Playstation Night and Two Calls (Part 4)

Collecting the Playstation

The smooth flow of the day was uninterrupted as we decided to give Jett a call on his mobile phone from the hands free phone kit that work supplies him. Dialing up the number, neither of us wanted to speak first so Shawn decided to leave it on the loudspeaker so the both of us could chat. “I don’t even think he’s going to pick up his phone because he didn’t when I called him earlier” I noted but to my surprise, he did pick up and he was home. A short conversation later, we drove over to Jett’s house ready to pick him up as well as the Playstation.

Unsure which house he was living in, Shawn and I just took a guess as I jumped out of the Ute with just my towel again and inquisitively knocked on his door. “What’s up nigga” he yelled out as he stuck his face to the screen, opening the door and allowing me into his new rented house. Martin was the only other one home as the both of them were playing ‘Driver’ to which Martin wanted to know what all the fuss was about.

Taking a look around the house I found the backyard to be full of fruit infested trees, an orchard of green if you must. Packing up the Playstation, I advised Jett how I was planning to put my racer back on the road and as I uttered “We’ll go out on long rides together” his characteristic reply was to speak straight out “I’m selling my bike soon”. Martin let out a laugh of irony as I noted that Shawn was hunting around to buy a mountain bike. “Oh yeah, I’m selling the bike for $1,600 because it’s had modifications but if Shawn wants to buy it $1,000”.

With the Playstation packed away we jumped into Shawn’s Ute to which we discussed the mountain bike saga, a mod chip for Shawn’s Playstation and the likes of Min-Su’s birthday. So far the expectations look good as Jett noted there was an even match-up between guys and girls which was deliberately done. There’s going to be one guy for every girl for Min-Su’s birthday within the new month, that should be something to look forward to. Arriving at my house, the chat continued as Jett set up the Playstation.

Metal Gear and Driver

Running upstairs to get some drinks as Shawn went to the bathroom, we met in my room and started upon the Playstation. The stigma of Playstation overuse was most probably upon us as we didn’t show too much appointment to the screen. Jett started playing Metal Gear first, showing us the ending and then allowing me to recreate the carnage that comes with the beginning of the game. Well, usually you have to show stealth but I kill or throw anything in my path.

Driver was the next game for the all of us to play to which we started on ‘Survival’ for a couple of turns each and then tried out the proper levels. Within the shortness of this game and with Jett having to leave within an hour of his arrival to head for Min-Su’s house, Jett received a phone call. Prior to our leaving Jett’s house I asked Shawn if he could give Jett a lift to Min-Su’s house so he wouldn’t have to catch a bus.

A Lift to Min-Su’s House

Shawn was alright with the idea since he doesn’t have to pay for the petrol in the Ute and so, after his telephone conversation with Min-Su he was almost set to head off. There was an eerie naïveté in the air regarding how Jett was getting to Min-Su’s house. When it was finally time for Jett to trek, he uttered “Alright I’m off”, unsure to whether Shawn wanted to give him a lift as I hadn’t informed either of them about my middle man question.

Shawn also jumped up and said “Are you coming” to me and confusing Jett a little I uttered “Do you want a lift Jett”. Knowing he was going to get one all along but not wanting to ask or remind anyone, he done the noble thing and upon his nod, we all jumped in the Ute and began our journey for Min-Su’s house.

Ringing Tatton on the Hands Free

With Jett being dropped off, we began our migration back into Campbelltown and on the way we decided to give Tatton a call since we were talking about him. Shawn had heard from Keith’s knowledge that Tatton was seeing a psychiatrist and he wasn’t sure what emphasis he should place on the seeing. Therefore, we decided to give Tatton a call and speak to him with the hands free kit again and to our surprise, he was at home.

Shawn started off as per normal conversation but then he dropped the bombshell to remark “I heard you’re seeing a psychiatrist”. When Tatton acknowledged this truth Shawn then asked “What, are you seeing her as in going out or are you crazy”. Quick to note that he was seeing a psychiatrist because of school pressures, I figured as I had all along that he was seeing one that the school supplied for free.

Asking Tatton along to skirmish he didn’t sound too interested as he has kept himself the hermit for quite some time. However, as we noted of Min-Su’s birthday party and as you know, gossip spreads like wildfire in these parts, Tatton sounded keen. Shawn wanted to see if Tatton would come see ‘Two Hands’ with us for the night but he noted that he had to start working at Mobil at 9:00 p.m.

Playing Madden Again

With no further ado, we let Tatton get back to his home entities and traveled back to my house to regain control of the Playstation. Along the way Shawn headed to his house so he could pick up Madden 99 and a controller. Despite there already being two controllers, Shawn didn’t trust his anger and didn’t want to be breaking anything that belonged to Jett as after all, they’ve partners in crime as I of the old school generation had been with both…

Plugging in his controller, we started to play Driver for a couple more games until we both thought the monotony was a bit too much. From each game we would switch on the television for a couple of minutes and then switch to the next game. Second on the list was something the both of us hadn’t played for yonks, Madden 98.

