Chapter 36

As I lay prone on the dirty floor covered with spilled beer, cigarette butts and other things it would be best not to know about, I tried to remember the last time somebody had punched me.

That memory was lost, as were most other memories at that moment. Squiggy and Mule had gotten me drunk. Actually, this seemed more like something Squiggy would do. Mule wasn’t bright enough to hatch this plan and I don’t think he would try to get somebody drunk, especially a male.

There was a ceiling fan spinning over my head. I watched it out of one of my right eye. The left one didn’t seem to be working at the moment. Squiggy and Mule appeared above me, looking down.

“Yuck,” Squiggy said, which was how I felt. Mule looked highly agitated. He spun around and was off.

I heard some shouting and tried to see what was happening. Squiggy left me alone with the ceiling fan. I set up to see what was happening. Mule had grabbed R.D.

“You punched my friend!” Mule shouted. R.D. didn’t look crazy now. He looked scared.

“He was talking to my woman!” R.D. argued. That argument did little to sooth Mule. He had the little cowboy held up by the shirt. Everybody near by cleared out, knowing what was fixing to happen.

Mule continued holding R.D. up by one hand, then started rabbit punching him with the other. Quick little shots that were making the cowboy’s head go back and forth like a bobblehead.

“You (punch) don’t (punch) mess (punch) wif (punch, a hard one that drew blood) my (punch) buddy!” Mule added.

Mule and R.D. collided with a bunch of people, who banged into some other people. This caused several other people to start fighting and throwing beer bottles. I realized that I was the reason behind this bar brawl, crawled under the table and assumed the fetal position.

Two bouncers rushed over to try and stop the fight. One of them came at Mule, who was still delivering a beating to R.D. He stopped in mid-punch and pointed at the bouncer, a huge man who would intimidate 99 percent of the male population.

“You leave Mule alone!” he yelled, and the bouncer did. Mule let go of R.D., who slid to the ground like the wicked witch in The Wizard of Oz. He turned around and looked for somebody else to hit. There were fights going on all around the bar.

Squiggy and B.J. had hold of each other, but weren’t actually fighting. They had to act like they were in a fight to keep people from feeling the need to punch them. I saw they were smiling as Squiggy held B.J. in the loosest headlock I’ve ever seen. They made pro wrestlers look good.

Amber leaned down to check on me. She was ugly once again.

“Are you okay?” she asked. I shook my head. “Wants me to kiss it and make it better?”

I had never punched a woman in my life. Amber was going to be my first if she came any closer.

“No,” I said and raised myself up. The fights had all moved outside. Mule and Squiggy were about the only people still inside, other than R.D. He appeared to be unable to move. I looked around and it was like a tornado had just swept past.

Tables and chairs were turned over and scattered everywhere. Some were broke and splintered. The others were in a lot worse shape than they were just a few minutes ago. Beer bottles were spilled and broken glass was all over the floor. The bartender stood at the bar, surveying the damage. He looked sad. I don’t blame him.

I started walking to the door. Mule grabbed me by one arm and Squiggy held the other.

“Let’s call Sandy!” Squiggy suggested.

“Yeah, she’ll know what to do,” Mule agreed.

It took a second for that to settle in. My legs were a little shaky and my mind was not functioning at full capability.

“What’re you doing?” I asked Mule.

“He’s callin that Sandy.”

“Who is?”

“The Squigster.”

I turned around and looked for Squiggy. He had walked off and was using a cell phone. I realized what he was doing.

“No!” I yelled, loud enough the bartender scampered back behind the bar. He must have thought I was going to start hitting Squiggy. He deserved a beating but I had been in my quota of fights for the evening.

“Okay, bye,” Squiggy said as he shut the phone.

“Did you call Sandy?” I asked. He nodded. “How’d you know her number?”

“I used your phone.”

“What did you tell her?”

“That you needed help.”

Now, I started feeling ill. I didn’t want Sandy to see me like this. I staggered to the front door. I never knew it was that hard to walk in a straight line. There were several fights in the parking lot. I didn’t really pay any attention to them, other than one where it looked like Squiggy’s date in the hog contest appeared to be beating some skinny cowboy.

I couldn’t find my truck. I just wanted to get in it and leave before Sandy arrived. My eye was still causing me some problems. It wasn’t hurting all that bad, but it was hard to see out of. Somebody must have stolen my dang truck, I thought, before remembering I parked around back so nobody could see me.

I walked around the building. As I rounded the corner, I tripped over some wire and fell in a mud puddle. It drenched me. Two girls were sitting on the back of a truck and they laughed. I failed to see any humor in the situation.

“It’s not funny,” I told them. They didn’t agree with my assessment. I dragged myself up and staggered over to my truck. I opened the tailgate and sat down. Gosh, I didn’t feel good, I thought, right before getting sick.

I had never been this bad before. Sure, I had gotten drunk and threw up before, but that seemed like it was in another life. I was too old for this. I was still heaving when I felt somebody tapping on my back. It was Mule.

“Gimme a dollar and I’ll throw up,” he said.

“Why would I want to give you a dollar to throw up?” I asked.

“Squiggy thinks it’s funny to watch me vomit.”

“I don’t want to see you get sick.”

“Okay. She’s here.”

Mule started walking away. A car pulled up beside my truck. The passenger side door opened and Sandy emerged. She was wearing jeans and an Old Navy shirt. Her hair was put up for the evening. I doubted this was how she wanted to spend it.

I knew this couldn’t be a pretty sight. I tried to wipe the vomit off my cheek and face. She came up next to me, making sure she was off to the side, just in case another yack attack hit.

