The Dinner - From The Madness Of The Number Man

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Part Nine

Gene had donned the best of what he could find at the thrift store next to the library; a baggy pair of acid washed jeans with a slight tear in the left knee, a pair of old brown loafers, a blue button up shirt with epaulets on the shoulders, and a black belt with a large buckle that had an engraving of a man riding a bull. Now one should judge a book by its cover, and as Richard opened the door to his home on Fountain Way, he did not take notice of the ridiculous manner of dress the man in front of him was wearing, he took notice of the coldness of the man’s smile and the veiled hatred inside his eyes as they set their gaze upon him.

“Good evening, Richard.” Richard kept his lips tight against all of the things he wanted to say to Gene, none of which would have been an appropriate response to a cheerful, “Good evening, Richard.” Gene dropped his smile and cocked his head. “Aren’t you going to invite me in?”

“Come in.” Richard moved aside and Gene playfully scamped his way around Richard and into the front room of the Menkin household. “My mom is in the kitchen.”

“Thanks. It sure is nice to be here.”

“I’ll bet. How’s your leg? Did you walk in front of something you shouldn’t have?”

“You’re a really funny kid. How’s your dad? Still dead?” Richard slammed the door and began to say something someone his age simply shouldn’t say in polite company, but of course, this was hardly polite company. Before the first word worked its way out of his mouth, his mother poked her head into the front room.

“Hi Gene! Come on in.”

“Thanks Patty!” As Patty Menkin went back into the kitchen, Gene turned back to Richard and tousled his hair before he walked over to the nearest chair and plopped down into it. “I could get used to this man! That food smells wonderful. This is such a nice house. I miss having my own house. Someone blew it up.”

“Why are you here?”

“Well, I don’t know what to tell you buddy, but your mother and I seem to have hit it off. Who knows, maybe someday, you’ll end up calling me dad.” Richard balled his fists and took a step toward Gene, who very quickly held his finger up in the air. “Now I want you to think about what you’re about to do. Your mother has obviously made a very nice meal, and I wouldn’t want you to make things awkward for her.”

“I’m a kid, Gene. She’s used to me making a scene. She’ll get over it.”

“Yeah, that’s true, but I’m pretty sure she’s not used to you making this kind of a scene.” Gene was pointing to a window on the side of the house. In the window, out in the dark, something was moving. Richard squinted his eyes against the bright lights of the living room as he tried to make out the shape staring back at him through the window, and in a matter of exactly three seconds, there was no question what was staring back at him. The mechanical bear that had almost killed him in the upstairs office at Hocus Pizza was there, and Richard let out a small shriek in spite of himself at the sight. “That’s a scene we probably don’t want to involve your mother in, don’t you agree?”

“Is everything ok?” Patty had come back into the room after hearing Richard’s exclamation. She was unable to see the look on Gene’s face, as she was standing behind him, but Richard could see his face just fine. Gene had lost all of his goofy facade and was looking back towards Richard with cold eyes. He had to think of something to say to keep the master of the mechanical bear from welcoming it inside his home.

“Yeah! Everything’s fine. Gene just...he showed me a magic trick.” Gene’s eyes turned warm again and the hammy performer’s face had once again shown itself.

“I might not have a stage anymore, but I’ve still got my tricks!” Gene pushed himself up on his cane and stood up, still looking at Richard. “Who knows Richard, I might perform a few more before the night is over.” He snapped his fingers, and Richard’s eyes were drawn to movement from outside the window. The bear had crouched down out of sight, but Richard knew that it was still there, waiting for its master’s command. A strange series of knocks came from the front door; strange to Richard and Gene, but all too familiar to Patty Menkin. It was in the form of Morse code, and as Gene began to recognize that fact, Patty walked over to the front door and opened it. She was not surprised in the least that her odd neighbor, Agatha Gip was on the other side of it, but she was surprised to see the bespectacled little girl that was standing with her.

“Hi Agatha, how are you?”

“Hello Patty, I’m doing wonderful. Thank you for asking and thank you for inviting Petunia over for dinner. I decided I would walk Petunia over. Can’t be too careful nowadays with everything going on, now can we?” Patty turned to Richard for an answer. Although she had no problem with Richard inviting his friend over to join them for dinner, she still liked to be informed, and of course there was the obvious awkward social convention to think of as well; she now had to ask Agatha if she would like to join them.

