchat account. They have an age requirement of sixteen. I am eleven years old, but a savvy one. My handle is Dimmer24.

So, I start chatting with Coolbear52. We chat every night. Back and forth, like a modern pen pal. I can’t imagine having to wait weeks for letters like they did in the olden days. It starts out with chat about school and bikes. Coolbear52 is sixteen and he just got his driver’s license. He wants his own car, but his parents say no, so he drives their beat-up old Subaru. 

I lie and tell him that my parents bought me a new Jeep for my sixteenth birthday. They adore me and really can’t say no to anything I ask for. He says he wishes he had my parents. They sound awesome. I agree, telling him that I am an only child.

Coolbear52: Do you have a girlfriend or a boyfriend? 

Dimmer24: Oh, I have both. But they don’t know about each other. I like to play the field. 

Coolbear52: Oh man, I am going to have to try that. Better to keep them separate and have more than one of each.

The door to our bedroom creaks. Dad really needs to oil the hinges. I shove my phone under my pillow. Mom pokes her head into the room. 

“Are you still awake?” 

“Yeah mom. He won’t stop snoring.”

Mom sighs and gives me the eyeball roll.

“Ignore him and go to sleep. Give me your phone. You know that you are supposed to leave it in the basket in the hall. One more time and I will take it away.”

She comes to the side of the bed with her hand out. I reluctantly hand it over.

The following evening, I drop my phone in the basket before bed. When I hear dad gargle (he is as bad as my brother) I know that he and mom have retired for the night. I wait a while, brother honking out his snores and creep into the hall, careful of the noisy door.  My phone is retrieved. I worm under the covers.

Dimmer24: Are you there?

Coolbear52: What happened last night?

Dimmer24: My battery died.

Coolbear52: Don’t you have a charger by your bed?

Dimmer24: I forgot to plug it in.

Coolbear52: Dumb! I am going to sneak out tonight. The dudes are going to raise hell downtown. We almost got caught last time. Stupid cops, we outsmart them. My dudes are fast on their feet.

Dimmer24: I sneak out all the time. Never get caught. My girlfriend loves it. She puts out afterwards.

Coolbear52: She sounds dope. I can't wait to meet her. I have to go now. Don’t want to be late.

Dimmer24: Have a blast.

I admit, I am getting sleepy. I sneak back out into the hall and quietly place my phone back in the basket. Even the honker doesn’t keep me awake.

Coolbear52: Oh man. We killed it last night. Smashed a store window and made off with Air Jordans, hoodies and other shit. Beat the alarm before the cops came. 

Dimmer24: That’s so slay. I’ll have to try a smash. We usually just dump over trash cans.

Coolbear52: We could meet up on Saturday. At the mall. Decide which store to smash. If we get your dudes with my dudes we could make a haul. 

Dimmer24: I can’t Saturday. I have a game.

Coolbear52: Don’t tell me you are a jock. 

Dimmer24: Yeah, soccer and basketball. My parents insist.

Coolbear52: I think you are a chickenshit.

Dimmer52: No, I’m not.

Coolbeat52: Prove it. Meet me at the mall tomorrow night. Bring your girl. Maybe I’ll like her, you know?

Dimmer24: You’re on buddy.

The next night my phone stays in the basket. No way am I going to meet him.

Coolbear52: Where were you chickenshit?

Dimmer24: My girlfriend couldn’t make it. 

Coolbear52: You lying little creep.

Dimmer24: Ends the call

My phone goes into the basket every night. The days are busy with school and practice. I wonder if Coolbear52 really lives in my town. What if he somehow knows where I live? I notice myself getting a little nervous.

One night I just can’t get to sleep. I tiptoe into the hall and grab my phone.

Coolbear52: Hey, are you there? I’m sorry I called you a chickenshit. 

Dimmer24: It’s okay.

Coolbear52: Send me a pic. I’ll send you one.

Dimmer24: Okay, just a minute. You send me one too.

I scroll until I find a selfie of my cousin Jim. He’s nineteen and a real hunk.

Coolbear52: Dude! Here comes my pic.

Dimmer24: Not bad!

He is huge…a real bad ass. No way am I ever going to meet up with him.

Coolbear52: I got to go. Have a real big smash tonight.

Dimmer 24: Okay.

I am beginning to think this is not the pen pal for me. Not a good idea at all. Summer break is coming next week. My parents are taking us to the ocean. My aunt, my mother’s sister, is going to come with us. Susie is a blast even though she is ten years older than my mom. They always laugh their butts off when they are together. 

The car is packed to the roof. Our bikes are tied to the rack, and we are finally ready to hit the road. Mom and Susie sing their old camp songs at the top of their lungs. It’s like they are kids again.

The rental house is on the beach and there is plenty of room for everyone. We sleep in, have stacks of pancakes for breakfast, grill our dinner and make s'mores at the campfire after dark. Dad is great at telling scary stories. 

One morning Susie grabs me after breakfast. 

“Hey Pete, I am going into town to buy a kite for us. The wind is supposed to be perfect this afternoon. Want to come?”

“Sure. I’ll grab my jacket.”

Susie hoists her handbag over her shoulder and digs for the car keys. I slide into the passenger seat and latch my seat belt. Susie reaches over and messes my hair.

“I must say, you are getting handsome, my boy.”

I blush and mumble thanks.

Susie turns on to the highway, headed to town. We chat about the changes in the town since last year. She drops the windows, letting the breeze flip our hair. We both love the beach.

At the red light, Susie stops. She turns to me, all serious. 

“Hey Dimmer24, how’s it going?”