| Fan Fiction |
by Suki Chan
“Hey Danny. How did you do today?” Matt smiled softly at him.
Danny did not answer. He quietly organized the miscellaneous things on the table and put the stationery back into the little plastic box.
“Bye-bye Danny.” A few buddies sitting around him said.
Danny did not say anything, but just flapped his palm to gesture his little farewell. He went to the cupboard and reached for the slot that had his name on a sticky label. He grabbed his bag and walked up to Matt.
“Let’s go now.” Matt said.
Danny grasped on Matt’s t-shirt and followed at his back.
“Danny you forgot to say something.” Matt reminded.
“…bye-bye, Betty.” Danny had his head down and whispered to the instructor.
“See you tomorrow, Danny.” Betty waved, “And bye Matt.”
“Thanks Betty.” Matt nodded politely and walked out the door with Danny.
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“…ok. Be back soon.” Matt turned on the TV and settled Danny down. The cartoon should keep him occupied for the next 30 minutes, which was enough to Matt. He quickly went to the open market across the street to buy some meat, vegetables, and fruits. He worked at a supermarket but he seldom shopped there. Even with the staff discounts he still find things too expensive there. Things at this market were as good, but much more affordable. Only it was not as pleasant to shop here as the fully air-con clean tidy supermarket. But hey. Who cares.
“Hey Matt! Got very nice tomatoes today! Want some?” A vendor called.
Matt had a look, “Wow they look fresh. Alright give me a few.”
The vendor weighted, “$5.” When Matt paid him the money, the vendor sneaked in a couple more tomatoes into the bag.
“Oh please don’t do that.” Matt waved, “There…have to pay you another dollar or something…”
“No no no. Take them.” The vendor stuffed the bag in his hands, “Free gifts haha…”
“…then thanks so much.” Matt appreciated. Ever since he moved here a couple years ago, he shopped at this market almost everyday. The vendors were so friendly and kind to him.
Matt carried the groceries bags and climbed up the dark and narrow stairway in this at least 40-year-old apartment. He walked all the way up to the top 8th floor, and one more to go…to the rooftop.
It was unbelievable how some people think of ways to make money. The landlord of this apartment built a small shed on the rooftop and actually rented it out.
Matt and Danny had been living here for the last two years. Yes it was not the best place to live at. When the hot summer sun shined in the place boiled. When it rained the top leaked. When the chill wind blew in the winter the place turned into a fridge.
But the rent was cheap.
They could not afford more to live elsewhere. With this money, this was the best they could get. They had no other choice.
Matt put down the grocery bags and had a look at Danny. The TV was still on but his eyes were not on it. He sat on the tiled floor, rolling some toy trucks back and forth. Matt knew well that he would keep doing this, repeatedly and repeatedly for a next little while, until he suddenly decided to do something else.
Matt went ahead to start cooking their dinner. He rinsed the vegetables and prepared the pot. There was only a sink and two stove tops sitting next to the window: that was called the kitchen.
“Matty.” Danny suddenly stood behind Matt’s back.
“Yes.” Matt was stirring the vegetables in the pot.
“Matty.” Danny called again.
Matt turned around, “What’s up?”
Danny showed his toy truck.
“Danny you can’t just flash it. What do you want? You have to say it out.” Matt said.
“Broke.” Danny pointed at the dangling wheel.
Matt put down the pot and had a quick look at the toy, “That’s ok. The screw is loosen. Will fix it later.”
“Hm…” Danny whined.
“Go play with something else now, ok? Matty promises to fix it tonight.” Matt comforted.
Danny curled his lips and went back to the floor. He poured out another box of toys and searched.
Matt put the toy aside and went back to his cooking.
“…have more of this vegetables soup. Gives you lots of vitamins.” Matt caringly scooped more into Danny’s bowl.
Danny dropped down his head and quietly ate whatever offered by Matt.
Matt had a glance at the TV once in a while. This was the only time in the day that he could relax a bit and had some scarce enjoyment.
After dinner, Danny went to take a shower. In the meantime, Matt washed the dishes, did some housework and also fixed the wheel of Danny’s toy truck.
Danny walked out from the bathroom with a towel on his head. He sat on the floor and picked up the hair dryer from the cupboard.
Matt sat down beside him and plugged in the hair dryer. He wiped Danny’s head with the towel and blew dry at the same time, “…hair is getting cracky. Probably because of the weather. Have to use conditioner tomorrow when you’re washing your hair, ok? Remember which one is the conditioner?”
