“So, duuuude…we missed you at the Christmas party! What happened? Couldn’t believe it when I heard you were still here working on a deal Friday night! Must’ve been the deal of the century because you missed quite a PAR-TAY!”
“Yeah, I heard. Sounded out of control.”
Instead of heading to the annual party, Sam had opted instead to stay at the office and work late. Work was the only thing left that seemed to distract him from Jenny, so he was burning the midnight oil lately. Although he was efficient and thorough, the usual satisfaction he derived from working hard was absent, unbalanced as it was by the missing “playing hard” component. It was more like drudgery, but at least it kept him busy until his feelings for Jenny faded.
Please fade soon. I can’t take much more of this.
“Oh brother, you have no idea. Sandra from accounting brought a friend, and afterward we went to her place. Suffice it to say, the party continued.” He raised his eyebrows suggestively, putting his palm up. “High five, man!”
Sam sighed, gesturing to his computer, leaving Ron hanging. “Ron, do you need something?”
“Just came to say hey,” he said dejectedly, lowering his abandoned hand. “So, listen, Sandra and her friend Kiki wanted to get some drinks tonight, and I know you and Pepper are ancient history, so I thought you might want to…”
Sam shook his head. “I’ve got a lot of work to do, Ron.”
“Dude,” Ron sighed. “What happened to you? You used to be party central. You’re turning down drinks and a sure thing for…for work? Did I mention the friend is suh-mokin’?”
Sam looked up at Ron and cocked his head to the side.
He was sick and tired of missing Jenny. Give it a try, man. You’re not with Jenny; you’re here. You’ve got to move on. Maybe you’ll like this girl. Anyway, you’ve got nothing to lose, Sammy.
He forced himself to smile at his friend, reaching for his mouse to shut down his computer. “You know what, Ron? Sure. Count me in. I’ll meet you in the lobby in ten.”
Ron jumped up and drummed his hands on Sam’s desk. “And he’s baaaaaaaack!”
Sam watched Ron go, then turned in his chair to look out the window at Chicago. I never got back, he thought ruefully.
***
Ron had chosen an intimate, classy bistro, but the girls were running late so Sam sat at the small table with Ron, knocking back a scotch, hoping it would numb him into a pleasant state before Sandra and Kiki arrived.
Ron was yammering on about how much easier girls were during the holidays. “It’s a smorgasbord out there, man, and I’m not kidding. They all want some chump lined up for the New Year’s kiss. So it’s all low-hanging fruit. Some rotten, some luscious, but all easy picking.” He downed his beer and signaled to the waitress to bring another, drumming on the table in his version of holiday cheer. “Sammy, Sammy, Sammy! What happened to you?!”
Sam looked up from his drink and smirked. “What do you mean?”
“So serious. So brooding. Where’s the funeral, dude?”
Sam leaned his head to the side, regarding his friend. Ron was a pig, yes, but it had never really bothered him before. They’d partied hard, met some pretty cute girls and had a good time together. So it wasn’t necessarily fair that Sam felt a quick spike of disgust for his friend. Ron hadn’t changed, just like Chicago hadn’t changed. But Sam had changed, and he wasn’t sure his life would ever go back to the way it was before meeting Jenny.
Jenny. He thought of her honesty, how she always gave a straight answer, even when it cost her something to do so. Maybe it was time for Sam to try doing things her way.
“You know, Ron,” started Sam, unaccustomed to speaking seriously to his friend, “there are some girls out there that you can’t just—”
“Okay. Okay. Sorry.” Ron put his hands up in surrender, rolling his eyes. His beer arrived and he took a long draw, wiping the foam from his lip with the back of his hand. “She was quite a girl. I get it.”
How did Ron know about Jenny? Sam’s eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about?”
Ron nodded sympathetically, grimacing for Sam. “Pepper Pettway. Sex-on-a-Stick. She was one hot piece of ass. And don’t get me wrong, classy too. You actually consider the shackles for a chick like that.” He licked his finger and touched it to his other hand, making a sizzling sound. “Tssssss!”
Sam couldn’t have been more surprised. Ron thought he was missing Pepper? Wow. It made Sam’s head spin to realize how off-the-mark Ron’s assumption was. But, he had to hand it to Ron…Sam couldn’t think of a more complete prison than a marriage to Pepper. His friend had inadvertently nailed it.