“Hey Rita,” Jimmy said, “wanna go downtown?”
“And do what?”
“I dunno, nuthin, I guess.”
“Nothing doing!” Rita answered, “I’m not going to go downtown to do nothing. I can do nothing here.”
“Cool, can I do nuthin with you?”
“Sure man. Have a seat.”
Jimmy sat down at the table with Rita but soon began to fidget, “Wanna sammich Rita?” he asked.
“No because then we’d be eating. We’d be doing something. We’re supposed to be doing nothing.”
He nodded his head, “Yeah, right; but how long we gonna sit here doin’ nuthin?” he asked.
“Well, see – that’s the problem; isn’t it?” Rita replied, “It’s not easy to do nothing because you’re never sure when you’re done. Usually you just get interrupted.”
They just sat, doing nothing till the kitchen door opened and Rita’s mom breezed in, a bundle of energy. “Hey kids,” Mom said. “Jimmy, how ‘ya been? I haven’t seen you for a while. How’re your folks?”
“They’re good. Thanks, Ms. Selcheck.”
“Make sure you tell them I said hello.”
“Yes ma’am – will do.” Jimmy pursed his lips and looked up at the ceiling and then at the prints on the wall.
“What’re you guys up to?” Mom asked in an effort to get some conversation going. She had the uncomfortable feeling that she had interrupted something.
“Nothing, Mom,” Rita volunteered. “We’re doing nothing.”
Mom whistled low and offered her observation, “and, they say that nothing is impossible. But you kids do it all the time. I guess the world is your oyster, huh?”
Rita stood up suddenly, “Damn it Mom! Can’t you see we’re busy here?” She grabbed Jimmy’s hand and pulled him out of his chair. “Come on Jimmy, let’s go downtown.”
tnkerr-Writing Prompts and Practice 