"It's been months since he's done that, what now?"
"Him and Xela. I tried to warn him, but we'd grown too distant by the time I knew." I pull out a lucky strike and light it, looking out at the setting sun.
"Man, did you alienate the entire state of Rhode Island? Besides, you know it wouldn't have mattered." He clears the smoke from his face, clearly displeased but unwilling to say anything.
"I was evil and depressed and in Providence. It could have happened to anybody, I was just unlucky. You've seen me like that."
"Think you'll be able to help him?"
One long drag, then another. Finally I answer.
"Probably not. I've always been quite radically not his type for pretty much everything."
He hands me a beer, but I refuse it. "I'm going to tell him not to drink, I shouldn't either."
We stare at each other, listening to the crickets start to chirp. I light a candle.
"You might as well curse the darkness. It'll be more cathartic." He skips a beat. "What are you going to do?"
"Same thing I do every time. Pray for him. Remind him I exist. Wait."
"For how long?"
"Four years this fall. After that? As many as I have."
"Do you miss us?"
"Of course. What's more, I regret more from that period than any other. Why do you think I'm doing this?"
"Messiah complex? Borderline personality?"
"You and your disorders. I'm just a guy, sitting here."
"It's been months since he's done that, what now?"
"Him and Xela. I tried to warn him, but we'd grown too distant by the time I knew." I pull out a lucky strike and light it, looking out at the setting sun.
"Man, did you alienate the entire state of Rhode Island? Besides, you know it wouldn't have mattered." He clears the smoke from his face, clearly displeased but unwilling to say anything.
"I was evil and depressed and in Providence. It could have happened to anybody, I was just unlucky. You've seen me like that."
"Think you'll be able to help him?"
One long drag, then another. Finally I answer.
"Probably not. I've always been quite radically not his type for pretty much everything."
He hands me a beer, but I refuse it. "I'm going to tell him not to drink, I shouldn't either."
We stare at each other, listening to the crickets start to chirp. I light a candle.
"You might as well curse the darkness. It'll be more cathartic." He skips a beat. "What are you going to do?"
"Same thing I do every time. Pray for him. Remind him I exist. Wait."
"For how long?"
"Four years this fall. After that? As many as I have."
"Do you miss us?"
"Of course. What's more, I regret more from that period than any other. Why do you think I'm doing this?"
"Messiah complex? Borderline personality?"
"You and your disorders. I'm just a guy, sitting here."
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