It was hot as hell and time for lunch.  We head for the window table, but the window table is taken.  The next table has no window view.  It’s nothing but concrete and plaster and a banner for Bethany's senior ball.  Bethany’s banner dangles, flaking glitter on the floor, glitter on the table, glitter on the tanned arms and legs. Bethany sits in front of the window and smears mayo on whitebread.

Matty Lavene walks into the cafeteria all on his own.  Since he shit all over the bathroom floor a year ago everything he did had to be assisted.  No one knew why he shit all over floor right next to the toilet.  Since he can't talk, no one found out.  

Since the incident, aids felt it was best to involve him with others.  For the year he was seated at the window with us.  He was more or less a furnishing but sometimes he did laugh.  Everytime a bird smacked into the window.

Apparently Matty was now free to seat himself.  Matty sees the window and heads for Bethany.  He probably hasn't heard the rumors.  Or maybe Matty doesn't care about the rumors.  Or maybe Matty hoped the rumors were true.  That if she could be forgiven and sit by the window, maybe he was forgiven too and finally free again.  Maybe Matty thinks a lot of things. 

He tries to sneak himself into the seat next to Bethany.  She slides halfway into the open spot.  Matt stops.  He looks to the next open spot and a blonde girl slides halfway over.  Matty stops again.  He can’t figure it out.  No one can.  So much room and no where to sit.  There is another blonde, more dirty than blonde.  Her hair drags on the table.  Matt tries to squeeze himself into that spot next.  He bends down and just about gets a leg in there when the dirty one slides over into him.  Matty falls backwards.  His head bounces off the floor like a watermelon.   She looks away and keeps asking what happened?  What Happened?  What happened?  I don't know what happened! 

His lunch spills out onto the floor.  A barrel of yogurt rolls under the table.  Nobody stops it.

A kid next to me says something about the rumors.  Rumors about the Bethany and the party. 

Bethany is careful not to flinch.  Matty wheezes behind her.  Maybe if she pretends he’s not there, he'll go away.  She looks around for someone to do something.  What will the people think...Matty sitting down next to her, gazing out the window together, sharing lunches, meeting in the bathroom to do what they do.

Bethany sweats out a conversation, maybe about her weekend.  Maybe about the party.  Maybe about the shots.  About downing shot after shot.  Laughing and laughing.  Smoking bummed cigarettes.  Balling over how much she loved everyone there.  Crying over all cruel things of the world.  Maybe they talk about her falling to the ground.  Losing control of all bodily function.  About being rolled over.  The blondes gasping, laughing even about the the smell of shit running from Bethany's new lilac skirt.  Or maybe they don't talk about any of it.

Bethany never flinches there at the table.  All eyes are on Matty and Matt’s eyes on Bethany.  Matt didn’t know about Bethany.  But everyone else does.  I sit under the banner and Matty flounders.  Bethany chews her bread.  Two aides get up from their lunch.  They clinch Matt and carry him off.  Matt thrashes and kicks all eighty pounds through the isles and out the door.

***

The next day at lunch, we file into the cafeteria.  The window table is open again.  Bethany and the blonde and the dirty one are at the head of the cafeteria selling tickets for prom.  There is a long line of prom goers, and in the line there are still a few giggles and points towards the front table where Bethany is sitting.  But for the most part, she is still sitting high and pretty.

Matty Lavene escorted into the cafeteria by his aids.  He is seated with us by the window.  He’s wearing a backwards hat, a Naval officer's hat with all sorts of decorative military pins across it, the kind someone important and powerful, strong and decisive must have earned.  Maybe his dad had given it to him.   

Matty comes back to us, at the window table and sits down and opens his soda and it sprays a bit.    Another laughs and Matty stares out the window.  A lawnmower rides by. 

A few minutes later a woman approaches the table.  The woman is tall and slender with long brown hair.  She’s wearing a tan suit with white sneakers.  She takes a seat next to Matt.  The woman introduces herself as Marianne Lavene. 

It’s special ed parent day, she explains.   She wants to meet his friends before the school year ends, all the guys who knew him best.  Matt stares out the window and the grounds keeper rolls.  Woodchips shoot against the window. 

Marianna takes a seat. 

Really though, she says, I just wanted to thank you all for keeping an eye on him all year.  It was very kind.

I keep my eyes on the table.  It is made of some sort synthetic polyurethane blend made to look like birch.  I notice this for the first time. 

I’m very thankful that you guys helped him out, she says.

We all nod our heads. 

Unfortunately, Marianne says, after yesterday’s incident, his father and I are not so sure it’s a good idea for Matty to go to the senior ball. 

At the front table Bethany has just sold two more tickets to another couple.  She is smiling widely, showing two rows of perfect teeth.  Marianne Lavene looks at Bethany puzzled.  Puzzled by how Bethany got away with it and Matty didn't. 

Marianne looks at Matty

We’ll have a fun pizza night at home, she says.  

One by one she shakes our hands.  She asks what kind of ice cream we all like.  When she gets to my name I shake her hand. I tell her I like chocolate ice cream.  She gets up and when she has a whole box of ice cream cones.

It's hot as well and heat waves quiver off the window sill.  Ice cream drips down my fingers and all over the table.

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