"It's definitely an oatmeal kind of day. You want some?" I said, filling up a pot with hot water.
He shook his head and went back to sipping coffee strong enough to eat through lead.
Eyeing the rumpled clothes he was still wearing, I asked, "No work today?"
"My day off," he answered laconically, peering over the mug.
"Any big plans for today?"
Greg raised his eyebrows. "What are you, my secretary?" The coffee was warming him up; his eyes were losing their post-sleep glaze. "Well Jimmy, I thought about skydiving today but it's supposed to rain. Besides, I don't think they'll let me take my cane on the jump."
"So you're going to sit on your ass and watch soaps."
"You read me like a book," he smirked. "If I'm feeling really adventurous I might even scan through a medical journal or two."
"You're a regular Indiana Jones," I remarked, stirring the oatmeal.
"Hmph," was his only response, then he went back to his insanely strong coffee.
I joined him at the table with my oatmeal and a glass of orange juice.
"You know, Greg, it wouldn't kill you to have some fun every once in a while."
His gaze met mine, his blue eyes now wide awake and glowing. "Define 'fun' for me, Jimmy."
"Just go out and do something, get some air," I said between bites. "You don't have to stay cooped up in here all day."
"There's plenty of air in here. And I don't want to miss General Hospital."
"You can tape General Hospital." Talking to my friend was sometimes as effective as talking to a rock, but I was still determined to have him hear me out. "All you do on your days off is watch soaps. Missing your soaps isn't the end of the world."
"Maybe for you."
"Greg..."
"Do I need your permission to watch my soaps?"
"There's more to life than those damn soaps."
"I'm not going anywhere today. It's raining."
Looking out the window I saw he was right. The clouds opened up and sheets of rain pounded against the windows.
But that was beside the point.
I tried another angle. "Greg, how long have we known each other?"
"Twelve years, give or take," he answered, then gulped down the last of his coffee.
As I finished up my breakfast I asked, "And would it be fair to say I probably know you better than anyone else?"
"I guess it is," Greg said in a dismissive way, as if he knew it was true but didn't really care one way or the other.
"Good." I gather up my dishes. "Will you at least think about what I said, let yourself have some fun?" He might give it a whole three seconds of thought, but at least I got him to listen to me.
"Geez, I didn't know you cared so much, Jimmy." The sarcasm oozed from his words.
"Here's a newsflash for you, Greg, I do care," I said curtly, catching him completely by surprise. "Here's another newsflash, that wall you built around yourself is going to come crashing down sooner or later, and you damn well better hope somebody will be there for you when it does."
I stood at the sink waiting for him to scream at me to get the hell out. For a while he scowled into his empty coffee cup as if he would find some answers in there. But there weren't any. Finally he looked up at me, a hint of sadness in his expression, and quietly said, "You're going to be late."
"Right," I sighed. On my way out I paused behind his chair and carefully set my hand on his shoulder. Greg remained stone still. "Just think about what I said." Then I stalked to the living room to hunt for my keys.
That wall is coming down, Greg, I thought as I snatched my keys and stepped into the downpour. Take a wild guess as to who's going to be there with the wrecking ball.
