By the time Ted got home, it was dark. He had some takeout from Jade Mountain, set the containers on the kitchen table, and lit a joint. He inhaled deeply and exhaled long and slow. “You’re home. I was worried about you.” Marty’s sudden appearance startled Ted.
“Jesus, Dad, why aren’t you asleep? You scared the shit out of me.”
“See, they say the pot makes you paranoid.”
“I’m not paranoid, you came at me like a fucking jack-in-the-box.”
“I slept all day. I can’t sleep now.”
Marty came to the table and looked at all the Chinese.
“I don’t have much of an appetite these days.”
“This shit’ll give you an appetite.”
“No, I hear it leads to harder stuff. It’s a gate drug.”
“Gateway drug.”
“I don’t wanna become a drug addict, fuck up my future. I don’t know if my lungs can take it. Mariana would be mad.”
“Let’s see. C’mere. Shotgun. Come here. Open your mouth. When I exhale, you inhale.”
Ted turned the joint around in his mouth, lit end inside, as he gestured for Marty to lean in. Mouth to mouth now, Ted shotgunned a huge hit of thick smoke into his father. Marty held it in like a champ. It was the first time Ted could ever remember kissing his father.