Lit Up

Last night I went out to talk to Sebastian the teen next door. It was dark out and the parking lot was pitch black. He was standing at the corner of the building. Wow, your eyelashes are making cool shadows lit up by your cellphone, I said. As we chatted and the police drove by. I told you, they're everywhere, I said. Please call on us if you need anything. We don't have kids but we are not afraid of teens. My husband is a high school teacher and I have been one too. I ran away from home! I know it is not easy growing up. It took me 40 years before I was happy. Don't worry we will not have the drugs discussion with your mom. I appreciate that, he said. Does my 4:am classical music bother you? I asked. No, he said. You can tell me shut it off. My kitchen sink is at his bedroom window. No, it doesn't bother me, I sleep through everything, he said. I promise I won't vacuum at that hour. He smiled. I usually see his light go off at 3:30 AM as mine comes on. He looks just like the boy I had a crush on when I was 15, and in High School, Mike Aboudi was his name, I told my husband. He had black curly hair. Mike was Armenian. Sebastian is Lebanese and Portuguese.