Lyssa Rings Mid Game

Feeling this is now the primitive form of Gridiron games on the Playstation, Shawn boldly noted that he’s going to show me who used to kick whose ass on this particular game. Through the game my telephone rang and pausing for a second, I was surprised to find it being Lyssa. However, I had no doubts that it would be Lyssa but then again, whenever an uncanny call comes through at an odd hour, I instantly think it will be Lyssa.

That just goes to show how Lyssa is the most likely to call out of the blue instead of the outlined calls I receive where to some prior conversation I should be expecting. Being around 4:00 p.m. she began by saying her usual quiescent “Hello” with a touch of anxiety. Hearing the noise of the speakers in the background she asked what I was doing and when noting that I was playing the Playstation, from the tone of my voice, she knew to ask “Are you with someone are you”.

Explaining that I had Shawn around she told me that she would try me later to which I agreed would be a good idea and saying goodbye to each other our conversation was done. Shawn would have presumed by the nature and tone of the call that it was unmistakably Lyssa but as I shed no clues or significance to the call, we just went along back to our business. important

Two Worlds Colliding

You know, when people are in my room and the phone rings it always begets phobias, especially if the caller and those already present are of two different tribes, and so it was an uncomfortable situation when Lyssa called, knowing there would be anxious eavesdropping nearby.

I felt like the space occupying nervous friction between an encountering of two foreign civilizations, and the cautious diplomacy needed to negotiate this friction exposed me into the ambivalence of politics People are often suspicious when uninformed but keeping separate my private life from those acquainted friends was more imperative than polite emollience soothing fragile egos, and it soils me with no guilt nor should it, when one is business and one is pleasure, and one never mixes the two.

I felt awkward between both these hard rocks however, clenching up some liberties to purposefully sound ambiguous, as Lyssa played charades to my silence to size up that it was best to ring later on. The same unintelligible wavering would nonetheless have registered with Shawn too. He would have picked up from my reaction who it was and might even have been jealous about my momentary duress. I loathe the feeling of being observed however, because it silently promotes people to judge and scrutinize. Not being one to share affections in the pockets of others, I am a very private individual.

I wouldn’t mind if it were anyone else to interrupt as long as that person didn’t share with me an intimate link because intimacy changes the manner of a person, as love bids you be considerate, so the conduct of my voice would have said it all. The illegitimacy of this relationship causes anxieties to still loom over my head however, especially when people around me like today listen in on the paradox to draw their own conclusions. I treat it like a confrontation of schools when forced into this situation; excluding an observer from having the matter explained because gratuitous would it seem to justify myself.

I was made to feel a little ashamed because of it however, as the mood of the room went silent tending to manifest unease. I felt scandalous, paranoid, thinking in the back of my mind that each time people were privy to our conversations, they were confused as to our status. Anyway, that is the sum of reaction when one faction of my life crosses another. It makes me convenient and cautious, and conscious of the socio-eco-systems contrasting, and that was that, all but one non-inter-relatable matter.

Chinese From the Bradbury Shops

Through our Saturday afternoon, Shawn noted that he was getting hungry again and for the second time in the day, we sought to buy some takeaway food. Shawn suggested that we order something to the house and as we both wanted Chinese Food, we weren’t sure what place in Campbelltown delivered. Therefore, to my advice, we jumped into the Ute and made a brisk trip down to Bradbury Shops where we ordered some Chinese Food.

This all came after our watching Red Faces and then part of the ‘Mick Molloy’ show or maybe it was in between but whatever the case, we each bought a huge meal. Myself, I bought sweet and sour pork with boiled rice and honey chicken in batter. Shawn bought some friend rice and some other tub of beef stuff and to my request, he also bought some prawn chips. Sitting around for fifteen minutes reading Cleo magazines that were sitting around, our number was called and taking our shopping bag worth of food, we headed back home.

Arriving back at my house late that night, we began nibbling upon our delectable food and after half an hour of indulgence, our stomachs were full. Shawn ate less than myself to which I finished up everything in both containers and believe me, that’s more than some people could handle not including the half liter of cordial I drank. Some time after our meals or during the night whilst we were playing the Playstation I received my second call from Lyssa for Saturday night.

A Second Call From Lyssa

That’s right, Lyssa called as Shawn and I were about to leave my house. Catching me with bad seeds a second time I was expecting what I had received from Lyssa when she pleaded “Oh can you talk to me for five minutes please, I’m really bored”. Agreeing to her request despite my unease, I tried to make myself feel a touch more comfortable in conversation by having Shawn occupy himself with the Playstation.

Figuring that the volume of the game would give me some consolation to my anxiety’s of Shawn hearing our conversation, you could tell that my conversation was definitely more put on than not. I was trying too hard but to no avail if you know what I mean. There was Lyssa on the other end telling me that she was heading to Liverpool RSL for the night and all I could add to conversation was “uh huh” and “Hmmm”.

Uncomfortable with the passage of dull conversation on my behalf, Lyssa held out well for the five minutes and when those few words were shared, she exclaimed “Well, I’ll let you go now”. Sounding silly and lacking conversation I replied “Yeah, Shawn and I have to head down to Bradbury shops now”. To some degree, Shawn probably thought I was feeble in conversation to the point that it sounded like I was trying to brush Lyssa off. Shawn either thinks the reality that was my plague of wordless frolic or he considers me to be an artless Romeo, lost from a relationship of confusion. “Rude behavior”