"TJ's Story" by Tracy Au

TJ’s Story

By Tracy Au

It was the best and worst day of my life. My friend Eric and my older brother Garret and I chatted as we waited for the bus to go to school. Eric and I were both in grade ten. Garret was in grade twelve and I hate to admit it, but sometimes I got jealous of him. He was the captain of the football team and an honors student. As for me, I’m not in any sports or clubs- except the talent show. The bus rolled towards us and halted to a stop. We climbed on. My classmate Ashley was sitting by the doors of the bus and had a purple sucker in her mouth. She looked up at me and giggled as she said in her high pitched voice, “Somebody likes you!” I nodded at her without saying a word. Ashley was infamous for her gossiping.

Apparently Eric thought that I was gullible and believed Ashley because he said, “No TJ, don’t believe her.” I nodded to Eric and struggled to not act annoyed when I sat beside him. I looked at Garret as he burst out laughing when he said to Ashley, “Yeah right! A girl who likes TJ? That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard!” I had read Garret’s mind. “No girl would like TJ. He’s not smart, athletic or popular. He can’t possibly get a girlfriend.” I started off to my locker. My classmate Rain came up to me.

“Hey TJ. In case you were wondering about what Ashley said, I like you.” I halted in my tracks and turned to her. A girl who actually likes me? Rain likes me? Me? TJ? Rain continued. “Well before you got on the bus, Ashley was talking about your comedy routine in the talent show. She didn’t think it was funny when you said, ‘So the other day
I bought a box of condoms.... because my last one was expired.’ I say to her, ‘Yeah well can you burn yourself in front of 700 people?’ She was like, ‘No. You like him?’ I told her, ‘Yeah, I like TJ.’”

Suddenly, Garret insulting me on a crowded public bus evaporated from my mind. My mind- and heart raced as I reply, “Uh…thanks for liking me.” “You’re welcome,” replied Rain. I asked, “Hey, do you want to do something after school?” It was that day that Rain and I started dating. She always laughed at my jokes and encouraged me to do stand- up at clubs. One night while I was performing, an agent approached me and I got signed with him- I was only nineteen. Since then, I have become a professional stand- up comedian and performed on shows airing on Comedy Network. If Rain hadn’t told me how she felt and if it wasn’t for her and her love and support, then I wouldn’t be where I am right now. Rain and I recently got married and I couldn’t have asked for a better wife.