It’s not as if Patty Menkin didn’t like Agatha Gip, but their first and only meeting, albeit pleasant, was one of the most bizarre encounters Patty Menkin had ever had with another human in her life. Of course, we know it wasn’t that awkward given the circumstances that Agatha Gip wasn’t human, but Patty didn’t know that.

“Well...dinner is almost ready, Agatha. Would you like to join us?”

“Oh no thank you, that’s very kind. I’m afraid I have to get back home. My husband needs my attention.” Agatha looked to Gene. “He’s not feeling very complete at the moment, not himself I mean.”

“Give him my best would you.” Gene couldn’t help but insert himself into the conversation, he was an attention seeker after all, and he couldn’t help but put himself in a situation where he could be insulting. Agatha Gip kept her eyes on Gene.

“Hello Gene, I didn’t recognize you right away. I’m used to seeing you in far more obnoxious clothing.”

“Gene? You know Agatha?” Patty was beginning to feel like a supporting player in her own house, and at this point in our story, that’s exactly what she was.

“We’ve met. Her husband just fell to pieces over my last show.” There was a dead silence that followed, and it weighed on Petunia heavily, causing her to turn back to her mother.

“Okay Mom. I’m here. You can go now.”

“Okay honey. Just give me a call when you want to come home. Have a good night Patty. Gene, it was so nice to see you again.” And with that, Agatha Gip turned and walked back across the street.

-

 

Patty allowed the silence at the start of dinner to last exactly one squidden and thirty seven seconds before she could stand it no longer. Gene had followed her into the kitchen after Agatha had left and had helped her set the table. Gene was being far more charming than she expected, and he had kept their conversation buoyant and playful, but as soon as everyone had sat down to eat dinner, the conversation came to a dead stop. She began to wonder if it was because she said grace over dinner. Perhaps, she thought, the idea of Patty being a quasi-religious person had suddenly made him clam up.

It had not.

“So... how are you, Petunia?”

“I’m fine Mrs. Menkin, thank you.”
“You can call me Patty.”

“Okay.” This was the first time Patty really had a good look at Petunia, and she had to admit that she definitely wasn’t the type of kid she was used to Richard palling around with. As far as Patty could tell, the only thing that looked to be similar about her son and this little girl were the matching black jackets with homemade patches that they were both currently wearing.

To her eyes, Petunia was a girl that her husband would have described as bookish; ratty hair, large glasses, outdated black and white sneakers, and a baggy sweatshirt. Richard had never had a friend who was a girl as far as she knew, and although she was happy that her son had found a new friendship in the middle of all the sadness over his father’s disappearance, she found it strange that he found a friend in someone who was obviously just as odd as her mother.

Gene was sitting at the head of the table, and it was bothering Richard; after all, that was his father’s chair. The Menkin family dinner table was small. While Richard sat directly across from Petunia, his mother was in her usual chair, directly across from the head of the table. Patty Menkin had not intended for this man to sit in her husband’s chair, it had just naturally happened that way due to the fact that she and Richard took up their normal spots at the table leaving only two options for the guests, which of course worked itself out. Gene was feeling the awkwardness in the room, and he was enjoying it to a certain degree.

Making these two little brats feel uncomfortable was the least he could do, after everything they had done for him. It was Patty though, that he began to worry was feeling it the most, and that was far from his intention. Patty was someone he desperately wanted to know, in fact the only person that he desperately wanted to know, and the thought of her never asking him back to dinner again was more than he could bear.

“Patty, this is wonderful, thank you very much.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I haven’t had real food in a while. Just been eating right out of the microwave really.”

“Why is that?” Richard couldn’t help but ask the question, and the annoyed expression that came over Gene’s features was well worth it.

“Because my house burned down Richard.”

“Save some room. I made cream cheese pie for dessert.”

“Cream cheese pie? Wow, that sounds good.” Gene was lying of course; he was no fan of cream cheese, and the thought of it being made into a whole pie was a horrifying thought indeed. Patty, unlike the children, was completely unaware that he was lying just as she was unaware that the children were smiling at each other due to the fact that she was looking at the cheerful face of her new friend.

