In Between Days: Raising Jordan (boyxman)✅

(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding

Saturday was laundry day and had been for as long as I could remember. Any changes to my routine would send me over the edge so I was pretty annoyed to find Jamie's clothes in the washing machine. In a huff, I removed all of his clothes from the machine and dumped them on the floor.

"What do you think you're doing?" Jamie asked, catching me red-handed.

"I do my laundry on Saturday morning," I said, walking passed him and out of the room.

"Are those the rules?" he said.

"Yes," I said, heading to the kitchen for some breakfast.

"You're a piece of work, you know that?" Jamie said, following me to the kitchen. I was done talking to him.

"Uh-oh," Tim said. "What'd he do now?"

"He dumped my wet clothes on the floor," he said.

"He does his laundry on Saturday morning," Tim said in my defense.

"How was I supposed to know?" Jamie said. "He could have put it in the dryer for me or he could have just done his laundry later in the day. There, that's an idea, right?" Tim and I both stared at Jamie who was so angry and annoyed.

"You don't have to stay here," Tim said.

"Yeah, I know, but you've got good weed," he said and went outside to the back porch.

Tim directed his attention to me after Jamie left. "You really could have waited until he at least put his clothes in the dryer," he said. He knew better than to make such a comment. "Never mind. I take that back."

After finishing my Cocoa Puffs, I returned to the laundry room to complete my Saturday morning chore. As I transferred my wet clothes into the dryer, I realized I had accidentally washed my earphones—again. So far they survived each wash, but I wasn't so sure this time. Holding them up, I discovered that the wire was frayed. My heart raced in a panic. No, this can't be happening! I plugged the earphones in my phone and discovered the horrible truth; they were broken and I didn't have a back up. Instead of going to Tim and asking him to take me to the store to buy a new set, I couldn't think or see past the fact that they were broken. I chucked my phone against the wall. In an uncontrollable rage, I threw each piece of clothing around the small laundry room, screaming and carrying on like "a wild animal," as Tim would say. Tim and his houseguest came running in.

"What's going on?" Tim said.

My hands shook nearly uncontrollably as I held my mangled earphones. "What am I going to do? I don't know what to do."

"Jesus, you scared the shit out of me," Tim said. "I hate it when you do that." Since he wasn't taking me seriously—again—I gave him one big shove. I was bigger and taller than him, so I had enough force to injure him if I really wanted to.

"Hey," Jamie intervened, stepping between us in case I went after him again, which I was inclined to do. Tim rarely retaliated with physical force, maybe because he was afraid of me.

"I hate it when you overreact like this," Tim said. "I thought you were hurt or something. I..." I tried to get passed Jamie to get to him, but Jamie stopped me, holding my wrists so I couldn't move. He was touching me after I had told him not to touch me. So what did I do? I spit in his face. "I can't believe you," Tim said. "Just stop it, okay? You can borrow my headphones until you get your own." Tim really didn't get me sometimes.

"Let go of me," I growled at Jamie and kicked him in his shin, forcing him to let go, doubling over in pain. Embarrassed, instantly regretting my actions, I bolted out of the room and out of the house. The pool was still a little green, but I jumped in the water anyway, maybe to cool myself off. I swam in the cold, green water for a few minutes, telling myself over and over, "It's okay. It's okay. You're not going to die. It's okay. You'll get new ones..." As I swam, the last song I listened to popped in my head:
"As I walk through
This wicked world
Searchin' for light in the darkness of insanity
I ask myself
Is all hope lost?
Is there only pain and hatred, and misery?
And each time I feel like this inside
There's one thing I wanna know:
What's so funny 'bout peace love and understanding? Ohhhh
What's so funny 'bout peace love and understanding?"