Evan's phone calls

[Evan Lear]

Aiden: Evan? Hey, dude, I didn't think you'd be able to call.
Evan: Hey Aiden. Yeah, I've only got fifteen minutes and if either of us say anything 'inappropriate' we get cut off.
Aiden: Oh, yeah. 'Course. I got your letter, by the way. I would have written back, but... you know what I'm like.
Evan: Yeah, yeah, it's cool. So, how are you? What's it like there now? Changed anything?
Aiden: It's OK. No different from when you were here, really. Cassie and Bex both say hi, by the way. They're still here.
Evan: Ah, cool. Say hi to them for me, OK?
Aiden: Will do. So, how are you? I mean, you're still...
Evan: Yeah, I am. Yeah. Not that they make it easy for you, though.
Aiden: That's good, right? I mean, you know... it's all in the name. Self-harm.
Evan: -chuckles- True, true. All the same. You're right, though.
Aiden: I usually am. How's the bass going? How are your lessons?
Evan: Actually, they're pretty good. The teacher's a bit of an idiot, but he's fairly cool, and he's got good taste in music. The rest of the kids are... psychopaths, but most of them are harmless. There are a couple of IED kids like you, and a paranoid girl, a bipolar kid - he's my roommate, and generally a pain in the arse, but when he's not high he's OK - one girl who seems fairly normal, except recently she's been completely out of it. Stoned or something, I dunno.
Aiden: Sounds like... fun? Weird. Good, though. Wish my class were like that. Mine are all depressed and quiet, no fun at all. Wanna swap?
Evan: Hah, yeah, right. I'd love to get back to that dump.
Aiden: Yeah, sure. So, what are the shrinks like? Any better than here?
Evan: Well... I haven't met all of them. The woman's weird, but I haven't seen much of her. There are only four, by the way. Two of the blokes I haven't met, and then there's my shrink. He's... OK, actually. Nice. And he doesn't treat you like a shit, like they do there.
Aiden: Jeez, Evan, that was a compliment. What are they doing to you there?
Evan: Making me better?
Aiden: Oh, yeah... sorry...
Evan: Hm...
Aiden: Well, fifteen minutes is almost up now, I think. So, call me again sometime?
Evan: Yeah, will do. Bye, Aiden.
Aiden: Bye, mate.

[Evan Lear]

Darren Lear: Hello? Evan?
Evan: Hey Dad. How's it hanging?
Darren Lear: What do you want?
Evan: A new bass would be nice. I'd also like to learn to play guitar, and I'd quite like to see Adrian again, but that's not actually why I called, believe it or not.
Darren Lear: Just get to the point.
Evan: The point? Let's see... I'm severely depressed, locked in a mental hospital on the other side of the country from my brother, I've now got a criminal record which means it'll be hard for me to get a decent job if I'm ever released back into the world, and my life is basically ruined. So I-
Darren Lear: What's this got to do with me?
Evan: What the fuck do you mean, what's it got to do with you? It's got everything to do with you, you prick. You-
Darren Lear: What am I supposed to have done?
Evan: Would you fucking let me finish?
Darren Lear: Don't you swear at me, you little brat. I'm-
Evan: Shut the fuck up and let me finish, OK?
Darren Lear: I said-
Evan: What are you gonna do, swear back at me? You're locked up more securely than I am, no way are you getting out any time soon.
Darren Lear: At least I'm not locked in a loony bin, you piece of shit.
Evan: No, you're in prison for child abuse, and both your children are locked in psychiatric wards. What does that say about your parenting skills?
Darren Lear: I'm not going to be locked up forever, you know. But I reckon you two are. You're psychopaths, you know that?
Evan: I'm not the one who broke my kid's arm because he made too much noise going to bed, or smashed his nose because you couldn't keep a girlfriend! I didn't-
Darren Lear: Fuck off, you little bastard. Did you just call me to yell bullshit at me?
Evan: I called to tell you what you did to me and Adrian, but apparently you don't care.
Darren Lear: That's right I don't. Like you said, we're all locked up. You've got other people to look after you now, thank God. I thought I'd got you out of my life forever, and then you call me to tell me about shit I don't want to know.
Evan: Wow, Dad. Just... wow. That's it?
Darren Lear: You were expecting more?
Evan: I was hoping for more. Guess I was being an idiot, huh?
Darren Lear: Pretty much.
Evan: Look, can we just-
Disconnected