Lasting Impressions. John Schlarbaum
Читать онлайн книгу.
collected his money. "You usually aren't in here until later. You and Miss Susan get in a squabble?"
"Not that it's any of your business, Burt, but it is possible we had a minor domestic altercation earlier tonight. By morning everything will be back to normal."
Burt smiled and said, "I hope so."
Jeremy drank alone, rarely acknowledging anyone as he tried to break down what had transpired in his living room. What did she mean she didn't love him? Everyone loved him!
After downing his second Irish Monkey, he debated if he required a third. Before he could decide, someone ordered one for him.
"Barkeep, another one of those for Jeremy and a beer for me."
"Done," Burt replied, trying to place where he'd seen this young man before.
"Jeremy, how's life treating you tonight?" Dale asked as he sat down. "You look like you're celebrating."
Jeremy's mind took a few extra seconds to unravel exactly who this generous person was beside him. "Dale!" Jeremy responded. "How do you like our little town?" he asked, flinging his arm up in a sweeping motion.
"I must admit, I think it has some real charm to it."
"Charm? Did you hear that, Burt? Dale thinks that Lasting is charming!"
"You ate in here late this afternoon, didn't you?" Burt asked, putting the drinks in front of the two men.
"I take it you're the infamous Burt?" Dale replied. "I must admit your steak was the best I've had in a long time."
"For that I'll give you a beer on the house," Burt said with a smile, "but there's one condition."
"And what's that?" Dale asked intrigued.
"That you find a way to cheer up Jeremy."
"I didn't know that the most popular guy in town would have anything to get depressed about," Dale said smiling.
"Have you been checking up on me?" Jeremy asked. "Most hitchhikers say, 'Thanks,' and that's the end of it." He leaned toward Dale and whispered, "You're not a cop, are you? Because if you are, I swear I won't reveal your cover."
"Don't worry," Dale whispered back, "I'm a drifter, not the law."
Jeremy straightened up. "I knew that. I was only kidding." After taking a swig of his drink, Jeremy concentrated on his power of speech asking, "You've been around, haven't ya?"
"I've seen my fair share, if that's what you mean," Dale answered.
"And I'm sure that you've had a few affairs along the way, right?"
"A few," Dale conceded.
Summoning his courage, Jeremy resolved he'd confide his problems with Susan - confidentially, of course – with Dale. Man to man. "Have you ever had a big fight? You know, over something that comes out of left field?"
"You and Susan have a fight?" Dale said, looking concerned.
"I guess that is the civilized way of putting it," Jeremy admitted. "After dropping you off, we toured on my bike, saw some friends and went back to my place - my parents are away for the weekend. Then we settled down to a movie . . . and one thing started to lead to another, if you know what I mean, and then Susan claims she doesn't want to be with me! It was insane. When I said we could work out any issues, she slammed the door and left." He stopped long enough to gasp another breath of air. "Not that I care if she comes back. My question is, why would she say that, Dale? Everything was going great."
"Man, it sounds like a pretty rough fight you two had. You sure you didn't say or do anything to upset or offend her? Think. Was everything really going okay?"
"It was going terrific!" Jeremy countered. "We were on my couch - she was sleepy from the drinks I'd made - and once I had her bra and jeans undone, I figured it was going to be business as usual! Next thing I know I'm on the floor with my fly open and she's bawling her eyes out. It was bizarre."
"So she was drunk, or at least tipsy?"
"She wasn't drunk-drunk, but kinda mellow. She gets that way when she drinks. She says it puts her in the mood."
"Obviously that wasn't the case tonight," Dale said, taking his complimentary beer from Burt. "I'm guessing she was tired and the alcohol made her cranky. You know how women get."
"Yeah, maybe I went too far," Jeremy said. "Who cares? There are other fish in the sea, right?"
"True, but from the sounds of it she didn't actually say she wanted to break up, right?" Dale had to be certain what had taken place earlier.
"No, she said she didn't love me, which is the same thing."
"She said that in anger. Now, did you say anything in the heat of the moment that you regret?"
Jeremy thought for a minute. "I accused her of cheating on me with another guy," he said with a nervous, almost mocking laugh.
"Please tell me you didn't."
"I know I shouldn't have, but she was asking for it."
"Do you have any proof that she likes someone else?" Dale awaited Jeremy's reply. He wasn't sure if the strong signals Susan had given off when they met were harmless flirtations or something quite different.
"No, I said it to get back at her. Actually, I hope it hurt." Jeremy looked at his empty glass and turned back to Dale. "Why would she want someone else when she has me? She was a wallflower until I found her." Jeremy pushed his glass away. "Would a Queen abandon her King? No! Would a Princess reject her Prince Charming? No, I say!"
"Is Jeremy back to normal?" Burt asked Dale, who nodded his head affirmative. "I don't know what you said, but it's worth at least another beer."
The rest of the night breezed by and at closing time Burt was escorting patrons into the cool night air. "I don't have to worry about you guys getting home, do I?"
"Dale's staying at my place," Jeremy said. "We'll be fine."
Once home, Jeremy rushed to the washroom to throw up, while Dale waited on the couch he'd heard all about from his drunken friend. After several minutes of silence, he found Jeremy sprawled on the floor with vomit everywhere, except in the toilet. Dale could see he was still breathing and left Jeremy to his own destiny, exiting the house and heading for the hotel.
"What an egotistical bastard!" Dale cursed as he walked down the sidewalk. "I'm the greatest! I'm the most popular! I'm loved by everyone! If he thinks he's the centre of the universe, he's going to crash to Earth pretty hard when I get through with him."
Back in his room, Dale was still cursing Jeremy Atkins.
"If he only knew what he had. He has the world at his fingertips - he told me so! And while people like me have to scrounge for every piece of decency, he could just go out and buy it!"
Dale ripped off his shirt, not noticing its buttons flying in all directions. He looked at his blood stained sheets and pulled them off the bed. The corner of one sheet snagged on the wall mirror, sending it crashing to the floor. Dale walked to the broken mirror and peered into it. What he saw frightened him; staring back were dozens of miniature distorted images of himself.
"No matter how many mirrors you break, you'll never get the upper hand. You haven't evolved far enough to take me on, so why not take a break? Rest up for the next time I let you out."
He grabbed the frame and hurled it against the wall, creating more fragments of glass.
"Here's the deal: when I am done my work, I swear to delegate away my power for a few weeks. How does that sound?" Dale's eyes were now blood-shot and his face strained.
"These kids all want a better life," he said bitterly. "Olivia wants Jeremy. Susan wants a real man, and Jeremy wants to rule the world with self-importance and good looks! They all want more, and I - Dale Hawks - am the only one that can grant their dreams."
He collapsed on the bed, exhausted from the past few hours' struggles, which were