Two Peas in a Pod

The sweltering heat of mid-May’s temperatures has reached the low 90’s. I can feel tiny beads of sweat on my forehead, and as I started changing the thermostat, I stop when I saw Ms. Blackledge’s sinister stare. I left it to go and went back to my workstation or a sweatshop, as I call it. Still, it is quiet, back here, away from interacting with the public, and I prefer it this way, surrounded by pictures hanging on the clotheslines, stretching from one side of the room to the other. Here I am at home, just me and the images to contend with, no one to disturb me with pointless questions, only the darkroom, and their red lights signaling somebody’s inside.

It is where the magic begins. As the film develops, an image emerges, taking shape with different shades of black and white. I often find myself drawn into the pictures that I have created, imagine myself there. Oh, what I wouldn’t give just once to go somewhere other than this town. But then again, I’m not one to travel far from home.  My mom has always said. “Janneke, one thing that I can always count on, you will never leave home.” 

I guess she’s right. All my life, I have always been a ‘homebody.’ And I have grown accustomed to this way of life, keeping to myself, writing stories, and hoping that someday to be an author. But that would mean talking to strangers. However, if given a chance, I prefer to enjoy this peaceful environment, where my imagination runs freely, inspired by the numerous pictures. It is much easier here than elsewhere. At least I am left alone to work, occasionally interrupted by Ms. Blackledge and her endless questions or suggestions concerning how to do my job.  I grin, nod my head as if I am paying attention, and afterward going back to my way of doing things. 

For the most part, she takes care of the clientele, orders, and the like, while I develop the films that people drop off, a perfect balance at least for the past five years. Somewhere between the ‘usual way of doing things were slowly changing. Without warning, everything flips upside down when Ms. Blackledge’s trip to New York became the calculus, giving birth to a few new ideas.  Now she wants to expand our working hours, including working weekends, offering discounts and the worst thing is having to interact with the customers and other people in my field.

“Ms. Janneke?”

“Y-yes, Ms. Blackledge?”

“How are you coming along with those changes that I had suggested?”

“ F-fine, I mean, they’re coming along.”

“Good,” she said, spinning around on her high heels as I breathe a sigh of relief.

What did she want me to do?  “Aye, yes,” I said, glancing over the list, mentally checking off the items, one by one. Simple,  I thought, slimming down, long hours, discounts, all spelled out, but working with color will not be easy. The question is, how can I explain my reservations to Ms. Blackledge. –

“Hey”

“Hey, Jan, what you up to?” Raven asked

“Not much, Rav. How about you?”

“ Nothing much. How about getting together at Pete's place tonight?”

“I don't know, I mean, I have to work late tonight and well.—”

“Well, what?”

“You know—”

“Yeah, I know. See you there.”

There she goes again, assuming that I will drop everything and hook up with her tonight at Pete’s, And you know what ‘assumption means, Well, I don’t have time to waste, not tonight. Now, where was I before being rudely interrupted? Ah yes, color pictures. Where do I begin?

****

I glanced down at my watch, eight: o’clock. I wonder if Rav will still be there at Pete’s. If not, I’ll grab a bite to eat, then head home. It’s not like we made plans, but then again, she is my best friend. ‘Two peas in a pod’ is what our parents said. However, I would disagree. We are nothing alike. Rav is the ‘life of the party while I am more reserved, down to earth.

“Don’t forget to lock the door.” Ms. Blackledge abruptly said right when I was ready to leave the shop.

“I won’t,” I said, rolling my eyes. My left hand gave the door a quick tug making sure it’s locked.

Leave nothing to chance is what my dad always said, a motto that I live by, especially, well, it’s a short walk to Pete’s, and I needed the time to think. Traffic is light for this time of night, shadows falling under the ‘Hershey Kiss street lights’ a quick nod to those I pass by as I continued on my way to meet Rav.

A crowd is beginning to hover outside around the bar, and though it isn’t bad for a Friday night, I start weaving in and out of the people until I reach the doors. A bell chimes and the light spills out into the grayness of the night sky. Chattering noise among the patrons, desperately I search for Raven, though she isn’t too hard to find, wherever there is a group huddled together, Rav is right in the middle. A brunette hair butterfly, with hazel eyes, is spotted, ‘that’s her, the center of attention, I amused myself.

“Hey, Blondie,” someone yells from across the room. I glanced around to see whom this person is referring to.

“Hey you,” he said again, walking up to me, “Why don’t you join us?”

“J-join you?”

“Yeah, your friend said that you like to have fun. Right?”

M-my f-friend?”

“Yeah, Rav over there, she sent me to get you and have you come and join us.”

“Oh,” I said, staring into his soft brown eyes, reminding me of the color of autumn. “ S-sure.”

His touch is warm and inviting, and the musk cologne fills my nostrils, an old familiar memory of camping in the woods with my parents. I found myself amid the midst of people caught in a spider’s web. 

“Glad to see you made it,” Raven said, sipping a frosty mug of beer

“Well, did I have a choice?”

“That’s Jan, always kidding,” she said,

“Yeah, that’s me,” I chuckled

“Why don’t we find a table?” Raven said, taking hold of my hand, leading me to a table, off to the side, as the two men following close behind us. 

“Jan, this is Frank,” she nods towards the stranger that met me first

“Janneke,” I answer

“Okay, Janneke”

“Nice to meet you,” Frank smiled

“And I’m Robert,” the other man said, resting his hand on the Rav’s slender shoulder.

Their voices trail off, blending in with the rest of the patrons. Soon it became background noise, as I tried to listen to what they are talking about, but getting lost between baseball and cars. And as they babbled on, stopping to take a sip of their drinks, I watched and smiled, occasionally nodded in agreement.

“So, Janneke, what about you. What team do you like?”

“Huh?”

“Jan doesn't follow sports. She prefers to spend time writing, and oh, I almost forgot, taking pictures. Right?”

“Pictures?” Frank said

“Yep, she is kind of like a shutterbug,” Raven said

“What kind of pictures do you take?”

“Oh, she likes nature, you know, the great outdoors.”

“I-“

“Yep, that’s Jan, preferring being outside, rather than with people. Right?

“But I thought you said that she likes to have fun?”

“Yeah, she does.”

“I- but w-wait,” I said

“You ready?” Raven asks

“Sure,” Robert said, as the two of them left our table

“Well, I guess that’s just you and me, kid.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.’

Then a heavy silence fell around our table as we continued to drink, surrounded by the chattering of other people. Feeling awkward by this, I stood up, getting ready to leave.

“Hey, Janneke?”

“Yes,?

“See you around?”

“Y-yes, sure”

The air was still as I walked back to my car and headed home, and for the first time, I wanted desperately to be more like Raven, her flair and openness, being able to talk to anyone, but that isn’t who I am. I am the quiet one, taking time to get to know someone, the flip side of the coin. Different as the day is from the night, but true friends to the end.

 “Two peas in a pod. ’ As our parents would say,