Visiting Mom.

Doug sat on the couch watching "The Simpsons" with a nice bag of lays barbeque. Nothing like a nice relaxing time on the couch after a hard days work. Henry was still on Doug's case everyday, but somehow he seemed to have lightened up on Doug the past few weeks. Doug suspected this was because he knew that Doug was going to retaliate for having the shit kicked out of him. And yes, the retaliation was coming, but Doug didn't quite have the plan yet.

Marv was off at his grandmas place helping her with her garden and Spence decided he was gonna go hang out with Matt for the night. This left Doug some quality time at home, but it also left him with some extra time on his hands. Doug always wanted a hobby. He thought of taking up guitar or some kind of instrument but this required time and effort. No dice, he thought. Doug also thought about skateboarding or some other sport but, he was just some skinny punk with really awesome hair. Doug ran his fingers through it. Ohhhhhh yeeeeeah. Art seemed like the only thing that suited Doug, so he ran with it, but Doug couldn't help sensing he had a greater purpose in life; like he was destined to do something big.

It was only a few days away from Doug's big date with the needle and he was pretty excited about it, but at the same time nervous as hell. This tat was going to be about 5 times the size of his last one, luckily Doug was really good with pain. Ever since he broke his arm when he was 8. He fell off his bike and the bone popped out right through his skin. Ever since then, pain never seemed that real.

The Simpsons episode finished so Doug flicked through the channels. Finding nothing to watch, he got up and headed to the fridge. As he reached for the door, the phone rang.

"Hullo?"

"Hi Dougie. How's my widdle boy?"

"Mooooooooooom, I'm not 'widdle,'" Doug replied tiredly to his mom.

"How would you like to come over and play some cards with your dear old mom?" She inquired. Actually, this didn't sound like a bad idea. So Doug agreed, jumped on his bike and was off to moms.

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Alot of the time, Doug had his scuffles and disagreements with his mother, but when it came right down to it, he really was grateful to have a mother as awesome as her. She did look out for him, and though she could be annoying, he knew it was for the best.

He arrived the front door of the house: the house he grew up in. It was really more of a mansion. It was built in a farm area so their actual land was huge. It was an awfully large house for one woman, so Doug never had quirrels about visiting his mom.

"Hello dear, come on in." Doug entered the house and threw his jacket on the couch.

"Hey mom, how ya doin'?" Doug hugged her before following her to the kitchen area. He sat down at the large table. She grabbed the cards from the drawer and sat down with him.

"Anything to eat?" she asked but Doug's response was negative. The two started with playing some "Crazy 8's," then moved onto "Rummy" before ending with "Wist."

"Mom, could you tell me more about dad?"
"Sure hun, what would you like to know?"
"What was his job again?"
"He...erm...he was a coast guard."
"That's right, a coast guard. And how did he die again?"
"Honey, I've told you this all before. Dave was rescuing a very important person from a...ship, off the coast and he died during the operation."

Doug paused and stared at her for a while. Her eyes were shifty. She always seemed nervous when talking about Doug's father. Doug suspected it was just caused she missed him so much. It was strange, Doug missed him alot too even though he never knew him. Is it really possible to miss someone that you have never met? Doug thought. His mother interupted his thoughts.

"Is that all dear?"

"Y-yeah, that's it."

They continued playing cards in silence for a while before Doug, again, broke the silence.

"Oh yeah, Mom, I forgot to mention, I am getting another tattoo." Here it comes.

"What?! Another one? Why Dougie? Why?!"
"Mom, we went through this after the last one. It's not a big deal."
"Doug, tattoo's are dangerous. They can get people killed! Imagine walking into a jewish party with a tatto-"
"...tattoo of a swastika. Mom, I am not that stupid! I know what I want and it's not obscene, and it has special meaning to me."
"What? What is it? Some band name?"
"Acutally, yes mom, I am getting 'The Butthole Surfers' tattooed across my chest."

His mom nearly fell out of her chair.

"What?!"
"Kidding mom," Doug laughed.
"Just please, please be careful. Tattoo's are much more dangerous than you think."

Doug rolled his eyes.

"Well, it's getting late. I think I better start riding home."

"No sense in that. I will drive you, but first, I baked some fresh cookies. You want some? They are chocolate chip raisin: your favourite."

"Moooooooom, I don't want any cookieeeeeeeees."

This was a classic line from Doug's repetoire. His mom smiled and packed him some cookies before heading to the car.

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Doug's bike was on the roof rack as his mom drove him home (at like 40km/h).

"Mom, remember the gas pedal is on the right."
"Slow and steady wins the race."
"Yeah, the gay race."
"What is it with you kids and the word 'gay?'" Doug chuckled at his mom, she was always so intrigued with younger people's vocabulary. "Why in my day, 'gay' meant-"
"Happy, I know, mom." She smiled at him, but then her face turned serious.
"Dougie dear, please be careful with this tattoo thing. I know you think I am being a worrysome mom, but just please, be careful."
"I will," Doug said as they pulled up to his house, "but don't worry about me. I'm a big boy now."
"You'll still always be 'little Dougie Gibson' to me."
"Moooooooooooooooooooooooooooom."