“I’ve already got a plan–and for right now, I’m keeping it all right up here.”
Flashing a wicked grin, James “Jimmy” Richards taps his index finger on his forehead and winks at me as if to say, “There’s no way in hell it’s ever going to work, but let’s just keep that as our little secret.”
Walking a full step ahead of me in an attempt to avoid any contact with reality, Richards grabs the metal railing so hard it shakes. As he makes a hard about face, Jimmy gracefully bounds down the concrete steps. Before I can even make it to the bottom, Jimmy is already unbuttoning his coat and making his way inside.
Waiting for my eyes to adjust to the light, it comes as no surprise that he has already ordered up two beers and is pushing his way to a vacant table.
Laying my coat across the back of my chair, I sit down and gently lean back.
Sensing my concern, Richards puts the deflectors on full.
“Oh c’mon man. Don’t be such a stuffed shirt–it will get done when it gets done; I’ve got everything under control. And besides, there’s nothing we can do about it right now anyway–the only things that matter at this moment in time are me and you and these two beers.”
There are people that we meet in this life that routinely break our hearts. Filled with potential and ability, they just can’t ever seem to come clean so that matters can get resolved and everyone can move on. Whether it’s a fear of failing–or, more likely, a fear of succeeding–they somehow find a way to sabotage themselves and neutralize others who want to help–until one day they find that they are fresh out of tomorrows. Too late to make amends, they come to the harsh realization that they have, indeed, been swallowed by the cracks.
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