It was a quiet night out. Didn't seem to be that many people out. Come to think of it, John
hadn't even seen a car out on the road. Must be because of the big game on tonight. Figures. John
looked down at his glass. He just stared at it awkwardly. He was in another trance...
"Hey Johnny? Johnny?"
The bartender smacked John on the shoulder.
"Look at you, you're a mess. I think you've had enough."
John stared blankly at the bartender then snapped to.
"Uh no... I'm fine. Just zoning out."
John took another sip from his glass then slammed it down on the table.
"Gimme another one would ya."
The bartender fixed John up another drink then crossed his arms and studied John.
"So. How's life been treating you. Found work yet? How about a girl?"
"Well. To put it bluntly, life sucks. I can't find work, and I live in one of the most inhabitable
places imaginable."
After waiting a little bit the bartender smirked and set down a glass he was cleaning.
"Well Johnny, if you insist, I could give you some work here for a little bit. You could help me
out with some things."
"Aw Phil I couldn't do that. It's just... since my parents died I feel like my life has been going
downhill."
Phil refilled John's glass instinctively.
"You know Johnny, you remind me of someone."
John chugged his drink while glancing at Phil.
"You remind me of myself as a young man Johnny."
Halfway done John choked on his drink and coughed then chuckled.
"Ha ha, really Phil?"
"Sure, sure. I was once in your shoes before. But I stuck it out and look at me now. I'm as happy
as ever."
"Phil, you run a bar single handedly and you live all alone... How's that happy?"
Phil stared down at his hand and caressed his wedding ring with his thumb.
"Well, heh. I got lots of things to be thankful for. Job security for one thing... I got a decent place
to live, as far as this city's standards go. And above all else I got faith."
Phil smiled.
"I'm past my prime Johnny. Hell, I ain't gonna be doin' much else since I lost my leg in nam'.
I'd say I'm doin' pretty damn good."
John looked at his glass and went into deep thought. He's gotta get up off his ass and make
something of himself before it's too late. He's got to do it, for his parents, for all his past friends,
and for his present friends. For Phil.
Phil smacked John on the shoulder.
"Come on Johnny don't let my rambling get you down. Here let's turn on the game."
Phil turned on the tv. The tv flicked to life and illuminated the dimly lit bar. John could now see
that he and Phil were the only ones in the bar. Phil switched channels but nothing was on, it was
all snow.
"Come on dammit... I can't believe it I just bought this piece of shit."
Phil slammed the remote down then after trying for several minutes cut the power.
"Oh well, sorry about that Johnny."
"No problem Phil. But is that why no one's here? This place is usually packed during the big
games."
"No that doesn't seem to be it. I don't know why but with the exception of one other guy who
went straight to the bathroom you've been my only customer. To tell you the truth I'm not sure if
he ever came out."
"Well. I'm gonna take a piss then I'm headin' out. Do you think you could fix me up an order of
wings before I go? They're for a friend."
"Sure thing Johnny."
John finished off his glass then made his way through the empty chairs and tables to the
restroom. When he got in he immediately grabbed his face. It smelled terribly like some kind of
rotten fruit. It was so bad John got the urge to vomit but held it down. After stepping out for a
minute he went back in and found a man on the ground near the toilet groaning.
"Dude, are you ok? Oh man."
There was vomit all over the place. John cringed then walked away, figuring he should leave the
drunken man alone. John walked over to the urinal farthest away and did his business. When he
got out Phil saw his expression and looked concerned.
"Is that guy still in there? Is he ok?"
"Yeah he's shit faced. There's vomit and crap all over the place."
"Oh boy. Just leave him be for a little bit, let him get it all out. If he can't get up on his own I'll
help him on his way out."
John grabbed his wings and threw a 20 on the counter.
"I'm gonna head out Phil, thanks a bunch and... take it easy ok?"
"Sure thing Johnny. You too."
John waved and left the bar. About half a ways home he literally ran into a drunk, almost falling
over. This guy was really shit faced and was vomiting and hissing like some kind of animal. John
just pushed him down and yelled at him.
"What the hell are you doing, go home, you're gonna get yourself killed wandering around out
here."
Nothing out of the ordinary. Raccoon festered with drunks all the time at this hour.
John made his way home to a silent complex and before hitting his room he stopped at his
friends. He knocked on the door.
"Yo Robert, I got some food for ya."
He knocked again then listened. He couldn't hear anything which was weird... His tv was always
blaring with some sci-fi junk regardless of whether or not he was sleeping.
"Oh well, the dude's sick, needs some rest, I'll check him in the morning."
