Title: Sized Up, Sold Out

Jen and Hawkeye stared awkwardly for a minute, but were saved by the bell. The telephone rang. Hawkeye straightened himself and answered it. "Hello? Louise? Yeah, it's me. Oh, you finally talked to him?"

Jen rolled his eyes and walked into the living room. From the obnoxious green sofa, he could hear Hawkeye in the kitchen. "How's this going to work out? On a plane? I don't think you could get him from point A to point B, without him… getting ill. Yes, he is quite sick. In fact, a plane would kill him. Well… he says he drank the water. Uh, hold on." Hawkeye stretched the phone cord into the living room. "She wants to talk."

Jen got up and took the phone. His body turned into jello. "Hi-hi."

"Dougie? Oh my word. We've been so worried."

The tingle of powerlessness spread through his body. "Heh."

"Where have you been?"

It was time to take the power back. "Jacking up with various vagabonds and having promiscuous sex with both genders."

Louise was silent. Jen handed Hawkeye the phone.

"Uh, I'm sure we can work this out. You just call me back later." Hawkeye went back to the kitchen, most likely to pour another drink.

Jen relaxed on the sofa, turning of the television. He was pretty proud of himself for saying that Louise. But he didn't realize that by saying it, he made it true.

For the second time in two days, Jen woke up on Hawkeye's couch. Hawkeye was standing over him. "Time to go, kid."

"Go where?" Jen asked, groggily.

"Shopping."

Jen coughed. "What?"

"You need clothes. You've been marinating those for what? Two months?"

"Fine. Let me piss first." Jen walked into the bathroom. When he washed his hands, he looked into the mirror. There was no color in his face. His hair was greasy and tangled. He could feel his hands shaking. Jen turned off the faucet, and wiped his hands on his jeans. He was getting a new pair. He left the room, and closed the door.

"Are you ready?" Hawk asked.

"Yeah."

"Let's went."

The corporate retailers looked out of place in the town. It was a Technicolor foreground on a black and white background. When they walked in, the fluorescent lights burned Jen's eyes. "How long has this place been open?"

"A couple months."

They trudged over to the men's section. All the clothing was stiff, fresh from the factory. Nothing looked like it was something Jen would ever wear. Hawkeye and Jen stood on the sidelines, silently looking at the racks of clothing.

"Do you know your size?" Hawk asked, still bewildered.

"Um…" Jen felt for the tag on his pants. It was pointedly absent. He twisted around to see his shirt tag, but it was faded. "Like, a large…or a small…or a medium."

"Maybe we can ask one of those kids in the vests to measure you." Hawkeye craned his neck in search of a salesperson. He spotted on. "Excuse me? Miss? Can you?" She didn't respond.

They let the store with nothing more than a dozen tube socks and a package of underwear.

On the ride back to Hawkeye's place, Jen let himself get sick again. He wasn't feeling particularly vindictive, so he managed to vomit on the side of the road—opposed to Hawk's sweater.

"You okay?"

"Magnificent." Jen slumped back into the car and closed the door.

He was surprised Hawkeye had offered him his old fatigues. Hawk had dug them out of the closet in his old room. They reeked of mothballs and age, like Jen's baptism clothes. When the phone beckoned, Hawkeye left Jen to try them on. The pants were a little long, but the jacket was loose enough to be comfortable. He walked over the mirror attached to the dresser. He looked good. Significantly better than that morning. His hair was still greasy. He had a good bit of acne. No five o'clock shadow, but he kept praying for one. He could do with a shower.

Jen took off the fatigues and put on his old pants. He didn't want to leave, in case his mother wanted to talk again. So, he sat down in the little oak desk. He looked at the myriad of accomplishments that loitered there. Second Runner Up in the Science Fair. First Place in the Botany Competition. Silver Medal at the Young Scientists Bazaar. Over-Achieving Drip Nominee.

After a few minutes, Hawkeye knocked on the door. "You decent?"

Jen laughed. "Dressed, but not decent."

Hawk came in. "That was your mom on the phone."

"What'd she want?"

Hawkeye sat on the bottom bunk, near the desk. "Well, kid, she talked to your dad, and they figured something out."

"I don't wanna hear about it; just tell me when it's time to go."

"Alright." Hawkeye got up to leave. Before opening the door, he turned to Jen. "Do you mind if I ask you something?"

"What?"

"Have you ever been to Boston?"