“It’s just not the same,” Kyle said. “I’m used to beef.” He finished off the leftover spaghetti from the night before; turkey meatballs with the sauce this time. Kyle’s mother was recently making attempts at eating healthier. “Your father says the same thing. Don’t worry, we’ll get used to it,” she said.
Chatting with his parents, Sharon and Tim, Kyle sat at the kitchen table at the back of the house. Although he lived a mere twenty five minutes away, he tried to make it back when he could to visit. It’s something he’s done ever since he moved out.Jeremy, Kyle’s younger, twenty year old brother did not accompany them this afternoon. He came home last night feeling under the weather and was sleeping it off in his bedroom upstairs. “Speaking of food,” Tim said. “Mario should be coming around soon.”“Mario?” Kyle asked.“Yeah, he used to work with me at the plant three years ago before it shut down and everyone was laid off,” Kyle’s father answered. “He’s really fallen on hard times. His house was foreclosed on afterward and has been staying at the homeless shelter not too far from here. He’s a good guy, comes around once in a while to talk for a spell and we give him a bite to eat.”“He’s been stopping by this time on Saturdays,” Sharon added. “But your dad and I have to get moving. The bank closes early today and we’ve got make the mortgage payment as soon as possible. We have grocery shopping to do too. Think you can stay here and wait for Mario, Kyle? Give him something to eat?”“Um... okay. I don’t have a problem with that,” Kyle said reluctantly. He didn’t feeling like hanging around to make small talk and feed some stranger. But because his mother asked, he agreed. Shortly after, Kyle’s parents left their home on an afternoon of errand running. Kyle sat in the living room on the sofa watching an old rerun of I Dream of Jeannie on the retro channel. He always had a thing for Barbara Eden, but then who didn’t? Not twenty minutes later there came a knock at the back door. Kyle walked through the dining room into the kitchen, lifted the back door shade and peeked out. Standing there was an emaciated looking, unkempt man wearing a dingy grey jacket; it was ninety degrees outside. A mop of disheveled black hair adorned his scalp and his face was an ashy color, gaunt with sunken cheeks.
“Hi, I’m Mario. Is Tim here?” said the man boldly so Kyle could hear him through the closed door. Kyle opened it.“You just missed him,” Kyle replied.
“Sorry I came to your back door. I was just walking down the alley and figured I’d take a short cut through your back yard.”It bothered Kyle that this man came onto his parent’s property so freely but kept it to himself. Mario looked not only sickly, but shady.“My dad isn’t here. He should be back in a little while. I’ll tell him you came by,” Kyle said, attempting to shut the door.“You think you could spare a bite to eat?” Mario said quickly, before the door closed shut. “Your parents usually give a little something. I haven’t eaten all day.”Mario certainly looked hungry. Feeling guilty and with the knowledge that his mother asked him to feed Mario, Kyle let him into the kitchen. The door was left open and Mario stood next to it, knowing not to go too far into the house with Tim not around. And Kyle would let him in no further regardless. Kyle opened the fridge to see what was available: lunch meat, slices of Colby cheese, a half empty jar of mayonnaise and a squeeze bottle of mustard. A loaf of wheat bread sat on the kitchen table.“I could make you a sandwich,” stated Kyle. “How about that?”“That would be great. I’d take anything right now. I much appreciate it.”Mario leaned against the kitchen wall next to the open back door, hands in the pockets of his dirty jacket. It was common for mendicants to wear unseasonal clothing, Kyle thought. He made the sandwich quickly not bothering to watch his hands, surely Mario wouldn’t mind. And he kept a peripheral eye on Mario as he placed slices of bologna on the bread.As Kyle squirted mustard from the yellow squeeze bottle on to lunchmeat, Mario let out a loud, dry cough covering his mouth with the crook of his arm. “Sorry, been feeling sick since last night,” Mario asserted in a rough, throaty, voice. Kyle turned his head toward the man in acknowledgement but said nothing. He noticed a small wound near Mario’s collar bone, coagulated blood was plainly visible.“You have some kind of cut or bite mark there, you alright?”“I got into a scuffle with some crazy joker last night in an alley off of Central and Pine, attacked me for no reason, the prick. It’s just a scratch.”Kyle went back to his task and the kitchen fell uncomfortably silent for a moment. Breaking the stillness, Mario clutched his stomach, hunched over slightly and let out a small groan. “You okay?” Kyle asked.“Yeah, sure, a slight stomach ache is all,” Mario answered, hiding the pain. “It’s because I’m hungry I suppose.” Mario’s eye lids slowly began to droop. “You don’t look too good buddy. Want me to call a doctor?” Kyle asked.
“No, I’ll be fine, just need food is all,” Mario said, opening his eyes wide and straitening his back up against the wall. “I’m fine.”Kyle finished the sandwich, reached into the fridge, took out a can of Pespi and handed the food and drink to Mario. “Here you go; something to wash it down with.” Kyle moved forward, grasping the door handle as if to close it, ushering Mario out onto the back porch. “Thanks man… thanks a lot,” Mario said gratefully.Kyle closed the door but kept on eye on Mario through the window. He felt bad for the guy but hoped he would find his way through the back yard and out into the alley. Something about Mario gave Kyle the creeps.However, Mario chose not to leave as Kyle had hoped. Instead he sat down on the back porch atop the steps. There he opened his cold can of Pepsi and gnawed on the bologna sandwich. It kind of annoyed Kyle that Mario wouldn’t leave his parent’s backyard but figured he would as soon as he finished eating. Before half of the sandwich had been devoured, Mario paused, staring at the ground with glassy eyes. Food mixed with saliva fell from his mouth and onto the grubby jeans of his lap. He didn’t move for a few seconds then released an aching bellow. Grasping his belly, Mario hunched over in pain, dropping the sandwich and soda on the steps.Kyle rushed out on to the porch to aid the suffering man. “Hey dude, are you alright?” Mario turned to look at Kyle then fell over backward on the porch. Mario’s breathing speeded up rapidly as he stared off into the cloudless sky. Just as soon as the heavy breathing started, it stopped. Kyle touched Mario’s neck and felt no pulse. Mario lay there dead on his parent’s back porch.