John got in his apartment and set the wings on top of his fridge and after brushing his teeth he
jumped right into his bed, which snapped, making it bend in the middle now. Regardless John
laid down and drifted off into sleep. A sleep that would be short lived...
hadn't even seen a car out on the road. Must be because of the big game on tonight. Figures. John
looked down at his glass. He just stared at it awkwardly. He was in another trance...
"Hey Johnny? Johnny?"
The bartender smacked John on the shoulder.
"Look at you, you're a mess. I think you've had enough."
John stared blankly at the bartender then snapped to.
"Uh no... I'm fine. Just zoning out."
John took another sip from his glass then slammed it down on the table.
"Gimme another one would ya."
The bartender fixed John up another drink then crossed his arms and studied John.
"So. How's life been treating you. Found work yet? How about a girl?"
"Well. To put it bluntly, life sucks. I can't find work, and I live in one of the most inhabitable
places imaginable."
After waiting a little bit the bartender smirked and set down a glass he was cleaning.
"Well Johnny, if you insist, I could give you some work here for a little bit. You could help me
out with some things."
"Aw Phil I couldn't do that. It's just... since my parents died I feel like my life has been going
downhill."
Phil refilled John's glass instinctively.
"You know Johnny, you remind me of someone."
John chugged his drink while glancing at Phil.
"You remind me of myself as a young man Johnny."
Halfway done John choked on his drink and coughed then chuckled.
"Ha ha, really Phil?"
"Sure, sure. I was once in your shoes before. But I stuck it out and look at me now. I'm as happy
as ever."
"Phil, you run a bar single handedly and you live all alone... How's that happy?"
Phil stared down at his hand and caressed his wedding ring with his thumb.
"Well, heh. I got lots of things to be thankful for. Job security for one thing... I got a decent place
to live, as far as this city's standards go. And above all else I got faith."
Phil smiled.
"I'm past my prime Johnny. Hell, I ain't gonna be doin' much else since I lost my leg in nam'.
I'd say I'm doin' pretty damn good."
John looked at his glass and went into deep thought. He's gotta get up off his ass and make
something of himself before it's too late. He's got to do it, for his parents, for all his past friends,
and for his present friends. For Phil.
Phil smacked John on the shoulder.
"Come on Johnny don't let my rambling get you down. Here let's turn on the game."
Phil turned on the tv. The tv flicked to life and illuminated the dimly lit bar. John could now see
that he and Phil were the only ones in the bar. Phil switched channels but nothing was on, it was
all snow.
"Come on dammit... I can't believe it I just bought this piece of shit."
Phil slammed the remote down then after trying for several minutes cut the power.
"Oh well, sorry about that Johnny."
"No problem Phil. But is that why no one's here? This place is usually packed during the big
games."
"No that doesn't seem to be it. I don't know why but with the exception of one other guy who
went straight to the bathroom you've been my only customer. To tell you the truth I'm not sure if
he ever came out."
"Well. I'm gonna take a piss then I'm headin' out. Do you think you could fix me up an order of
wings before I go? They're for a friend."
"Sure thing Johnny."
John finished off his glass then made his way through the empty chairs and tables to the
restroom. When he got in he immediately grabbed his face. It smelled terribly like some kind of
rotten fruit. It was so bad John got the urge to vomit but held it down. After stepping out for a
minute he went back in and found a man on the ground near the toilet groaning.
"Dude, are you ok? Oh man."
There was vomit all over the place. John cringed then walked away, figuring he should leave the
drunken man alone. John walked over to the urinal farthest away and did his business. When he
got out Phil saw his expression and looked concerned.
"Is that guy still in there? Is he ok?"
"Yeah he's shit faced. There's vomit and crap all over the place."
"Oh boy. Just leave him be for a little bit, let him get it all out. If he can't get up on his own I'll
help him on his way out."
John grabbed his wings and threw a 20 on the counter.
"I'm gonna head out Phil, thanks a bunch and... take it easy ok?"
"Sure thing Johnny. You too."
John waved and left the bar. About half a ways home he literally ran into a drunk, almost falling
over. This guy was really shit faced and was vomiting and hissing like some kind of animal. John
just pushed him down and yelled at him.
"What the hell are you doing, go home, you're gonna get yourself killed wandering around out
here."
Nothing out of the ordinary. Raccoon festered with drunks all the time at this hour.
John made his way home to a silent complex and before hitting his room he stopped at his
friends. He knocked on the door.
"Yo Robert, I got some food for ya."
He knocked again then listened. He couldn't hear anything which was weird... His tv was always
blaring with some sci-fi junk regardless of whether or not he was sleeping.
"Oh well, the dude's sick, needs some rest, I'll check him in the morning."
John got in his apartment and set the wings on top of his fridge and after brushing his teeth he
jumped right into his bed, which snapped, making it bend in the middle now. Regardless John
laid down and drifted off into sleep. A sleep that would be short lived...