Par Avion/Issue 3

This is Issue 3 of Par Avion.

103; Giants and Ravens
Holding the door open for some man, I get assaulted by a couple of my friends. Rachel and Julio, my best friends. Rachel has been my best friend since middle school, while Julio and I first met in high school. Today is Julio’s birtday, and Rachel and I are going to take him to the shooting range; that’s someting we’ve always done together. We’re all big gun entusiasts, and personally I have a few different rifles back home. “Happy birthday, Esse.” I say in a faked Mexican accent. “Yea, yea, I sound just like a white gay.” Julio says, jokingly punching me. “A very tan white guy.” “Yea, you do. A very raspy white guy.” I say with a big smile. I am so happy to see Julio and Rachel again. It’s not often we’re together anymore; I have a job, a wife. I’m just way too busy. We begin to walk up the street. It has apparently been a long time since Rachel and Julio saw each other as well; they are talking, while I am walking, thinking about my life 10 years ago. I was young, partying, restless, and now I’m 36 years old, boring as a turtle. “Hey, what do you do again?” I hear Rachel asking Julio. “I... I got fired. Something about getting drunk and running around in my underwear is bad when you work as printer salesman.” Julio says, and I can’t help by laughing. Neither can Rachel. Soon enough, I get into my thoughts again; so much I could have done 10 years ago. Now I’m just flying uninterested tourists and young photograpers around over Hugoton. “Why so quiet?” Rachel asks softly. “Well, I was thinking of all the fun we used to have.” I say, keeping my smile. “Ok, grandpa, let’s have fun.” Julio says, punching me again. “Allright, though guy.” I say, my smile getting wider. “I’m still the best pool and beer pong player.” “And football predictor.” Rachel says, with a jokingly serious look. “Ah, yes. For the last 3 years I guessed who would win the Super Bowl correctley. Giants and Ravens if I do recall.” I say with a wink to Julio. That’s something I do a lot, actually. Just dwelling on my past successes, but seeing the look on Julio’s face is priceless. “Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Julio just says. We continue walking until we get to our destination; Des’s Hunting Supplies. Des Glair is the owner of Hugoton’s only weapon store. Most people consider him grumpy, though he really likes kids for some reason. Rumors say that he once had kids himself, but they got taken away by very young age. I don’t know if it’s true, and I’ve never found opportunity to ask him. We walk into the store, looking around at everyone else there. There’s a few kids running around by the bear traps, playing with some of the low-caliber pistols. An elder couple is standing in the other end of the store, the man trying on a hunting jacket, obviusly suggested by his wife. As far as I recall, that’s the Anderson couple, but I might be wrong. There’s a lot of people in this town, and I haven’t lived here for that long. With Julio, I head to the gun asiles and I take up an M16. Julio looks around, probably to figure out where Rachel went. I’ve been waiting for this the whole day; Rachel and I made a deal with Des Glair, and it is going to be so fun to see Julio’s face when we give him his present. Julio takes up an M16, like me, but I instantly place my hand on his, saying “Julio, not that one.” “Why not?” He asks, obviusly wondering. “Because we got this one.” Rachel says with a big smile, walking down the aisle with a custom made M16. It’s red with ‘Julio Valentin’ engraved on the side. There’s a few other special details, that I want Julio to find himself. It was quite expensive to get Des Glair to make this, but I think it has been worth it. “What the... are you jok... dudes, that is incredible!” He says very happily, taking the weapon. He first gives Rachel a big hug, then me, saying “Thank you guys so much... Just... I don’t know what to say.” “How about you show us if you can shoot with it.” Rachel says smiling, as she picks up a M16 for herself. We go to the checkout counter where Des Glair is working the register, as he trusts no one. The total comes out to be a lot of money, but we happily pay for it. I turn around, heading outside, but my eyes catches the kids playing near the bear traps. I turn around again, looking at Des. “Hey, I don’t think that it’s safe having those kids playing over there.” I say, nodding my head towards the kids. He just looks at me. His cold look makes me uncormfortable. “Don’t tell me how to run my store.” Des Glair just comments, and with a sigh, I follow Rachel and Julio outside.

We begin to walk towards the hunting range, located just outside the town. We have our bags in our hands, the guns on our backs. I look at Rachel, and we smile to each other. It isn’t someting I’m proud of, but I had an affair with Rachel. It only happened twice, but I still feel so bad for my wife. “So, I like how...” I start to say, but bang into someone. I look over, seeing Abigal Hudson and Julia Sullivan. Rachel and Julio have both stopped. Abigal is one of the two african-americans in Hugoton, and by most people she is considered an outcast. She is a telemarketer, and usually stay at home for her job. Julia is the cheerleader captain for the local high school. Being Julia’s tutor, Abigal is often seen with Julia. I look at Abigal, and realize that I accidentially spilled Abigal’s ice coffee on her shirt. “I’m so sorry.” I say.