Previously: On his most recent trip home to McKean County, Matt Lang learned that many women in the area were getting their breasts done.
Matt Lang & Stephanie Taylor: A Brief History
I.
Matt Lang first saw Stephanie Taylor in the hallway on the first day of school of seventh grade. His locker was across the hall from hers. He noticed her bangs first, then saw her eyes, and below her eyes, a smile that made it hard for him to sleep at night.
Her tits weren’t there yet, not really, but by the time they showed up in eighth grade, Stephanie had replaced Vogue era Madonna as the most frequent guest star in Matt’s masturbatory scenarios.
His infatuation lasted until their senior year, when it was undone in two parts.
A.
Stephanie walked into homeroom and took her seat. She looked upset. Matt leaned forward and asked her what was wrong.
Todd and I broke up.
i.
On January 17th, 1991, Todd Parnell, in the bleachers of Otto- Eldred Jr.-Sr. High School, during the third quarter of a basketball game between the Otto-Eldred Terrors and the Coudersport Falcons, gave Matt Lang a titty twister so vicious that it drew blood. The reason for this: Matt was wearing a faggot shirt, a faggot shirt being, in the estimation of Todd Parnell, a shirt with buttons.
ii.
Matt wanted to jump up and throw his desk through the window, so unbridled was his joy. Instead, he reached out, put his hand on her shoulder, and lied,
Jesus, that sucks. What happened?
He’s a total asshole is what happened.
Matt wanted to say, What tipped you off: the fact that he shoots road signs for fun? That, at the age of twenty-one, he still thinks it’s something to belch as loud as possible? That he wears a Confederate flag ball cap, plays Gimme That Nut from his 1987 F250 at a volume that rattles windows, but sees not the contradiction? That he hits you sometimes?
I’m sorry.
Well, I’m not. Fucking asshole.
Matt sat back in his seat and planned their first date.
B.
Two weeks later, Stephanie walked into homeroom and took her seat. She was smiling. Matt leaned forward and noted that she looked happy.
I am. Todd and I are back together. We had a great talk last night and then had great sex.
Matt wanted to jump up and throw his desk through the window, so complete was his rage. Instead, he reached out, put his hand on her shoulder, and lied.
Great. That’s great.
He’d planned to drive her over the hill into Olean to see a movie. On the way, she was going to talk and clear her head, and he was going listen because he was good at that. He was going to tell her about all the good things she deserved. He was going to make her laugh. After the movie, he was going to take her to Renna’s where they were going to each get a slice of pizza and he was going to reach across the table with a napkin to wipe the little bits of cheese and sauce from her chin, and, since he’d gone that far anyway, he was going to kiss her mouth.
Instead, Matt sat back in his seat and practiced regarding Stephanie with indifference.
II.
He saw her during his sophomore year of college, on the sidewalk in front of the video store in Eldred. He was home for winter break; she was home because she never left. It was night and the snowflakes were falling so slowly, as if they were being lowered on fishing line. He didn’t recognize her right away because she’d straightened her hair. She felt dumb. She hated the change.
I got it done a few weeks ago.
It looks nice.
She looked at the sidewalk.
Thanks.
She looked at the plastic bag he was holding.
What movie?
He tried to think of a lie and failed.
Barb Wire.
With Pamela —
Yeah.
Oh.
Now he looked at the sidewalk.
How long are you home for?
About two more weeks.
Maybe I’ll see you?
He did not see her, but when he came home that summer he heard from Wayne that she was pregnant and engaged to Todd Parnell.
Thank you for reading. Up next:
The implants were fake, yes, but they were under her skin, and therefore part of her body, and her body was real, was true, so were they now part of the truth of her body?