Idle Jared

Jared was still shaving when Blake arrived at his home to pay him a visit. “Come on in!” he shouted, with shaving cream all around his chin, as he opened the front door. He then turned around and promptly marched back to the bathroom.

Blake knew by habit, that he should simply follow Jared, whilst hoping at the same time, that Jared’s mother was not around. Mrs. Johnson was always suspicious at the merest suggestion of anything “queer”. She was a devout Christian and stood her ground, even if her strong moral principles annoyed some people.

Blake quickly glanced to the left, then the right, spotted no one and then followed his friend to the beautiful black and white tiled bathroom.

Jared was always amused at the way Blake usually took pains not to create the wrong impression, when it came to his friends’ parents. He tried to avoid an over-protective mother’s sharp tongue at all costs.

“Yes, now mind you don’t shut the door behind you,” Jared joked as Blake moved to lean against the tiled wall on the inside of the bathroom, near the door.

Blake shrugged off the tease and went to sit on the edge of the bathtub. He looked clearly nervous and this only increased Jared’s amusement at such times.

He looked at Blake’s reflection in the mirror of the medicine chest and enquired with interest, “So no job hunting today huh?”

Blake merely grunted a reply which Jared instinctively interpreted as a “yes”.

To this he shrugged and carried on with his shaving routine. He knew, from experience, that it was not easy to draw something out of Blake. One thing was sure though; there was something going on with his friend. There always was, whenever Blake paid him a visit in the morning.

Blake was not a morning person.

Jared decided to fill up the inevitable silence which would ensue.

“So you’re all prepared for a day like this?” he continued.

“Going out, having a ball and shaking off the Monday Blues? I’m sure you haven’t planned to mope around all day?” he continued in a teasing tone.

Blake scratched his head and grunted to clear his throat. Jared almost sighed in relief. Now he could at least be sure of some reply. It gave him the creeps to be alone in a big house, in the company of someone who just refused to speak.

Jared could never understand how Blake could adjust to married life. It just did not seem like him. He seemed to be missing out on so much else which life had to offer.

The thought of responsibility and commitment really frightened Jared, even at the age of twenty five. Maybe in two years’ time. By then he might have changed, he thought. But right now there was just so much going for him. He needed nobody to convince him about that.

Getting through university to obtain his B Com degree had been enough of commitment for a long time, as far as Jared was concerned.

His parents were really looking forward to him taking the next step: A good position in a large corporation and then, inevitably, a wife.

Right now though, he felt that he did not necessarily have to work in a bank, just because of his degree.

There were hundreds of other occupations which could be cut out for him. He felt that he had the advantage of living with his parents, instead of being forced into a lifestyle which did not suit him.

So people could go on talking―even his parents―for all he cared. He reasoned that they were only envious of his privileges.

He and Blake had been friends, on and off, since schooldays. However, when Blake went through his marriage phase, the two of them were not at a very close stage of their friendship.

It was clear to Jared, that Blake was beginning to feel smothered by his marriage.

He would not say anything though. If Blake ever wanted to talk it was up to him, Jared reasoned.

He wondered whether Blake had already eaten.

From his own experience, Jared knew that, regardless of whatever had happened earlier this morning, Blake could not have eaten much, because he had most probably eaten alone.

When his bathroom routine was over, Jared had Blake prepared a few slices of toast, while he himself fried some eggs and beef sausages.

Blake had been talking about his daughter for almost twenty minutes and Jared tried to listen and show some interest. It did not make much sense to him, however.

He had seen the child a few times and he supposed she was cute, but the fact that she had been having a persistent cough, or had been given a new kitten by her grandparents, was not really the making of ‘grapevine news’ to him.

Jared decided to persuade Blake to share his breakfast with him, although Blake assured him that he had already eaten.

Jared hoped that Blake would soon open up about what really troubled him. It was more likely the ‘job issue’ than anything else. However, not every day was the same and maybe, he supposed, on this occasion, the problem could be affecting his friend more profoundly than at other times.

***

During breakfast, Blake had seemed very grateful of the company he found in Jared.

Later in the afternoon, they were each having a beer at the bar, in the local shopping center.

Blake seemed to be more relaxed still. Over breakfast he had already seemed to overcome some of his anxieties. Jared felt ready to be his usual, light-hearted self, without harboring any guilt feelings.

They left the bar and spent the afternoon watching sports movies at Jared’s home.

They had the house to themselves, because Jared’s parents were visiting old friends for a few days.

In the evening they returned to the bar. That was when Jared decided to tell Blake about his most recent girlfriend, Rosette.