I Leave It Up to You

by Jinwoo Chong

“Oh, I’m sorry, Nurse Gaylord,” I found myself shouting. “Maybe you aren’t aware of the fact that New Jersey just happens to be the rectum of the United fucking States of America—” I was trying to do something, maybe fling myself off the toilet so that I could crawl out the door and across the river back home to the city. “It’s where dreams die. It’s where everything good turns to mountains and mountains of shit that you can smell for miles on the turnpike, which by the way is the only useful contribution this entire state has ever provided to the citizens of America. Do you know how sad that is? For the best, most useful thing an entire STATE has ever produced to be a ROAD? A ROAD! IT’S A ROAD, FOR GOD’S SAKE.”

We pulled off the freeway, hitting a network of streets and little brick façades that looked far more familiar. Once we passed the Sunoco station, lights blazing, I’d situated myself. My first time seeing the neighborhood in close to ten years, and nothing—and I do mean nothing—had changed. Same ugly stamp stickers on all the bus stop windows. Same little pop boutique on the corner, just before the block where the restaurant stood, a spindly mannequin in a sleek green sweater dress.

She shook her head. “Nothing. And thank you, by the way. I asked every one of Juno’s friends’ mothers to drive him. They’re still not bringing the buses back on regular routes. It’s been chaos.” “He’s got a bike, doesn’t he?” “On that incline around the corner? He’d die. Feel some text come through on his phone and try to read it while steering. I know him.” Juno snorted. “Can we go, Uncle JJ? I’m going to be late.”

Here’s a question. What possesses Derek of 497 Leonia Street to place an order—for delivery, mind you—of six avocado rolls and four sides of wakame salad? To each their own, whatever, but seriously? Do we think that Derek of 497 Leonia Street understands that I use only one avocado (67 cents) and about three cups of rice (a nickel) to produce his meal of eighty-nine dollars inclusive of delivery fee and tip? It really sounds like Derek of 497 Leonia Street is on a mission to make us the greatest possible profit for the least amount of effort. I thought this while packing his six avocado rolls in a platter-size tray.

He thought I had friends. Or rather, friends that were mine and not Ren’s to begin with. There was too much else to address at the moment.