ZING!

Nathan hated coming to this part of town, but it was getting easier each time. He had even stopped really thinking about it, it had become so much a part of his routine. It was just something he did, he told himself, like buying a milkshake or a snack. Just a place to buy things. After school, every Friday, he'd take the long route home, stopping by Buck's place.

One thing Nathan never got used to was the smell of Buck's place. An overwhelming wall of smell greeted him whenever he entered, an earthy, almost dirty smell. On a warm spring day like today it was especially pungent. Nathan knew that Buck didn't hear him come in. He was racing around the kitchen, moving plates and stacking cups next to the sink.

"Oh hey," said Buck when he noticed Nathan. "Didn't hear you, Little Brother." Buck spoke with some sort of accent, probably from somewhere in Africa. He had a tattoo on his right hand of a mermaid and on his left hand was a star. And he called everybody brother- Little Brother if they were shorter than he was, Big Brother if they were taller. Nathan never asked him where he was from, mainly because he never wanted to stay too long. Buck looked quickly around the kitchen and then back at Nathan. He explained, "Just had some energy, you know? I have to do something, you know?"

Nathan nodded. Yeah, he knew. "Look," he said, "I didn't want to bother you or anything. Just thought I'd pick up what we talked about last week. I gotta get home soon, anyway," he added nervously.

A broad, stained-tooth grin spread across Buck's face. "Yeah," he laughed, "yeah, Little Brother, I know what you are talking about." Despite his hefty frame, Buck darted across the room and pulled a small box out of one of the drawers. He pulled out a small plastic bag and tossed it to Nathan. Nathan peeled open the bag and took in a deep whiff. It was strong, all right. High end.

"Ethiopian, right?"

Buck laughed. "Yeah, that's the Ethiopian stuff. Cost a little more, but it's worth it, you know? Just a little bit and ZING!- you gonna be all set."

Nathan nodded and handed Buck the money. Buck counted it quickly in his fingers and said, "You have a good time, Little Brother. Come back next week and maybe I will still have some, you know?"

Nathan nodded and headed home. As soon as he left that neighborhood he was feeling better, planning for the weekend. Maybe have a few friends over tomorrow, give this new stuff a try.

Nathan noticed the silence as soon as he entered the house. Normally Samantha was playing something loud and obnoxious in her room and his dad was watching TV. Today, nothing. Nathan told himself he was being paranoid and went up to his room.

His dad was sitting on his bed when he came in. It was all there on his bed- his own small box, plastic baggies... everything. The two looked at each other for a long time. His dad finally broke the silence. "What the hell is this, Nathan?"

"Dad ... it's not really a big deal. It's nothing."

"Nothing?! Look at this stuff- a grinder, a perc, whole beans! Do you know how much trouble you could get into for having any of this?" Nathan just looked down at the ground. "How much of this do you do, huh?"

"Just a couple of cups, that's all. In the afternoon ... sometimes we just want a little buzz, that's all. No big deal."

"'No big deal'? 'A little buzz'? Jesus, Nathan, next you'll be telling me about your 'lattes' and 'cappuccinos'!" Nathan looked away. "My God," his dad said, "is this where all of your mother's milk and sugar has been disappearing to?"
**********

All of this because I was at Starbuck's the other day and the girl behind the counter recommended the "Ethiopan stuff."

"I had a little bit of that the other day," she said, "and ZING!- that was it." It just sounded too much like I was buying some illicite substance!