Ocean Eyes

Chapter 7

I was packing up to leave for John B's, Nick came in,
He said" Hey, you got any on you?"
I said" Any what?"
" Weed, dipshit."
" Yeah, why? I got uh, weed brownies, joints, 2 of JJ's cousin's cripple, it's wild, what you want?"
" Just give me the joints." I nodded and opened my bag, giving him my box,
" There you go."
" Thanks. See you later." He walked out, I nodded, and zipped up my bag, walking out of my room.

I jumped into the van, smiling shit-eatingly at John B,
He said" I don't like when you look at me like that."
I said" Like what, surfer ken?" Sarah laughed, covering her face as John B looked at her like he lost his best friend. I smiled,
" Did you have a red bull?"
" Yes!"
" Did you smoke a j?"
" My asshat of my big bro stole my joints, except for the cripple... and I'm not smoking a cripple."
" Not smoking a cripple." I smiled,
" Tally-ho!" I clapped his shoulders, going to the back, laying across the seat,
Sarah said" Is he always like that?"
John B said" Yeah... you get used to it, eventually." I snorted," Never."

We melted the gold, Kie's slightly crazy plan actually worked, JJ, Pope and I did our handshake.
I said" Blowtorches... I need like 7."
Pope said" What would you do with 7 blowtorches?"
" Why do you need to know?" JJ laughed, wrapping an arm around my shoulder,
JJ said" One to light dank nugs..."
" One to roast mallows."
" One for a bong."
" One to just light shit on fire." We both laughed as Pope looked at us like we were insane.
Pope said" So much of your personality came through."
" Which would be..."
" Pyromaniac."
" I am not! Would I be letting Kie do the fire if I was?"
" No..."
" So?"
" Shut up. Did you drink a red bull before you came here?"
" I had a red bull for breakfast!" I grinned, he rolled his eyes,
" You're actually addicted."
" Yeah... I need help." I smiled and nudged his shoulder, he laughed, I bounced on my toes.

We got out of the van,
JJ said" Hell of a job melting it down, Dr. Frankenstein."
Kie said" Like you could've done any better."
" I could have done much better. I took a welding class."
" You-"
John B said" Whoa, whoa. Hey. Sh!"
" When?"
" Chill out, okay?"
JJ said" Easy for you to say that. You're not the one that has to pawn this piece of shit off. How did I get this job anyway?"
Pope said" 'Cause you're the best liar." I rubbed JJ's shoulder, smiling at him, he gave me a quick smile back as we walked into the pawn shop.

We walked in, JJ going to the counter as we spread out around,
JJ said" Afternoon, ma'am."
The woman said" Afternoon."
" I see you buy gold."
" That's what the sign say, don't it?"
" Well, I sure hope you buy a lot of it, because I'm about to blow your mind."
" I ain't got much mind left to blow, so have at it."
" How about them gold apples?"
" That ain't real."
" That ain't real?"
" It can't be."
" Feel how heavy it is. Mm-hm! Mm-hm! Let's get some light on that."
" Spray-painted tungsten."
" Spray-painted tungsten? Really? Okay. Why don't you see how, uh, soft it is?"
" You mind?"
" No, go for it. Wow. Would you look at that?"
" Hold your horses. We ain't got to the acid test yet."
" Ooh! The acid test. My favorite, guys." She poured acid on it,
" Well, it ain't plated, and it ain't painted."
" Ma'am, I'm telling ya, this is as real as the day is long."
" It looks like somebody tried to melt it down." Here comes JJ's best ability, lying his ass off straight to someone's face.
" My mom. She had all this jewelry laying around the house, and she thought it was best to-to melt it down. To consolidate it."
" Seven pounds. That's a lot of earrings."
" Okay, to be honest, ma'am... it's really hard to see my mom fall apart with alzheimer's."
" Mm-hm." She walked away into the back room. Pope and Kie walked over to JJ, barely whispering at him, John B, Sarah and I stayed back.
" Take your time, ma'am." After a minute, she walked back in,
" So, uh, I talked to my boss."
" And?"
" And, uh, this is what I can do." She put a piece of paper on the counter,
" Fifty thousand? You think I walked in here not knowin' the spot price? Ma'am, I know for a fact this is worth 140, at least."
" Well, sweetie, you in a pawnshop. This ain't Zurich. Do I look Swiss to you?"
" Ninety, or I walk."
" Seventy. Half price... and, um... I don't ask questions about where you got this." JJ looked to John B, John B signaled him with Shaka.
" I'm gonna need that in large denominations, please."
" Well, here's the snag. I don't have that much denominated, not here anyway. I can write you a cashier's check."
" Cash... No, ma'am. I want the cold hard. That's what that sign says. Cash for gold. And that's what I expect. I'm gonna get it in cold hard."
" Well, I have to send you to the warehouse. I have the money there. Is that alright?"
" Where's this warehouse?"