“It’s true you know, what Troy said.” Abed didn’t ask, Annie always elaborated after what she felt were dramatic enough pauses. “He really is very patient with you
Abed understood Troy, Troy had needs and it was just a part of being his friend. It wasn’t hard, it was what it was. Annie had once tried to explain the fryer to Troy while Abed wasn’t around. Abed had come home to a hoarse Annie, 4 burned dishtowels, and a scorch mark on the ceiling, he’d found a sulking Troy in the fort.
“Annie said I’m not allowed to use it ever again. I didn’t mean to start a grease fire!” Troy was upset. Abed could feel the self loathing, Abed didn’t like it.
“It’s okay. The first time I used one, I almost deep fried my hand. My dad told me that if I ever did, he’d be sure to sell it to the customers.” Troy huffed, almost a laugh, keep pressing. “Come on, I’ll show you how to use it.” In the end it only took 20 minutes before Troy and Abed were trying to find the limits of fried food combinations. Annie remained nervous everytime Troy used it alone, but after he’d introduced her to Deep Fried Nutella and Banana Sandwiches she was quick to lift the ban, she could never get them right on her own.
Troy and Abed spent the day doing nothing much, they had done some studying but the day was spent mostly lounging around in their boxers, no Annie meant no pants of course. It was shaping up to be a good day in Abed’s opinion. Well, it was until Shirley called. Apparently Troy was supposed to come by and fix something in the shop;
“Look, Shirley, I just…forgot. I’m sorry, I’ll come down right now and….well, no it’s not that I was busy…we’re just chillin’, I told you, I just kinda forgot.” Abed couldn’t hear much from Shirley’s end, but he did manage to hear a buzzword, ‘lazy’ . “But I..I’m sorry, I’m on my way now.” Abed went into the fort to look for the car keys, the quicker Troy got there, the easier it would be, “Oh he already fixed it….I’m sorry Shirley. I simply forgot. I’ll make it up to you…” Troy sighed, sinking back into the armchair as he hung up the phone. Abed felt like he should fidget, just something to show the audience he was uncomfortable. But this wasn’t about the audience, it was about Troy.
“You’re not lazy Troy,” maybe Abed could salvage this, “Everyone forgets things.” Troy only curled into himself.
“You don’t! Annie doesn’t. I don’t mean to forget things. It’s like they don’t stick sometimes. And then everyone just thinks I’m lazy when I forget to do something.” Troy sighed again as he went into the pillow fort. After that Abed began leaving notes in places, little reminders in inconspicuous places. Abed had a personal schedule that he tried to keep as well. He began to nudge Troy into it, the added structure helped.
Homework was a generally painless affair, they mostly did it at Greendale, but sometimes they had to bring something home. (One could only spend so much time in the library.) Abed was done with his work, and was fretting, well he was sitting on the bed watching Troy fret. He was having trouble with something that he thought should be easy. Troy thought he was stupid. Abed knew Troy wasn’t stupid. He was more of a visual problem solver. Abed had an idea, a light bulb worthy one, if only he was on TV so the audience could see it.
He spent 10 minutes setting up the lightbox, and sat across from Troy.
“Abed, I just don’t understand.”
“It’s okay, here, don’t think of them like numbers. Let’s use this.”
It took 5 minutes before Troy was halfway done with the list of problems, but he still wasn’t exactly happy.
“You know, if I was smart like Annie I wouldn’t have needed your help.”
Abed shrugged, “We all need help sometimes, and you’re not stupid Troy, you’re just different.”
Troy was supposed to be reading a book for school, and he was trying. It just wasn’t interesting and it felt like he wasn’t absorbing any of the information, even in the parts he did like.
“It’s too hard Abed.”
“The book?”
“I just don’t…I can’t understand it, it’s got all these themes and stuff and hidden meanings. I’m just…not smart enough for that kinda thing man.” Abed didn’t say anything, it wasn’t a hard book exactly, but it was a bit deep. Another lightbulb went off, and another notch in Abed’s appreciation for visual media.
Abed had to read the book as well, so in order to ‘organize his thoughts’ he spent an hour reading it out loud every night. While Troy was in the room. A few nights later Troy came home with Abed’s favorite grin on. (of course he has them ordered by category and number)
“I dominated our class discussion today, the professor said that I really grasped the central themes of the book. And it’s all cause of you.”Abed looked at his hands, he was..embarrassed? “I know you can read in your head dude, you were doing it for me. Just like you leave notes and help me with other things that are hard for me. Thanks man.”
Abed shrugged, “It’s nothing, and anyway I told you you weren’t stupid Troy. Sometimes you just need to do things differently than ‘normal’ people. I understand that. Plus I kinda owe you for all the things you do for me. And I want you to be in my next project.”
“Yeah? What is it?”
“It’s like Footloose, but in space.” Troy just flashed Abed’s #1 favorite smile.