Gene was looking back at Patty as well, but even though he had lost one of his rare gifts, he hadn’t lost them all, and he could sense exactly what was going on; this was a chess match, a game where his two diminutive opponents were going to do their best to tarnish, discredit, or otherwise humiliate him in front of Patty. In all honesty, Gene was there for nothing more than to be close to Patty and once again feel something inside of himself that he had not felt since he was a child, but if beating Richard and Petunia at this game was the roadblock he had to face to accomplish that, then so be it. No one could out due Gene in the ways of maliciousness, and he was about to prove it.

“So Petunia, how’s school going? Are those new pills working out for you?”

“Uh…”

“I was actually speaking to your father about it the other day. He says they seem to be working much better than the last ones.” Patty and Richard were dumbfounded over this new direction in what had been a forced conversation only seconds before. Likewise, Petunia was dumbfounded; her brain was trying to solve the puzzle, how did Gene know about her change in medication?

Within exactly four seconds, Petunia had formed a plausible hypothesis; perhaps Gene had gone back to the school one evening after he murdered their principle and pulled her student file. The medications that she had either taken or were currently taking, would be listed inside of it. Gene had made a powerful move in this game and she knew it. She and Richard had planned their attack, but Gene had immediately changed that plan, and Petunia knew that her tactics would have to be far more brutal than she had originally intended. She only hoped that Richard would be able to keep up.

“They’re really working much better than the last ones. Can you pass me the green beans, Gene.”

“Of course.” As Gene was picking up the white and blue china dish that was full of Patty Menkin’s Green Bean Surprise, Richard and Patty Menkin were both still trying to process exactly where this conversation had gone, and just as they were both getting their intellectual bearings, Petunia, very quietly kicked Gene in the kneecap underneath the table.

“Ah!” Petunia had timed the blow perfectly; Gene had just pushed the plate toward her, and with the sudden jolt of pain running through his injured leg, Gene spilled the plate of green beans all over Petunia’s shirt. Gene gritted his teeth and attempted to keep his facade of friendliness. “Oh my word! I’m so sorry Petunia! My leg is still healing and sometimes, it just spasms for no reason.”

“Oh it’s fine, don’t worry…” Petunia felt a sharp pain in her left shin as Gene responded in kind. “..about it!”

Petunia was picking the Green Bean Surprise from her lap as she tried to ignore the pain from Gene’s kick. Richard didn’t know exactly what was going on between the two of them, but he had a pretty good idea. Petunia was unaware of the bear lurking just outside the window, and before the situation escalated any further, he began to speak without knowing exactly what he was going to say. Needless to say, he said the only thing that was on the tip of his tongue.

“What pills are you taking Petunia?”

“Richard!” Patty’s voice thundered over the table and seemed to strike the air. Her face had gone red with embarrassment over the question. “I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s ok, Mrs. Menkin.” Petunia wasn’t about to let Gene get the better of her, even if it meant going into subjects that she would rather stray away from. “I have moods, and the pills help me deal with them. That’s all. Thank you for asking Gene.”

The silence that followed seemed to go on for an eternity to Richard, but in all actuality, it was only for fifteen seconds. Sometimes, in certain situations, fifteen seconds can seem so much longer than it actually is. A good example would be fifteen seconds on a stage in a theatre in front of a crowd due to a dropped line from an actor. Petunia would never know what it felt like to forget a line in front of an audience on a stage, let alone how it would feel to remain silent in front of them for fifteen seconds. She would, however, experience a very long and silent fifteen seconds on a dark theatre stage within the next forty-eight hours.

“So Gene, are you going to rebuild your restaurant?” Both Petunia and Richard stopped eating and simply stared at Gene after Patty’s question.

“Well...I’m having a little bit of an insurance problem. Hopefully, I’ll be able to get it all sorted out. It’ll be nice to have a home again.”

“Where are you staying right now?”

“There’s a little room in the back of the library. Ms. Pinker has been kind enough to let us stay there, otherwise we’d be sleeping in my car.”

“Us?”

“My cat.”

“I had no idea.”

“It’s not something I like to bring up.”

“Why? Because you’re living like a bum?”

“Richard! What has gotten into you?! Apologize to Gene!”

“I’m sorry Gene.”

