new genes(exerpt

The phone on Damian's nightstand sounded so loud, he halfway marveled that the walls weren't shaking and that the picture hanging above his head--the one of dread-locked Jesus-- hadn't fallen down and knocked him a lump. Maybe it sounded so loud because it's been so long since it's rung in the still of the night...not that it woke him up. He hadn't fallen into a real sleep in over a month. He let it rang a few times longer than it had to. If it's Sheree calling, he couldn't let her know how anxious and desperate he was to hear from her.

On the sixth ring he picked the phone up. It was McCloud--a blue-haired, ancient, bent, yellow-toothed, four-eyed, lab coat looking like a Picasso doodle wearing, pain in the ass...calling him at three o'clock in the fucking morning, when he was fantasizing and praying about beauty, fragrance, femininity, breasts, black hair, white teeth, soft, full lips.

That old man was really starting to become an object of resentment in his life.

"Hallo...Damian, Damian...You there son...Hallo?"

Damian didn't know whether to spit or speak. What the hell is he calling me at three o'clock in the morning for?

"Yes sir, it's Damian." What you want pops?

"Oh, Damian...glad to reach you, son. I'm just calling to remind you that--"

Damian didn't hear anymore. He lightly sat the phone down on the night stand, laid down, turned and pulled up the covers. That old man just did not have to call me in the middle of the night to remind me of anything.

The next time Damian heard the phone, it was demanding to be hung up. He cradled it and peered at the clock. He had plenty of time to get ready but he got up and turned on the shower anyway. He wouldn't want to be two seconds late and give Mr. McCloud a heart attack.

He stepped outside his apartment door and felt like he was under some giant kid's magnifying glass. The sun was directly above him, beaming down so hard, he broke out into a pouring sweat and could have sworn he smelt meat burning--his meat. He raced back into his penthouse apartment--the pad that was so modern he might as well have been living on another planet when he was inside. He had absolutely no idea it was so hot outdoors. He felt terrified. The breach problem had just taken a turn for the worse. The phone was ringing. He found his darkest pair of sunglasses, grabbed his wide brim hat and dashed out the door. He wasn't late but he knew who was calling and suddenly the old man's presence, voice, or splotchy lab coat became the most important and most comforting thing that he could think of.

He had to see Mr. McCloud.

.