Nate

Nate walked into his father’s room to pick out a tie. His suit was pressed, teeth brushed and hair combed. This was the final thing he needed to do. He opened the closet and saw the ties hanging from their place on the automated tie rack his father had on top of the dresser. The machine was unnecessary; his father only had three ties. One black, one blue and a red and green reindeer patterned tie that he wore every Christmas Eve. Nate took out the black and blue ties and approached the mirror. The black tie was strictly for funerals and holiday office parties, when Nate’s dad wanted to present the most professional version of himself as possible. Nate had given his dad the blue tie for his birthday a few years ago, right after he got his after school job pumping gas.

Holding the blue one to his neck he could see his father the last time he had worn this tie. It was his cousin Sarah’s wedding and his dad took full advantage of the open bar. Halfway through the reception, they had to leave because his father started yelling obscenities at the groom’s mother. When she had suggested the he might switch to coffee, that he might not want to get so drunk before they served the main course, he loudly called her a controlling cunt. Then, turning to address all the guests, announced that Sarah’s new husband Jack should count his blessings to finally be free of such a woman. With this, he grabbed Nate’s mother’s wrist and headed for the door. Nate got up from his salad and followed them out to the parking lot. His mother recovered the keys to drive them home. The tie was also worn the night of Nate’s tenth grade parent/teacher night, when his dad went to meet Ms. Keller, his math teacher, who was new to the school and eager to make a good impression. This eagerness didn’t extend to dad’s grabbing her ass when he went up to introduce himself. Nate wasn’t sure what transpired that night; just that by the next day, the car was towed home and he was transferred to Mr. O’Leary’s class.

His mother walked in behind him as he was looking in the mirror. “C’mon honey, we gotta get going or we’ll be late”, she said mournfully. Catching his eyes, she said “You know, I always liked him better in the black.”

“Yeah, mom. Me too.” said Nate as he looped the tie around his neck and walked down the stairs to the car.