Jax and Milo
When Jax woke, he had that familiar feeling between the eyes – something between a dentist drill and a jack hammer. Why, Oh why did he drink so much last night? He knew what it did to him. Oy – he must get up.
The problem was the Tucker Death Mix. Gatorade, Everclear and Red Bull. What a noxious combo and kind of . . . juvenile. “Surely, I’m beyond that at this point,” he growled to himself. Thinking back, he was surprised. He’d known better, but there it was- a glass of neon-green fizz just sitting there and he’d lapped the whole thing up.
Stumbling into the bathroom, he grinned at himself in the mirror. “Not bad, for a mutt,” he thought. “Mutt” was the nickname his roommate Milo had given him. He had known Milo for years – Milo, was as thin and nervous as Jax was solid and phlegmatic; they made an odd, but good, pair. They had grown up together in the same neighborhood, gone to school together -obedience school , Milo always called it, and then college.
Jax smoothed down his hair. It stood straight up. He pressed it down, but it sprang up like crab-grass with a will of its own. “Shit,” he said. A shower would take care of that. Glancing down, he realized he was a bit excited. He’d gone out last night hoping he’d get into bed with something, but the alcohol had pretty much put paid to that. Well, actually, he had gotten into bed, drunk and howling, and been ministered to by a couple of females, “Bitches,” Tofu would call them, but then Tofu was a jerk of the first order. But they’d done nothing more than coo over him.
“Oh, Jax, poor thing. Someone scratch his stomach. Hahaha.”
He was not sure if he had been embarrassed or gladdened by all the attention.
His morning state brought up some ideas involving hunching over and giving things a good lick or two, but then he’d be late for work. The shower felt good, though. Sometimes the water in his ears would bug him, but today it just felt great. Stepping out of the shower, he gave his hair a good shaking off. Most of the sick feeling had left and his irritation at last night’s failed attempt at being party hound was wearing off. So it was an unpleasant shock to see the red spots behind his ear and on his neck.
Fleas! Jesus Christ, what next?
“Milo! Yo Milo. Dog, Get up! We got fleas!”
No response. Milo could sleep through a train wreck. Walking over to Milo’s room, Jax started thumping on the door. Finally he heard what sounded like some stirrings of life from within. “Leave me alone and fuck off, Ajax!” Milo barked at him.
“Hahah. Get up you lazy cur,” said Jax. “We’ll be late. Today’s a push and you know what that’s like.”
“Yeah, I hate releases. Kooki’s a damn hard-ass and we’ll likely be there all night.”
“Well, so get up. And who are you hanging out with anyway? Where did these fleas come from? ”
Just then Jax heard what sounded like whisperings. Then giggles. No way.
“Dog, you got someone in there with you?” More giggling, then a soft voice purred, “Hello Jax.”
There was only one name that went with that voice – Flix. She had been with Buster for a few months but things had started to go to the dogs. Buster said that she was catty. Jax had always hoped that Flix would notice him, but now it seemed that Milo had stepped up.
Flix slipped out of Milo’s room and sat down. She started doing that thing, taking care of her hair, in that careful methodical way she had. Jax loved it when she did that. He sat across from her at the table over his bowl.
Milo shot him a look. “Dude, put your tongue back in your mouth. You are literally drooling.”
Jax sat up embarrassed. Looking at the clock, he said to himself, “Yikes. Time!” He lapped up the rest of his breakfast as fast as he could.
“You know who I want to see today?” Jax asked Milo. “Asci. She’s a fox, plus, I think she is hot for me.”
Milo looked amused. “Give me a break. She barely know you’re there. Come on.”
“No really. I can prove it. Just yesterday, I was sitting in Ying’s lap. Way! Don’t give me that look! Anyway, I was sitting in this chick’s lap and hot as hell Asci walks over and basically starts petting me! I mean, damn. ”
“Ha! Jax, give it a rest. She’s too good for you. Besides, She was with Toby last week. I saw them, she invited him out for a walk when she got lunch. He was so excited he was basically scratching at the door. Pathetic if you ask me.”
They walked together in silence for a while. “Speaking of Flix,” Jax said, “I haven’t seen her around the office for a while? What gives?”
“Well, I’m not sure.” Milo said. “I heard she got on the bad side of management in some way. It makes me nervous. What if they fire us Jax?”
“Ha!” said Jax. “Back to the pound for you. Good luck with that. You’ll never find a gig like this again!”
Milo fell silent. Maybe that was true, he thought. It had been hard to find this job and he always felt that he did not really belong or that they were just leading him along in order to get rid of him later. The thought made him shudder.
When Milo got nervous, he’d shake. In fact,he’d shake all the time. It was just his way.
Jax noticing his friend’s quivering said “Milo, cheer up! Whats’ with that hang-dog look? I was kidding. They love us there! What would AnBraids do without the Jax and the Milo?”
Coming through the door, they were both happy as ever.
“Woof,” said Milo.
“Woof, woof,” said Jax.
