Counting by 7s(41)

“Social Services is coming back next week. Until they find a permanent place for Willow, I think that it would be easier if we just stayed here. I can’t keep cleaning up after you.”

Dell was silent. Not because he didn’t have an opinion but because he didn’t have the energy this early in the morning to scream at the top of his lungs.

Pattie forged on:

“I saw a notice on the board in the laundry room. Unit 22. Just down the hall. Looking for a roommate.”

Dell shut his eyes. This had to be a dream.

Except that in his dreams, usually he was hiding. And often his body had mysteriously been painted bright blue.

Dell opened his eyes. Pattie was already heading to the door.

“I’m going to get the e-mail address. It’s not too early for you to send a message saying you are interested. It’s temporary. Just until we get this all straightened out.”



Dell had seen Sadhu in the parking garage, but they had never even so much as said hello.

Now at an insane hour of the morning he was sitting across from the man. The crazy Nguyen woman had insisted that he send an e-mail right away and then to his horror his laptop showed an immediate reply.

The guy who was just down the hall wanted him to come over right away and meet.

Shouldn’t the man be asleep?

What was wrong with all these people?

Sadhu cleared his throat and said:

“I’m a vegetarian.”

Dell nodded. Sadhu looked suddenly hopeful.

“You are a vegetarian too?”

Dell shook his head. He wasn’t going to lie, but he also wasn’t going to go into detail about his meat loaf obsession.

Because Dell was so tired, he looked appealingly like someone who had been to mime school.

Or at the very least, believed strongly in the power of nonverbal communication.

His answers were a series of head movements, punctuated by yawning, raised eyebrows, and semi-swallowed hiccups.

And that is why he was approved as a roommate.

Minutes after he took his seat, Pattie Nguyen came down the hall and wrote Sadhu Kumar a check for one month’s rent for the second bedroom in unit 22 in the apartment complex where Dell already rented unit 28.

She would cover his expenses living with Sadhu, and Dell would continue to make the payment on his place.

As he shook hands on the deal, Dell found enough of a voice to make a statement. He said:

“Spicy food gives me indigestion.”

Sadhu nodded his head as if he understood, but Dell felt certain the guy was pickling peppers on his stovetop.





Chapter 38





It’s all just “temporary.”

That’s what Pattie says.

I believe this is her favorite word.

What is more temporary than nail polish? No wonder she has such an attachment to the concept.

Pattie explains that until the right place can be found for me, we will all stay at the Gardens in unit 28.

There will be weekly home visitations from Social Services, and the coming and going would be too much.

I don’t explain that everything in the world is temporary, because I don’t get into those conversations.

I say that I understand.

But I feel bad for Dell Duke.

Not just because Pattie and I saw his underwear mountain (which maybe is why he agreed to move down the hall).

Back home, when I used to sit in my garden, I liked to observe birds, and not just the green-rumped parrots but also the migrating species.

I think now about how small birds often move in large flocks.

From a distance, it can even look like smoke.

It is unclear why they suddenly shift directions.

The birds appear to have lost their individual intention.

They are part of a bigger organization of life.

And they accept that.

Something inside them gives in. Scientists don’t know what that is.

Right now I’m in a flock.

And so is Dell Duke.

Whether he likes it or not.



I watch as Dell gathers together some of his clothing, his toothbrush, and a container of what looks like hairspray.

He heads down the hallway to Sadhu Kumar’s apartment with a heavy step.

He’s not stomping, but it’s close.

Who can blame him?

Two hours later, with Mai and Quang-ha awake and helping, Dell’s work clothes, as well as his oversized sweatpants, his collection of sandals, and enough underwear to last six months, are all jammed in the Kumar apartment’s second bedroom in the tiny closet.

Only a garbage bag of old T-shirts stays behind.

And since Dell’s bureau and closet are empty, Pattie borrows his car and brings over more things from the nail salon.

Mai goes with her.

I don’t think that I’ve ever seen my teenage friend so happy.



Dell has a huge TV, but he hasn’t programmed it correctly.

I adjust the settings and now everything isn’t all stretched and too bright. I also fix it so that the audio is in sync with the picture. It wasn’t properly aligned before.

I notice that over 70 channels haven’t been activated.

I don’t think he read the manual.

Dell comes in and sees the changes and says that people do look better not so orange and wide. He especially is pleased that when they speak, their lips match.