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His saying that bit about being different sort of shocksthe way I so seriously like I understand what he’s tellingwhat the hell is under his shirtsleeves

He writes his cell phone nureen ink, hands me the slip of paper, and says, "Write the letters from the future, Leonard Those people want to et so much better I promise you that Just hold on as best you can--and believe in the future Trust me This is only a small part of your life A blink And if you find that you aren’t able to believe it, call me anytime and we’ll talk I’ll answer your question then Just as soon as you need it I pro so nice to me?" I say

"People should be nice to you, Leonard You’re a hu You should expect people to be nice Those people in your future, the ones who are writing letters to you--they will be nice to you Iine it and it will be so Write the letters"

I say, "Okay Thanks, Herr Silveret the hell out of there

If only the world were full of Herr Silvermans But it isn’t It’s mostly full of übermorons like the majority of my classmates and sprinkled with sadistic assholes like Asher Beal

I don’t go to Guidance

No root beer lollipop today

I have one present left to deliver

I have a ood birthday celebration Asher Beal and I had was seven or so years ago, back before all the really bad stuff started to happen

At his party, when he unwrapped his present from me, he found a piece of paper with a question

The sound of wooden pins being struck by bowling balls echoed through the alley His oblivious but kind mother had booked two lanes37

"Just the best birthday present you’ll ever receive," I said

"I don’t get it," Asher said

I ree looks--like what the fuck kind of present is a question mark on a piece of paper?38

"You will," I said confidently

"When?"

"Soon"

"Okay," Asher said, shrugged, and then opened the gifts other kids had brought--WWE DVDs, video ga proud--like I was taking care of my best friend in a way that would blow his eneric presents that any eleven-year-old kid would forget about in a few days

I invited Asher to spend the night atere just going to play video ga this funny voice--said, "Mr Beal, your car is ready"

"What?" Asher said and then laughed He was confused, had no clue, which oodhis face blank, like he didn’t know us, when he said, "Mr Peacock has arranged for me to drive you to Atlantic City where you will attend a rock ’n’ roll concert this evening"

Asher’s eyes lit up "Don’t even tell ot Green Day tickets Did you?"

I smiled and said, "Happy birthday"

His face exploded "Yes! Yes! Yes!" he said, pued and tackled me onto the couch

I don’t think I’ve ever felt better than I did at thatthat kind of I-will-joyfully-tackle-you happy

The entire ride to Atlantic City, Asher talked about Green Day and what they’d probably play and how he just wanted to hear "Aoing to be his first official concert I sat next to hi off his excitement

My dad took us to an Irish pub for dinner and drank a few pints before he escorted us to the concert, which was in one of the casinos I can’t remember which one because they all look the saed ain and said, "You’re the man, Leonard Peacock! Seriously! First row? First ro?"

My dad still had connections back then, but I didn’t say that I just sort of shruggedmy friend happy

Like I was a hero

Green Day carabbedevery word

I was never a big Green Day fan, but it was the best concert I’ve ever attended, mostly because it was so much fun to see Asher experience his favorite band live--knowing that I iven him the perfect present, and all those assholes at his birthday party--all the kids in our class who squinted at the question et it,Green Day concert shirts featuring heart-shaped grenades, we ht outside the casino floor and I could hardly hear hi

"It rocked!" Asher kept saying "So awesoht," Dad said all cool, like he used to whenever he’d had a few drinks and his eyes were glassy "All right, all right" He’d say it fast and sort of rhyth the last t, so it sounded like "all-right, all-rye"