“Aw, Mikey,” she said and put her hand on my back. “Let me look at you.”

I’d rather she didn’t see me right now. All I had wanted to do all day was see her. Now I had the chance and didn’t want her around when I looked like this.

She leaned down and looked at me. I could tell that Sandy was a little worried. That made two of us.

“We need to get some ice on that,” she suggested. I nodded. Heck, I didn’t know what to do. I barely even knew who I was.

Squiggy and his crew were standing nearby. He had his arm around Big Uns’ shoulder and his hand was getting awful close to her chest. She didn’t seem to mind. That was another thing that didn’t surprise me. Mule was looking at his knuckles. They appeared to be bleeding. Only thing was I didn’t know if it was his blood or R.D.’s.

“Squiggy, could you go get us some ice?” she asked.

“Go git some ice,” he told Big Uns.

“Git yer own dang ice,” she fired back and removed his hand and arm.

Mule went off in search of some ice without being told. He was gone a couple of minutes then came running back out. His hands were cupped together with what looked like four ice cubes in them.

“Ere ya go!” he offered.

“Ya idiot!” Squiggy hollered. “That ain’t enuff ice!”

Mule was hurt. Here he was trying to be helpful and Squiggy criticized him.

“I don’t think I like you no more,” Mule told him and started walking off with his head drooping.

Squiggy watched him go. He was smiling for a few seconds, but must have realized that if he didn’t stop Mule, there wouldn’t be anybody to drink beer with.

“Hey, I’m sorry!” Squiggy hollered. Mule stopped and turned around.

“Ya sure?”

Squiggy nodded. They started walking toward each other. I thought they were going to hug, but they punched each other on the arm instead. It was touching in some strange way.

“How about some ice?” Sandy asked.

“Oh yeah,” Squiggy said. He looked at his woman, but she was determined not to help. I was afraid this brief romance had bloomed and was starting to dim.

Squiggy walked into the bar. He came out a little later with an armful of beers and a sack with some ice in it.

“Where’d ya git all them beers?” Mule asked.

“I helped meself to em,” he replied, then handed Sandy the bag. “Ain’t nobody in there.”

Squiggy had just stolen all the beer he could carry. It was sad, but not surprising. He and Mule hit the beer like they were dehydrated. Big Uns acted like things were okay now, since Squiggy got her a beer.

Sandy put the ice up against my face. It hurt, which I guess was good. It seemed like most things that were good for you hurt. She sat down next to me and stared at me.

“I’m sorry,” I said.

“It’s okay,” Sandy answered. I took the bag from her and held it. She rubbed my back. Life was much better. “I didn’t know you drank.”

“I don’t,” I answered and pointed at them. “They were spiking my coke.”

“At least they didn’t try to take advantage of you.”

I’m glad she pointed that out. That was really something I wanted to think about.

She moved a little closer and looked at my face. I had never seen anything so beautiful. She didn’t have on any makeup and her hair was pulled back, but Sandy looked like an angel. Trevor’s angel, I guess, but it didn’t diminish her beauty in my eyes.

“Was that your mother that drove you?” I asked.

She nodded. I knew my mother knew all about this by now. There was a cell phone ringing, coming from Squiggy’s pocket. He had his hands full of beer and couldn’t get it.

“Don’t worry about it,” I said.

We sat out there for a few minutes. The fights must have stopped as we saw people filtering back into the bar.

“Want me to take you home?” Sandy asked.

I turned and smiled at her.

“You have no idea how bad,” I replied.

She smiled and looked down.

“I didn’t mean it that way,” Sandy stated.

I tried to get up and about fell again. She held my arm and escorted me to the side door. I opened the door and climbed in. Mule’s sack of beer was still in the floorboard. I grabbed it and held it out the window.

Squiggy walked over and got the sack. He handed me my phone and patted me on the shoulder.

“See you,” he said and walked away. We pulled out and drove away. I tried to not stare at her, but it was hard.

I hoped we would ride around, maybe go out to the lake, but Sandy drove straight to my mom’s house. She parked in the driveway, killed the engine and got out. I didn’t want to go inside and face my mother. It would not be easy telling her that I got drunk and punched. She had enough to worry about without that added on.

Sandy helped me to the porch. I sat down on the steps and hoped she would join me. Sandy stood there for a few seconds.

“I better go,” she said.

“Want me to drive you?” I asked.

“No, I’d rather get home alive.”

She was leaving again. I wanted her to stay, but didn’t know what to say or how to make that happen.

“Thanks,” was all I could say.

“You going to be okay?”

I wanted to tell her the truth. No, I wasn’t going to be okay. If she walked away, another part of me was going to die. I wanted her to stay, to never leave my side. But that only happens in some fantasy world. Not in the real world where I live. The guy might get the girl, and vice versa, but it’s not always the one they want.

My head goes up and down, two short nods. She looks sad while walking away. Sandy walks down to the sidewalk

“Sandy,” I say, without meaning to do so.

She stops and turns around. Now I don’t know what to say. This is a person who I would tell my deepest and darkest secrets to. I would trust her with everything, other than how I felt about her.

“Goodbye.”

She waves and walks away. I can see her until she gets to the end of the block and turns. The door opens behind me and I hear footsteps. I feel a hand on my back, the same one that comforted me when I was a kid and was hurt.

Mom sits down beside me and puts her arm around me. I can’t hold it in any longer and let go. She joins in and we sit on that little porch and comfort each other for lost loved ones. Her love had passed on. Mine passed on, also, but I was the one she passed on.

Chapter 37