Arrogantly he walked into the tavern wearing the same musky clothes he had the night before.. “A beer,” he demanded. No eye contact, no pleasantries. It had been 1 month of monotony. Work, home, tv, sleep, his only friend had moved away and here he was, 35, still working at the same job since he barely graduated high school.

Everyone moved away, moved on, moved up, and his ability to suppress these thoughts had turned all disappointment to rage. Blinding rage. “A beer, I said.” He grumbled a bit louder.

What he wouldn’t admit to is that his need to be brutally honest, with the excuse of “this is me take it or leave it” had ruined every relationship he’s ever had, and he was as lonely as ever.

He finally looked up, annoyed at the fact that he had demanded his drink twice and his hand was still empty. And he saw her. Her light eyes were bloodshot, and nose was red from being rubbed up against her sleeve. “ I’m so sorry, here you go, this one is on me,” she quickly turned away in embarrassment as a tear escaped her eye.

He grumbled something that sounded like “fine.”

But the longer he sat there with his rage, and darkness while drinking his beer the more he couldn’t stop thinking about her puffy eyes and if she was ok.