Nickelback

nickelback

I took a short break on my way home by way of The Office. I figured that it was as good a place as any to have a few beers and lose a few dollars. Besides, Heather was there, and she looked great. That almost helped. I took the opportunity to call and ask about Joey. He had disappeared.

I asked when he had left. I was told that he had gotten back from the hospital the night before, and then disappeared in the morning. I felt bad for him. His whole life he had grown up as Julian's fat brother. Then, all of a sudden, he's thin, he's good-looking, everybody's congratulating him on how great he looks. He's got girls interested in him now. Only, nobody wants to accept the fact that he's been on a junk diet. He only looks a little tired, that's all. His mother even invented a story about how he spent two months in a fat farm to lose all the weight. Only he wasn't on a farm, he was on the streets. So he comes back after two months and tells his mother that he's all cleaned up. She's happy he's back. Everything's all good. Then, his girl dumps him. Suddenly, the hospital seems like a good place to be.

I asked where he might be. I was told where he and his friends usually hung out. I hung up the phone. I finished my beer and left, waving goodbye to Heather. I knew where Joey was, and I wasn't about to go and find him.

I had been there before, after all, and I had vowed to myself never to go there again.

Besides, the room was waiting, and for once it seemed like a safe place to be.