his parents and sister were coming for dinner that evening. It was with a significant amount of dread that Dave dragged himself off to the grocery store.
As he drove through the gathering mist, he made a detour across town, deciding what he really needed was a pick-me-up.
The Devil’s Eye was virtually empty. Dave was almost surprised to see J sitting at his table. It had been a week since he visited the bar, and he almost expected the man to disappear after a few days of silence. Dave was thankful this was not the case.
“Rough week?” J began in a slightly slurred tone.
Dave wondered how many the man already had.
“That’s putting it lightly,” Dave intoned.
“Trouble at home? Trouble at work?”
“Both,” Dave conceded as Ruth swung by with his beer and another whiskey for J.
“Enjoy,” was all she said.
Dave watched her walk away.
“So what are you gonna do about it?”
“There’s not much I can do. My hands are tied.”
J shrugged as if this meant nothing to him, “So untie them.”
“Easier said than done.”
“Why do I get the feeling that you always make things harder for yourself, Dave?”
“Maybe I do. I don’t know.”
“Have you been truthful with yourself? Is that what’s causing your anxiety?”
“My truth isn’t the problem. It’s other’s untruthfulness that I am getting snagged on.”
“I see. Well, you know what they say—we can only control our actions. Not anyone else’s.”
“Hey, do you remember the last time I was in here?”
J didn’t hesitate, “Sure, it was Monday. Almost a week ago.”
“We drank too much,” Dave admitted with a frown.
J scoffed in derision, “Speak for yourself, kiddo.”
“Do you happen to recall seeing me with anyone?”
J shook his head, “Just me.”
“Well someone drove me home,” Dave insisted, hoping to jog the man’s memory.
“Guess you got a good friend, then,” he cleared his throat and leaned forward, “Why did you get so drunk? If you don’t mind me asking...”
Dave sighed to himself. “To forget, I suppose.”
“You were going on about all sorts of crazy crap—maggots in pizza, she-devils...to be honest, the more you drank the less sense you actually made.”
“Yeah, that’s usually the case,” Dave replied with a little sarcasm. “Thanks anyway.”
J lifted his glass, “Any time.”