Story in an Hour

Mike was lost in his thoughts, reminiscing of the past times he had shared with Dan and Josh during the young summers where no responsibilties came with life. Those early years of running around outside, finding trouble, and then heading back to the home and playing video games and eating those oh-so-good frozen pizzas. Even as him and Josh sat at the bar of the Applebees, Mike couldn’t help but wander why childhood has to end as he felt it was the best part of his life that he now had trouble coping with. Josh was like a beacon in the dark for Mike, always by his side when things got rough. Josh had thick, bull-cut blonde hair and an innocent look in his hazel eyes; he had that genuine, slender American white-boy feel to him, always cheery and positive.  Mike was on the other end of the spectrum, he donned baggy clothes on his lanky, pale body and black hair and eyes; he was also more pessimistic and gloomy than one could imagine possible. It seemed fitting that these two were going to be future room mates though, considering all they’ve been through and the fact that their contrasts seem to make a happy medium. All is not well, however, as Mike and Josh had to let one of their three person tripod go because the dorm room process only allows for two-person units.

The smoke rose high in the atmosphere, the scent of alcohol flooded Mike and Josh’s nasal passages, and the drunks to right at the bar rioted as Mike Tyson clips aired on ESPN.  “Have you talked to Dan lately?” Josh questioned as he sunk his teeth into his Sam Adams.

“Not at all man, I’m worried if he’s still upset about that whole room ordeal,” Mike replied, acting as if he cared but didn’t as he raised his eyes toward the TV across the bar.

Josh set his drink down, looking at Mike irritated, “Yea, but I’ve been getting heat from other kids, I think he told some people about it and now they think we like set him up.”

Mike refused to lose eye contact with the TV as he played with his drink on the bar, “Josh, let me tell you something right now, no matter how much you know, it doesn’t matter if you can’t prove it.”

“That’s actually true man, very true. “

“Believe me, when people are upset or down about something, they bend the truth and tell everyone else their “version” of it. People tend to sympathize with the victim and believe their story regardless what others say, so in essence, we’re screwed.” Mike lowered his eyes and grinned at Josh as to get a laugh out of him.

“Ya think his parents hate us now? I mean, he probably went home and told them that we jipped him out of a room on campus and that me and you would rather live together than with him.”

“Oh that’s exactly what was said and its not even close to the truth.”

Josh lit up as if someone prodded him in the back with a pin, “Dan will never tell us if hes upset because he just represses his emotions and it pisses me off; what am I supposed to do just baby him and worry about what his deal is all the time? You kidding me?!”

“I know Josh, I know, its ridiculous. Even I tend to be hum when I’m peeved but I damn well say something when the time is right because silence is hard to decode.”

The overture of the restaurant loomed over Mike and Josh as they sat and stared into oblivion, wondering what Dan was feeling of them and if he could ever come to terms with the situation. Mike looked at his empty glass, pushed it to the side and laid down a five-dollar bill for the bartender, “I don’t know man, I just don’t know anymore.” Josh chugged his last ounce of beer and slammed the glass down as if it weighed twenty pounds, “Well, life goes on Mike, there’s nothing else we can do, we just have to live with the things people say about us even when they’re false allegations.” Mike sucked in his lips and blew out a big huff of what seemed to be relief and mumbled, “So much for doing the right thing and being honest, I’m telling you Josh, Heaven better be all its cracked up to be.”