The Answering Machine Page 10
  Message two was from Craig (I also transcribed it).
“Hey, you stoner, you forgot your Palm Pilot at the courts. They just called me from the Sports Club. Ah… you’re probably not home yet. I think you said you’re going home. So call me when you get back. Just so you know, I turned it on. It says you have a midnight meeting with Sasha about money at Spyrol, in case you don’t know your schedule by heart. I’m going to Chicago tomorrow morning for two days on business, so maybe you can talk to Denise about picking it up tomorrow or something. She should be home.
CLICK

“I can’t believe he forgot his Palm at the gym. He’s such a stoner.” I heard Denise’s voice say through the machine. I think there was running water in the background, because I didn’t hear her voice very clearly. I’m pretty sure she asked how I was after that or something, because then I heard Craig’s clear voice respond.

“Yeah, he’s totally losing it. Living like he’s eighteen, and going nowhere with his life.” I heard my boy keep talking about what a space I was, how we’ve gone in totally opposite directions, and he can’t relate to me anymore. “Relate” was actually the last word I heard before BEEEEEEEEEEEEEP.

The third message was from my mother, saying that it’s the third time she’s calling, and asking me to call her back because Jonathan and Katy Sweany’s son, Jimmy, is moving to New York City, and she told the Sweany’s that I would show him around, and maybe he could stay on my living room futon for a few weeks until he found a place of his own. Then, after the “CLICK” and half a minute of silence, I heard my father say in the background “He’s definitely on drugs.” “Oh, stop it, Ralph” my mother replied, “He’s probably really