“Big red one.” Danny answered.
“Yup.” Matt turned off the hair dryer and combed Danny’s hair, “Ok now.”
Matt was about to stand up, but Danny pointed at the unplugged socket of the dryer.
“Oh forgot. Good job, Danny.” Matt quickly pulled it, because he never let Danny touch the sockets for safety reasons, “Ok go clean up the toys and stuffs. Get ready for bed.”
Ten minutes later, Matt finished shower and stepped out of the bathroom. Danny was almost finished stacking up his toy boxes.
Right on time.
Yes. Matt was always so fast and efficient. He had to, because he had to take of so much in his daily routines.
Matt grabbed a pills bottle from the cupboard as Danny intuitively opened his palm. Matt spilled out one to Danny’s hand. Danny swallowed down with some water.
“Ok bedtime.” Matt started turning off the lights in the house.
Danny hopped onto the bottom bed of the bunk and wrapped himself inside the quilt.
Matt pulled down the curtain: he pounded a few nails on the ceiling to secure a bar, hanging onto a big thick cloth. This is their bedroom ‘wall’…so handy and practical to keep their sleeping area cosy: down at night and up during the day.
Matt sat on the floor beside Danny’s bed, “So Danny, tell Matty how was your day at the workshop today?”
Every night before bed, it was their routine chatting time. Danny’s therapist said to Matt that more sharing and interactions with family are very beneficial for Danny. It would be a good idea for Matt to spend at least sometime everyday, patiently and without disturbance, to chat with Danny. Therefore, Matt and Danny built up the habit of little pillow talk every night before bed, just to share what each other had done in the day.
Danny dragged up the quilt and hid himself.
“You don’t want to chat tonight? Looks very sleepy huh.” Matt read his mind, “Why don’t we make it short tonight? Just go to sleep if you want to. Ok?”
Danny stuck his head back out and flipped around to look at Matt.
Matt smiled, “So what did you do at the workshop today? You made anything?”
“Flags.” Danny whispered, “Little flags.”
“Wow flags.” Matt continued, “What colours are they?”
“Red…and bits of yellow and bits of white.” Danny said.
“Are you done with the flags? Or will you still be working on them tomorrow?” Matt asked.
Danny thought, “…not done. Betty said. More tomorrow.”
“Making flags sounds hard. How did you make them? What did you use?”
“…cloths…red, yellow, white. Cut big red, little yellow and white. Glue…glue…” Danny faltered and gestured to show Matt.
“Must be nice. Remember to show me tomorrow, ok?” Matt stretched his arms, “Alright. Matty’s turn. Got something funny.”
Danny watched him.
“Guess what I had to carry around at the supermarket today.” Matt made a face.
Danny shook his head.
“Make a guess.” Matt pinched his nose to hint.
“…durian.” Danny giggled.
Matt laughed, “Good guess, Danny! So yucky smell and I had to put them in the fridge…”
Danny slowly went to sleep with the little smile hung on his face.
Matt stroked Danny’s hair and covered him warmly with the quilt. He climbed up to the upper bed of the bunk very lightly and yawned.
Two years ago, the city had re-zoning plan at the area to tear down all the aged buildings, including the spot of the little produce shop, to build new high rises. The old owner reluctantly accepted the compensation and retired. Matt was faced with lost of job and also a shelter with Danny. The old owner became very close with Matt and Danny over the past 5 years. He had a relative working at this supermarket and knew they were hiring, so, to appreciate Matt’s hard-work for him in the past years, he made a referral for Matt to the job. Since then, Matt had been working at this supermarket. Also, Matt worked part-time at a newspaper stand every morning to earn a bit more on the side.
Matt set the alarm clock: 3:00am. He tucked the clock beside his pillow and fell on the bed. 3am at the newspaper stand across the street to help out piling the newspapers. 7am back just on time to cook breakfast and wake Danny up. 7:45am will bus with Danny to sheltered workshop. Then he will go to work at the supermarket…walk 3 blocks there to save commute money. 6:00pm he is off work… rush to pick up Danny so he will actually bus there. Then…dinner time for him and Danny…
Matt mumbled his dull and busy routines in his head and soon fell in to catch his 5 hours of sleep.
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“…twenty.” Matt counted the soup cans and noted it down.
“…oops sorry.” A young girl bumped onto him from behind.
“No problem.” Matt mumbled and continued his counting.