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CANVAS BLUES
Vignettes Regarding the Artwork of Brendon Kotes
LXXXV: Yesteryears
Had Brendon been allowed to spend more time with Casey that winter, that spring, heading into that summer, maybe Taylor L. wouldn’t have come back into the picture. Or maybe he would have anyway. Drugs a welcome escape; dealing a way to pitch a middle finger to all the people who now saw, not just a poor boy from the wrong side of Grant’s Lorry Road, but a murderer who got away without justice.
White powder baggies must have started hiding in Casey’s pockets, though Brendon had scarcely seen him to know for sure. By the time the police threw up their hands and stopped hounding Casey so closely, by the time Brendon and Casey began to see one another again on the weekends, those white powder baggies had taken up residence in the nooks and crannies of Casey’s Mustang.
It took a few parked evenings, Casey sprawled under Brendon or Brendon dragging Casey on top of him, before Brendon finally realized, and by that time, he’d been scared—scared that if he said anything, one breath or word against Casey’s newest activities, that Casey would cease bothering to make the hour trip down to Castlebrock.
“Can’t stand being cooped up at Mom’s all the time,” said Casey. “Silvia’s great, but man all her things take up a lot of space and Becks is constantly going on about my cussing.”
Brendon looked out the window, watching the colorful leaves rush by—orange and yellow and maroon like Dylan. He shook his head and looked over to watch Casey’s profile. Something had hardened there, the last bit of childhood burnt up in a stream of rubber and oil and loose lips about town.
“You have anything else at the Bayscape?” asked Casey. “Been meaning to ask. Want to head over there if so.”
“No. Haven’t talked to Donna Pierceman in a while.”
Casey made a strange, strangled sound. Hit the steering wheel with the heel of his palm. “You should. Come on, man. Don’t let your fucking chances dry up. You’ve got skill. Working on comics and paintings and shit.” Continue reading