Chapter 16: Twins

It bothers me to hear people say they want something, how desperately they want it. Want? Most Americans have never experienced want. What they mean is they desire or covet something. Want, real want, is a matter of life and death. People die of want. Want of food, want of water, want of medical attention. I’m getting real cynical and intolerant of covetous assholes.

Yesterday afternoon Jill decamped and fled my life, I went to bed supper-less. Didn’t hurt me to miss a meal. Haven’t missed many. Today, I had two appointments. Collected a ten spot from each satisfied client. Stocked up on survival groceries and postage stamps.

I mailed Ruth my first letter, and included inside it, a stamped and addressed envelope so she can write back to me. I’m going to be buying a lot of stamps, which eats into my groceries budget.

In order to survive, carbohydrates are required. Baking my daily bread fresh is best and cheapest and never lasts long enough to go stale or moldy. I bought all purpose flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, lard, and cream of tartar (another leavening agent). Add milk and eggs to make almost any kind of quick bread, such as corn muffins, biscuits, pancakes, you name it.

Millions of Chinese can’t be wrong. Rice is on the menu.

Cheapest protein is eggs. Next cheapest is dried beans. Most convenient protein is peanut butter. Eat a spoonful for a quick energy pickup. Meat is expensive. I’ll fish for my supper when needed.

After loading up with all the above mentioned items, there was enough money remaining to splurge on some instant coffee, black pepper, hot sauce, soy sauce, beef bouillon cubes, a half pound of butter to slather the biscuits and muffins, and a sack of onions for spicing things up. After these expenditures I’m broke. Fortunately, there’s no shortage of lonely horny middle aged women.

One tactic I’ve adopted, is requesting a snack or lunch from the cougars I service, to replace the calories I burn up energetically fucking them. A baloney sandwich and a glass of milk at least.

Sure, it’s not a balanced diet, and short on vitamins. I don’t plan limiting myself to this as my regular fare. These emergency stores are for when I’m too broke to afford anything else. All have long shelf lives and are healthier than living on burgers and fries, which I couldn’t often afford anyway. Notice, I did not buy any spaghetti.

I’m not merely surviving, I’m putting on weight. My life is nearly back on track, missing a few important chunks like school and Ruth. Soon I’m receiving daily letters from her. It’s not the same as when we chatted together in bed at the close of each day, but there’s a similar flavor to our daily correspondence. Time passes, days blur. Ruth is approaching her time. She says she’s huge and glad I can’t see her looking like a blimp. Her obstetrician says she hears two heartbeats in her womb. Twins. I hope none are boys. Father of two kids is plenty. My being sterile isn’t so hurtful if both babies survive and have families. Wasn’t planing on siring my own sports team.

Our fraternal twin daughters are born healthy. I’m happy they aren’t identical twins. Ruth names them Catherine and Susan. Cathy and Susie. We insist they have the same as their mom Ruth’s last name. My parents insist they take mine, their last name. We win the first family court battle. Traditionally parents have the sole right to name their children. No precedent exists for grandparents successfully usurping or overriding the parent’s decision on names. The judge further rules, my parents may not adopt, nor be awarded permanent custody without Ruth agreeing. She does not. Ruth retains the right to prove she can provide a decent home and support for her children after her release. If she meets the court’s criteria, the children will be returned to her sole custody. At such time, she will decide if and when my parents may visit the children, or not. The legal relationship between parents of a sperm donor to children born to an unwed mother is tenuous under the law. My parents have no discernible legal grounds or precedents under law for their argument claiming grandparental rights regarding children of a single mom not related to them. Ruth can insist the babies be cared for in a different foster home, other than my parent’s home, if she demands it.