Irish Spring
Rating: Mild R
“Achoo!” That’s the fifth time I’ve sneezed in the last five minutes. My eyes are starting to water and my sinuses sting.
“You gettin’ a cold?” Henry is elbow deep in a Pontiac, changing the timing belt. Man who left it this morning wants it back by the time we close up tonight so he better hurry up, it’s almost five.
“Nuh-uh, just got some dust in my nose probably.” The kind of dust that comes in a the form of a clean white bar that foams like crazy the minute it gets wet. A customer rolls up just then so I run out and ask him what kind of gas he wants. Good timing too, there’s hardly any dust in the garage but Henry will forget all about that by the time I’ve got the guy’s windows cleaned, his tank filled up and get him on his way.
Last night Daddy held the piece of paper that had been torn out of my notebook tightly in his hand. “So what’s this then, huh?” He read the note for a long time even though there were only a few lines scrawled on it. His thin frame was rigid and his voice let me know I wasn’t going to get off easy. As if I ever do, as if I ever want to.
“She said you had to sign it and I need to bring it back before I can come to class again.” My eyes are glued to the floor. I try to picture the sweet high school teacher who was appalled by such language interrupting her advanced placement English class. I can’t get a good image so I think about a sitcom I used to watch when I was a kid and put the mom from that into the scenario. Perfect.
It’s been eleven years since I dropped out of high school but even when I was enrolled I barely went. The things I remember come from TV just as much as real life. Luckily I’ve seen enough of each that I can play the game and when I wear the right clothes and pull my cap down low I can pass for fifteen, no problem. Daddy likes that, almost as much as I do.
“What were you thinking Chris? You know better than to talk like that. It’s disrespectful. You know how it looks when you behave that way? Looks like I didn’t raise you right, that what you want people to think?” His flannel shirt is splattered with engine grease and I have to hold myself back from reaching out to wipe away the smudge by his ear. I’m glad he didn’t wash up before asking how my day was. It’s so much better like this. Kind of wish I’d spent a little more time writing the note though, made it look more like a teacher wrote it, instead of a drop-out who pumps gas for a living.
“No. I’m sorry, it just slipped out. Didn’t mean anything by it.” I hope he grabs me, the grease’ll show up good on my white t-shirt.
“Just slipped out huh? That mean you got a whole stockpile of filthy language just waiting on your tongue? Makes us look like trash when you talk like that. Dirty white trash. That what you want people to think?”
“No, I’m sorry. I’ll do better, I promise.” I start rocking, trying to get the tears to come, but they won’t. It’s not enough. Walking backwards I lead him over to the sink where a fresh bar of soap sits on the edge, the brand name still visible on its surface.
“Well sorry’s all good and well but it don’t fix nothin’. Gotta make sure you think twice before runnin’ your mouth again. Figure the only solution to a dirty mouth is cleanin’ it up.”
Swallowing hard, I only stop moving when my lower back bumps into the sink.
“Now you know this is for your own good. If you’re really sorry you’re gonna make it easy on yourself, no fighting. Understand?”
Closing my eyes, I nod. He’ll make sure I do better.
At fist it’s not too bad, just feels like having a big chunk of wax in your mouth. He grabs a handful of my short black hair and pulls back, tugging a little when I don’t open my mouth right away.
“Open up, gotta make you clean, wash those bad words away.”
I do as he says and let my jaw drop open. The bar fills up my whole mouth and I immediately think about how I’m glad I stopped by the store after work and bought a new bar instead of using the one we wash dishes with. Don’t want to taste soapy spaghetti, or soapy Sloppy Joes for that matter. This doesn’t taste like anything really, not yet at least. His hand feels good on my hair, pulling just enough to let me know he’s got things under control but not enough to hurt me. His other hand holds on to the soap firmly, maybe he’s afraid it will slip away and choke me. My saliva begins to build and the soap is beginning to taste less like wax and more like chemicals. That just makes the spit accumulate faster. I try to swallow but it stings. Tapping the counter with my hand I show him that I’m choking. He pushes my head up quickly and I can feel myself drool all over my shirt.
“Stick out your tongue.” His voice is firm but he’s not mad anymore, he’s doing this because I need it. I do as he says, embarrassed that my spit is making a mess of things but unable to stop it. Once my tongue is all the way out he begins rubbing the soap against it hard. I immediately gag so he eases up, quickly finding the right amount of pressure. With all the spit I’m producing the lather builds up fast and I know I must be foaming at the mouth. I’m glad I’ve got my eyes closed because this is turning me on like I can’t believe, but if I saw myself I’d probably die laughing, must look like Cujo right about now.
“You gonna cuss anymore?” He’s leaning against me and I realize that my shirt must be getting filthy so I rub up against him.
“Uh-uh” His palm is pressed against the back of my head, keeping it steady. I gently push back into it. Nothing gives, which makes me gasp, causing me to swallow a few more suds.
“You gonna be a good boy, speak politely, like you were raised, like I taught you?” I can feel his fingertips digging lightly into my scalp.
“Uh-huh” My tongue is tired. The muscles in the back are strained.
He’s whispering into my ear now. “I know you will. You’re a good boy, I’m real proud of you. Know you won’t embarrass me like that again. Not after we get you all cleaned up, wash all the bad things away.”
I just nod, dropping my mouth further down onto the soap, knowing that he won’t stop until I’m pure again.