The Contingency Plan

It started as a genuine attempt. I’d call Dylan but after a few tries, knew he was never there. So I began to ring weekly, just to check, knowing I’d get his answering machine but never leaving a word.

And I’d keep trying, only to forget about him for another week, distracted with other friends and efforts until something reminded me of him again. And this secret binge habit survived for weeks.

Then the unthinkable occurred.

“Hello?”

“Hey! It’s Umi, how are you?”

“Shit, how are ya? Fuck, is that your kid I can hear in the background?”

“Yeah, he’s playing with his toys. So how have you been?”

“That's fucking trippy. I'm ok. Hanging with Mum, my brother kicked me out of his place. Fuck. It’s cool now though. I desperately need a job. I thought you were someone else. I’m waiting for a job to call me back.”

“Oh cool. What kinda job? Shall I let you go?” I asked.

“Nah, it’s cool. A shit job, anything. I don’t care. I haven’t worked for a year but now I have to. It sucks. I fucking hate work.”

“So how on earth did you live without a working?” I asked, amazed.

“Very fucking well. I hate all this shit about work. It’s bullshit. I’m going to try to just do three days a week.”

“Cool,” I said.

Our conversation continued for about another few minutes and then we hung up so he could wait for his call.

I didn’t gain any closure from the conversation but remember feeling we perhaps we don’t connect as well as we used to. Different places in life? Varying values maybe?

No matter what it was, I still fondly think of Dylan but I haven’t called him since, candidly or secretly.