Jacob only ever wants to listen to Jimmy Novak's show, but Jimmy hates the guy and his stupid guessing games.
"AM radio sucks," he grumbles, trying to reach up past Jacob to change the station.
"Jimmy," their mother warns. "It's Jacob's turn."
"It's always Jake's turn," he mutters, and when Jacob responds by twisting around from the front seat to grin triumphantly at his twin, Jimmy feels it is well within his rights to poke his Jake's forehead, hard.
"Bitch," Jacob mouths silently, his eyes promising retribution as soon as their mom isn't around.
"Jerk," Jimmy says back, just as silently, just as routinely, just as fervently.
+
Jimmy drives Jacob to MIT that first year, just the two of them in the car all the way across the northern Midwest.
"Driver picks the radio," Jimmy says, slapping Jacob's hand away as it reaches for the dash. He reaches out decisively and the sound of Jimmy Novak's voice fills the stale, unconditioned air. Jacob says nothing, but the look he gives his brother is pure disbelief.
"Maybe I'll miss you," Jimmy allows, "just a bit."
+
"I've been trying to call you for months!" Jacob says when Jimmy finally calls him after the whole robot-head debacle. "Your number didn't work anymore and I couldn't even find you under Glaser in the phone book."
"Changed my name."
"When? Why?"
"You know. Everyone always going on about you, and I was just the other twin, the one who wasn't ever really going to be anything."
Jacob can't really say anything to that, so he doesn't.
"Turned out for the best, didn't it? I believe a lot of stuff, Jake, more than most people, but aliens? On the moon?"
"It was a robot head, bitch."
"Jerk. I'm married now, and I've got a daughter. We've got a good life, and we don't need to be tied to the newest conspiracy theorist. So you've got my number now, you can call if you really need anything, but don't expect me to go around telling people how right you are."
"Whatever." They fall silent. Jacob can hear a little girl's voice shrieking somewhere on the other end, his brother turning away from the phone to respond, and he casts around for an excuse to get off the line.
"Listen, Jimmy, I've got a broadcast on in just a bit, so I'd better go."
"Right...good luck, I guess, with the conspiracies."
"Yeah, yeah." The stop talking again, but neither hangs up.
"So, what's your name now?"
"Novak. I'm Jimmy Novak, now." Jacob laughs, loud and surprised, and Jimmy quickly hangs up, but not quickly enough, because Jacob can hear laughter identical to his ringing out long after the line is dead.
[Jimmy Novak is real. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Novak Mind. Blown.]
no subject
"AM radio sucks," he grumbles, trying to reach up past Jacob to change the station.
"Jimmy," their mother warns. "It's Jacob's turn."
"It's always Jake's turn," he mutters, and when Jacob responds by twisting around from the front seat to grin triumphantly at his twin, Jimmy feels it is well within his rights to poke his Jake's forehead, hard.
"Bitch," Jacob mouths silently, his eyes promising retribution as soon as their mom isn't around.
"Jerk," Jimmy says back, just as silently, just as routinely, just as fervently.
+
Jimmy drives Jacob to MIT that first year, just the two of them in the car all the way across the northern Midwest.
"Driver picks the radio," Jimmy says, slapping Jacob's hand away as it reaches for the dash. He reaches out decisively and the sound of Jimmy Novak's voice fills the stale, unconditioned air. Jacob says nothing, but the look he gives his brother is pure disbelief.
"Maybe I'll miss you," Jimmy allows, "just a bit."
+
"I've been trying to call you for months!" Jacob says when Jimmy finally calls him after the whole robot-head debacle. "Your number didn't work anymore and I couldn't even find you under Glaser in the phone book."
"Changed my name."
"When? Why?"
"You know. Everyone always going on about you, and I was just the other twin, the one who wasn't ever really going to be anything."
Jacob can't really say anything to that, so he doesn't.
"Turned out for the best, didn't it? I believe a lot of stuff, Jake, more than most people, but aliens? On the moon?"
"It was a robot head, bitch."
"Jerk. I'm married now, and I've got a daughter. We've got a good life, and we don't need to be tied to the newest conspiracy theorist. So you've got my number now, you can call if you really need anything, but don't expect me to go around telling people how right you are."
"Whatever." They fall silent. Jacob can hear a little girl's voice shrieking somewhere on the other end, his brother turning away from the phone to respond, and he casts around for an excuse to get off the line.
"Listen, Jimmy, I've got a broadcast on in just a bit, so I'd better go."
"Right...good luck, I guess, with the conspiracies."
"Yeah, yeah." The stop talking again, but neither hangs up.
"So, what's your name now?"
"Novak. I'm Jimmy Novak, now." Jacob laughs, loud and surprised, and Jimmy quickly hangs up, but not quickly enough, because Jacob can hear laughter identical to his ringing out long after the line is dead.
[Jimmy Novak is real. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Novak Mind. Blown.]