Read Online The Last Exit to Normal by Michael Harmon - Free Book Online

selfish, and I hide behind being gay. Anything more you’d like to say before I’m condemned to
hell?”
    I stood there for a moment, knowing I didn’t want to fight about this anymore.
“I’m saying that sometimes I wish my dad was just a regular dad that had a regular wife and a regular
family. That’s all.”
    Silence.
    I clenched my teeth, upset because I knew I’d hurt him. “It was embarrassing.
That’s all.”
    He took a moment, staring at the driveway. “I see what you’re saying.”
    “Do you?”
    He nodded. “Yes, I do. You have every right to be upset. I behaved inappropriately toward you in
there. I should have listened.”
    I didn’t say anything for a few seconds. “I don’t think you’re not a man,
Dad. It’s just that sometimes I wish . . .”
    Dad came down the stairs and raised his arm to put it around my shoulders, but stopped short. “I
know what you wish, Ben, and I think if I were you, I’d wish the same thing. That’s not wrong, and I
don’t want you to worry about it. We’ll deal with it as it comes.”
    I thought about Ms. Pierce, and blood rushed to my cheeks. “She’s pretty, you
know?”
    “I know. And I know it’s not being homophobic to get angry about the way you are
treated. The only thing I’ve ever asked of you is to keep trying.”
    I nodded, giving him a half smile. “Will do.”
    “I will, too.”

    Later that day, Miss Mae sat on one of the rockers, petting a stray cat on her lap. I plunked down in the
chair beside her, half my chores done. “Crap.”
    She swung her arm out, quick as lightning, and cuffed me on the head. “Mouth.”
    I grunted, because I wasn’t allowed to say “Sorry” anymore. There was a stupid
rule for everything in this stupid town, and every time you broke one, you got hit with something. “I hate this
place.”
    She took a ten-dollar bill out of some mysterious place in her dress, completely unconcerned with what
I’d said. “Run down to the drugstore and get some more smokes.”
    “Buy me a pack, too, and I’ll go. I’m out of dough.” She nodded.
“Don’t be lollygagging about it.”
    I walked past Kimberly Johan’s house with my eyes glued to it; then I noticed the truck was
gone. I wanted to see her. I wanted to run up and proclaim my undying love for her. We could have little country babies
named Moe and Bobchuck and Jennylou, and I could work at the paper mill and come home to dinner and whole lots of
lovin’ afterward. I’d even learn how to square-dance. It would give a new meaning to a hoedown.
    Bummed at not seeing her, I picked up my pace, wanting to get back before it got too hot. When I got to
the town square, I made a beeline for the drugstore. That’s when I saw her truck parked in front of the
library.
    Miss Mae could wait, and I could fry on the way home.
    The Rough Butte Public Library consisted of two rooms with a bunch of books in them. A Hitleresque
old lady, possibly Miss Mae’s evil twin, stood guard at the counter. Libraries are foreign affairs to me, and I
can’t really remember ever having been in one. Dad and Edward read a lot, but the main use I’ve had
for books comes in the form of ignoring them as much as possible.
    Besides the Hitler-looking woman, there was one person in the place. Kimberly Johan. I saw her right off
the bat, standing in front of a row of shelves. Today she wore shorts and a baby-blue tank top, her hair still pulled back,
but with sandals on instead of boots. Hitler Lady looked at me over her glasses, then smiled warmly. “Hello,
young man. Is there something I can help you find?”
    I was confused. Librarians were supposed to be mean and pinch-faced old maids, and people here were
supposed to turn their noses up at people like me. “Uh, I just was walking by and decided to come
in.”
    She smiled even more warmly. “You must be Benjamin Campbell. Welcome to Rough
Butte.”
    I wondered if my name was tattooed on my forehead. I nodded.