Free Juicy by Pepper Pace

need three-way, call waiting, call forwarding!"

"I hear you. But, Troy, it's your own choice how far you want to get into the...trappings of society."

"How many people do you know, Juicy, that say ‘I can't make my credit card payment, my cable is cut off, a bill collector is calling about my late furniture payment?’ Can I make the decision of how far I will go, or will my desires dictate my needs?" He grimaced. “It’s like those stupid diet drink commercials where they say drink a shake at breakfast and another at lunch then have a sensible dinner. But if you could have a sensible dinner you wouldn’t be fat in the first place, right?!” She was following him but just barely.

Juicy leaned forward. "You're telling me that you'd rather sleep in that boarded up building with the rat droppings and roach carcasses then in your own place? You'd rather be at the mercy of the elements, of criminals, of...disease?"

Troy opened his mouth. "I...I don’t think that I could stand to be trapped. I don’t think I can stand being around too much stuff. I'm okay when I'm crashing in a building, or doorway, or on a cot in a shelter because I can just walk away and leave it all behind. And when it's raining or cold I can stay with friends--I've even used money for a motel for me and a few friends." Troy leaned forward slightly. "Many of my friends on the street aren't broke. They recycle or panhandle or like me, they get social security checks. A lot of street people aren't exactly homeless because they don't know how to get the necessary help. They're on the street because they don't want the help."

"That's how it is with you? You want the streets?"

"Well...I have three grand in the bank. I'm not out there because I have no other choices." And he didn’t even mention the money that he had in Trust. If she knew, she’d call him crazy for sure.

Three grand in the bank?! "God, you are crazy," She said. She had tried to think differently, she really had.

Troy didn't seem angry. "Well...people might say the same about you. You went crazy on me in that alley. Actually, the second time you were there I heard you talking to yourself—I even heard you yelling to yourself. I'm crazy?" He absently waved away her comments. "Maybe. But you are, too."

Juicy made a face and stood up. Troy popped up in front of her. He took hold of her good hand, the one without the cast.

"Don't, Juicy. We can talk without getting mad at each other. I like you...and I just want you to understand me." When she didn't answer he slowly released her hand and took a step away from her. "I guess it doesn't matter." Troy rubbed his hair, ruffling the damp ringlets. Then he shrugged. "There are two worlds. I live in the invisible one and you live in the real one." He raised both palms up in defeat. "Those two worlds don't mix."

Juicy thought before speaking. "I agree with you that there are two worlds, maybe even more. I don't know exactly where I fit in. I'm not really a part of either. Maybe I'm crazy. I guess I am. But I'm trying. I'm trying hard not to judge you. You saved my life-"

"Now you want to save mine?"

She nodded slowly.

Troy secured the fold in his towel then pulled her into his arm. "I don't need to be saved, Juicy, because I'm okay with me."

She closed her eyes and relaxed against Troy's warm body. He squeezed her firmly and carefully nuzzled the side of her head with his chin.

"I can take care of myself..." He paused. "...and if you need me to, I can take care of you, too."

"What does that mean?" She lifted her head quickly to look at him.

He stared at her for a long time before answering. "What do you want it to mean, Juicy?"

"I don't want it to mean anything, Troy." She backed away from him. "I just want to make sure you don't need anything. That's all." She grabbed some change and headed out the door to put his clothes into the dryer.
     
    She thought to herself as she headed down the stairs. Take care of me? The idea wouldn’t