At lunch time on Friday Joshua didn't go to the lunch room. He didn't eat a lunch of ravioli or salami. He didn't drink a coke and have a candy bar for dessert. He didn't sit with his friends and play cards. Joshua wasn't Joshua at lunch time. Joshua drove to his cousin's house at lunch time.
Bill came to the door after the knock. "Yeah, what is it?" He opened the door and was surprised to see his cousin standing there. He didn't visit all that often, so it was strange to see him there at lunch time. "Joshua, what's wrong? What are you doing here? Did somebody die or something?"
"N-nobody died, Bill. I came to talk to you. I thought you could help me."
Bill snorted. "So that's it. You need my help. I should have known. What kind of help? Do you need money?"
"No, I don't need money. It's nothing like that. I need help. I...I...I wanna know..."
"Wait. Backup a second. You need help, but you wanna know what? What is so important? You never see me except at holidays, and you expect me to help you. Get out! Don't come around here again. I don't care what you want. The answer is no."
"But, Bill, I just wanna know something."
"I don't care what you wanna know. I don't know. And even if I did I wouldn't tell you."
"But, Bill, if you would just listen for a minute."
"Joshua, I wouldn't give you a minute if you were on your death bed. Get out! And don't come back." The door slammed shut and music began to blare behind it.
Now what? I tried to get some help and that didn't work. I don't know who to ask or if I should ask anyone. I just don't know. Why does it have to be me anyway?
Joshua went back to work. He still had 30 minutes left of his 1 hour lunch break, but he didn't feel like eating. He didn't even wanna sit and talk with his friends. He wandered to his work station and sat on the table.
A couple minutes later the janitor walked by. "Hey, Joshua. What's up?" He took his hand in a firm grip and closed it into a fist. Then he pulled it back and pounded him once.
"Nothing. How's Carl?"
"Carl's good. Can't complain. Just had my review and I'm getting a raise." A smile replaced his face.
"That's good."
"Yeah I'm celebrating tonight. Gonna get drunk and stupid." He laughed. "The old lady can drive me home for once. What do you got going on tonight? Hot date?"
"Nope. Nothing like that. Actually I don't got squat going on."
"Why don't you come out with us? You can hang out and just have fun."
"But, Carl, you know I don't drink."
"So what. My old lady won't be drinking either. She'll be sober and available for intelligent conversation all night long. I'll prolly be make a silly fool of my self and enjoying it."
"Do they let you into the bar if you aren't drinking?" Doubt showed on his face.
"Of course they do, bro. How would anyone get home if they were all drunk? DDs can't drink and drive. They just go to hang out and then they have to drive you home. If you ask me they miss out on all the fun."
"But what about me? I'm a christian and I don't drink at all."
"Who cares? Order a pop. Just come out with us and laugh when I do something stupid."
"That's not what I call entertainment. It's not funny to me."
"It's ok. You don't have to laugh. You can talk to my old lady."
"It's just that; I've never been to a bar. It's not my kind of place. I would make the party stop."
"Don't talk like that, bro. You're a fun guy in your own way. Anyone who thinks different is a moron."
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