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Nick asked forto call otten to know each other pretty well I’d say, so I would hope it would at least be iain soon, but he never said when And I don’t like waiting to find out
I pullI see Nick’s nun a name to his number If I commit to that, then I will truly be heartbroken if he never calls ain; my heart will knot each and every time I use this phone and see his na to trash the phone entirely Then I hear the song on the radio at the counter and it’s Dad’s beloved ol’ Alanis and I think how in one night Nick inspired what Dad calls e transformations,” in which Dad says I ahta Know” Alanis into tender puycat “Thank U” Alanis, and I decide to progras I consider assigning his number the name NoMo, but suspect that would really piss hiet in there So I just key in Nick So simple So sweet And I call him
“Did you find anyone in there with jumper cables?” he asks, hopeful
“Didn’t ask anyone yet So, like, if you’re going to call me, can you let me knohen that would be?”
“You’re not leaving me room for the element of surprise”
“I hate surprises”
“I don’t believe you”
“Listen,” I say, serious “Did Tris ever do that thing with you where she called you fro her? Cuz she learned that one from me That bitch isn’t always the teacher, you know”
“Tris who?” he says, and hangs up on rammed his name for keeps
I hope Nick has h now, paying in quarters and di of stale Oreos, and as I shove the coins to the counter person, I shout, for all in the store to hear, “DOES ANYONE FUCKING HAVE A CAR WITH JUMPER CABLES IN HERE OR WHAT?”
No response Hey, I gave it h, I listen to the voice ht She e just before she went to bed, because her voice is all cuddly and happy “Norah? Norah Norah Norah,” she sings in a whisper, like a lullaby “Thom and Scot said you’re on a date with their friend! That Nick guy was cute, even if he did wear ugly shoes And youthis call, because I know you, and I know you know I auess all I want to say to you is, you’re always taking care of h it was kinda weird to wake up in a dark van with two strange guys in the parking lot of so care of yourself instead of reat ti over and cursing you out for abandoning e, okay, bitch? Love you” I se
I go back to Jessie “Sorry, fella,” I tell Nick when I get back into the car I offer him a stale Oreo
“I hate Oreos,” he says, and now it’s onna pretend I never heard that”
Nick steps out of Jessie to open the hood While he’s inspecting the engine, I inspect the notebook of CDs laying on the floor There’s the usual suspects in there, Green Day and The Clash and The Smiths, yeah, but there’s also Ella and Frank, even Dino, sofield and Belle & Sebastian, and as I flip through his h his tastes, I id, but I also ain after all, but he’smusical soulram a wake-up jam
Nick steps back inside the car “That’s it,” he says “We’ve got to figure out another plan to get ho anywhere” He pulls his wallet out “And of course I have no money left But I do have a MetroCard! I’m so sorry, Norah”
I’m not sorry, because his words haveIby answering with a call of, “OH FUCK / Giuliani,” and we both finish with, “HE’S SUCH / A fking jerk!”
“Let’s just leave Jessie here for today I’ll figure out what to do with her after souy there who drives the earlyvan service to Hoboken He’s in Pretty Girls Named Jen, the hardcore screamo band froive us a free ride, and once we get back to Hoboken I can take et to the A train Though I’y to walk all the way to the A train You?”
At this point, we’ve coht as ake the hell up and enjoy this brand-new day I respond with a single word: “BEASTIE!” I hit play on the CD player, and like that, Nick and I are singing along together, wailing out “I like to party, not drink Bacardi” and just all-out grooving to “Triple Trouble,” because we’ve got the Beastie funk and it’s da louder and louder as we rock Jessie Nick is head thrashing and I aether we are Johnny Castle meets Johnny Rotten via DJ Norah caffeine jolt And we are awake, and alive