Mike sat across from Jared eating his chicken Enchilada while Jared enjoyed its beef counterpart. Jared said he was buying and was not about to turn it down. “Is something eatin ya?”
Jared made a half-smile. "Why do you say that?"
"You're doing that fork tapping thing you do when you're troubled."
“Do you need a favor?”
“No.”
Mike eyed him worriedly. "Are you sure? Don't be so quick to throw it away. You know I only give one freebie a year. You have three years saved up, That's three wishes for you. "He throws his arms open. "Behold, in front of you sits a Genie."
Jared threw him and across his mouth to keep the food from spraying out. He spoke after a few coughs. "Are you trying to kill me? I almost choked because of you."
" Hah! I didn't tell you to hold it in. That was your choice pal."
“If I let it out it would have covered all the food on the table.”
“See! Like I said , it is your own choice. Who told you to be so cheap. You could have ordered another set.” He folded his arms. “Skinflint. ”
He raises his Hands in surrender. "Okay. You win. I can never outtalk you, Great Wise Master," His words were spoken in laughter but held a note of sincerity. " Mike let me ask you something."
He took a sip of soda. “Shoot. What’s eating you?”
“Have you ever felt like you were being pulled into an unseen direction. Like the world was unfolding in front of you a new unseen path.?”
“Only once.”
“When did this happen?”
"When I met Meg." A knowing grin transforms his face. "You met a guy. Who is it? What, was his eyes that mesmerized, or does he have great pecs?"
Jared choked on his soda when asked the latter part of his final question. "Will you pipe down. You're really trying to kill me." He dragged his fork across his plate. "I haven't met anyone. In two years. I don't see anyone new popping up anytime soon. My schedule has gotten really busy these last few months."
"That Chief Nuben or whatever still riding your ass? I told you, what you need is to invite him to a bar and straighten him out real good. "
“Mike.”
“I mean it. A few beers and a few punches and we sing out of tune songs by closing.”’ He reaches for Jared’s phone. “Here. Do you want me to call? I’ll call him.”
He hurriedly grasps the phone from his bold friend's hand. "No, I will take care of it myself."
"Well, that is the one and only time that happened. Maybe you met the person but haven't realized it yet."
"I doubt it. Since I've started here. It has mainly been patients. The staff doesn't speak to me, except for a few coworkers." (Five years has only made me more alienated with each passing year.) "I think after this last case. I will leave. I don't feel like I am making much difference."
“Would you really be happy doing that?” (He has the mopey lost puppy looks again.) “Eat more food. Your energy is low.”
"Grandfather invested a lot in this hospital over the years. I thought it would make him happy if I work here. Then afterward I stayed to feel close to him." He sips his soda. "Maybe I should go to I should have left sooner. What do you think Mike."
“The truth?”
“Yeah.”
"I think we are too sober for this kind of conversation. It's happy hour. Let's go get hammered."
“I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
"Fine. I get it. A doctor never knows. You are such a goody-two-shoes." He stood up to leave, "You pay the bill, I'll start the car and we will find a bar, Then you have one drink and watch me get hammered for the both of us."
Laughing Jared reached for his wallet. “
“Sounds good to me.”
Comments (0)
See all