Koolaids by Alameddine Rabih Read Free Book Online

dinner at his house. When dinner was over, they played Sister Sledge’s disco hit full blast. They played that song at every Thanksgiving since. Through the years the group got bigger with lovers joining in. Through the years the group got smaller with friends dying. This was supposed to be the fifteenth Thanksgiving. Not a single member of the group, not one person who had had Thanksgiving dinner at his house is left alive. Not a single member of the group ever reached his fortieth birthday.
    James is thirty-nine. James sits alone.
    â€¦
    Of all the nicknames I have been called, Mo is the one name I completely abhorred.
    â€¦
    For your perusing pleasure, I submit, translated and unedited, a brief editorial from the Swiss Tages-Anzeiger newspaper:
    QUOTE
    Why Beirut and not Damascus?
    Shimon Peres attacks Lebanon and bombs Beirut claiming he is aiming at Hizballah bases. He hopes, thereby, to brighten his image and strengthen his position in view of the upcoming elections. All his victims will leave cold an Assad who does not himself hesitate to sacrifice anyone to keep his power. Why didn’t the Prime Minister of Israel attack Damascus or Teheran directly? Lebanon is an easy target: it cannot respond. The Nobel Peace Prize winner Peres has innocent defenseless civilians killed. He pursues a political goal by hitting people who are completely powerless in this entire affair. When Assad, when the Iranians, when the Islamic groups, when the Palestinians, act with the same methods, we call this terrorism.
    UNQUOTE
    Well, guess who won the election after all?
    â€¦
    Tim wanted to drive. He had been cooped up in his studio apartment for two weeks. He picked Kurt up at his flat.
    â€œYou’re looking good,” Kurt said.
    â€œThanks. I feel better.”
    â€œSo what are we going to see?” Kurt asked.
    â€œI wanted to see Dead Man Walking, but I don’t think I’m up for a serious movie. We’re going to see Babe.”
    â€œThat’s a good idea. I wouldn’t mind seeing it again. We don’t have to watch the whole thing, okay? If you get tired we can leave.”
    â€œI’ll be fine.”
    â€œYou look like you put on some more weight since last week.”
    â€œThree pounds. The Megace is really working. I’m eating normally again.”
    â€œThat’s great.”
    â€œI probably have to stop taking it soon.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œI don’t want to gain too much weight.”
    â€œJesus. You’re not serious?”
    â€œLook, just because you don’t care about your weight, doesn’t mean I don’t have to.”
    â€œReality check! Reality check! Let’s see. You have no T-cells. You’ve lost over twenty pounds in the last three months. But now you’re worried about being fat?”
    â€œYou’re fucking grumpy tonight. Gee, Tim, we haven’t gone out to a movie in a while. Let’s do that so I can insult you tonight, Tim. What’s the matter, Tim? Can’t I—”
    â€œIf you stop taking Megace, I will kill you myself.”
    â€œOkay. Okay, Mr. Grumpy.”
    â€œI swear you’re crazy.”
    â€œAnd you’re fat.”
    â€¦
    My sister is massaging my feet. It feels really good. They swell quite a bit these days.
    â€œAre you going to dry my feet with your hair?” I ask.
    â€œProbably not, but I am sure Maria would love to,” she replies. I smile.
    â€œHe hasn’t completely lost his sense of humor, I see.” She smiles.
    â€¦
    I am back in Beirut with my cousin. It is 1974, but we are the same age we are now. We decide to go see our families. I worry whether I will be able to see myself, meet myself when I was fourteen. The science fiction writers are wrong. It is possible to go back in time and meet yourself. Our family does not recognize us, but they do welcome us into the fold. My cousin is happy. This is where he wants to be. He no longer has any