“Don’t worry about it, Rich. It’s going to take a while, but I’ll get back on my feet.” Gene’s smile hit Patty Menkin in all the right ways, and she, like her son, blurted out what was on her mind without thinking of the actual consequences that it would bring.

“Why don’t you stay with us for a while?” The sound of three forks clattering down onto fine porcelain came at the very next moment, and Patty Menkin found herself surrounded by three slack jawed, forkless dinner companions. Both Petunia and Richard were well aware of the dangers of the invitation, and both of them could only hope that it would be politely refused, but Gene was perplexed.

Gene stared back at the woman sitting across from him, and felt himself falling in love with her, even though he was well aware that the feeling was not mutual. He had never known anyone who had been so kind for no reason whatsoever. He desperately wanted to say yes, but he began to fear that without his ability to manipulate, he might say the wrong thing and lose any chance he might have with this wonderful goddess who was staring back at him.

“I...uh...I have a cat.” Petunia and Richard looked at Patty, hoping the lame response was enough to make her rethink what she had so generously offered.

“That’s ok. I just think that maybe we can help each other.”

“Mom! Can I talk to you for a minute?”

“Not now Richard.”

“Mom!”

“Patty, I’m really grateful for the offer, but...don’t you think with all that’s happened, that might look…”

“Oh, who cares how it looks, Gene? I’m not asking you to marry me for God’s sake, I’m offering to help you.” The tone of her voice drove the point home that she was not to be argued with; the statement was made to Richard just as much as it was made to Gene. Patty Menkin was a very giving person, and her generous spirit was what first attracted Richard’s father, Richard, to her from the very beginning.

But Patty Menkin was also a person who could summon up something inside of herself that was not to be trifled with once it was stirred. Petunia, only having just met Patty, was astounded by the control that she was able to exert over both Gene and Richard simply by using her voice; both boy and man had bowed their heads and stared at the table, almost as if they were afraid they might cause her to issue one more of her emasculating demands.

Patty looked back and forth between Richard and Gene, and after she was satisfied that she had driven her point home, she looked at Petunia and gave her a slight wink, which made Petunia even more impressed. Petunia slowly began to eat her food, but never took her eyes away from the scene being played out at the table.

“I... that’s very nice of you. I... would love to.” Richard gritted his teeth as Gene said the words, but it did make him feel slightly better as he realized that Gene was feeling bullied into the whole situation just as much as he was. In fact, Gene was feeling slightly bullied, and as he was not exactly your typical person, he found the feeling alien and intriguing, and he was desperate to feel more of these strange feelings that he only knew about because people were constantly complaining about them.

“Good. I can help you bring your stuff over tomorrow; that’ll give me a chance to get the spare room ready.”

“Thank you.” The rest of the dinner played out rather quietly; mostly with Patty asking questions and Gene answering a few of them honestly, avoiding a lot of them entirely, and lying to exactly thirteen of them. Richard and Petunia listened quietly to the rest of the conversation without having much to say, unless of course, they were asked a question directly. Gene sat and pondered to himself during his drive home about the whole affair and had to admit that something about the whole thing made him uneasy. There he was sitting with a woman that he was very quickly developing feelings for; feelings that were entirely new to him, and two children who had most of the same gifts that he had from a very young age.

He had always thought that he was alone with his gifts, and he had grown accustomed to feeling content with that. His memories of his own family were distorted by tragedy and other people’s interpretations of them; when he was in the psychiatric hospital all of those years ago, he was unable to be honest with anyone about what was going on in his mind or what had happened to his parents because doing so would only force those people to shove more pills down his throat and tell him that he was crazy.

As he pulled his car to a stop in front of the library, he began to feel a horrible sense of starting to belong to something, which of course was unacceptable to him; the more attachments you have, the more ways you leave yourself open for things to stab you. As much as he suddenly felt that he should pull up stakes and drive away from this town, he knew that the chances of actually being himself in front of anyone again was next to none if he did so.

Richard and Petunia had taken almost everything from him, and he still had every intention of repaying them for all they had wrought, but there were other ways he could go about it, rather than simply waiting for the right time to kill them. Gene sat in his car thinking about all of these things for an hour before he realized that he had left Wimpple Bear behind at the Menkin home. He cursed himself as he slammed his car into reverse and headed back toward Fountain Way.