My Friend

I was driving home. The snow made the trip treacherous as my car took an unexpected slide into the next lane.



“Shit’ I muttered as I struggled to keep the car in the ruts forged into the roadway.



“Where did you learn to drive?”



“Oh fuck off !” I shot back. ‘Why are you always the critic? I never see you offering to drive in these fucked up conditions.”



The silence after my retort was soothing to my ears. Too often I hear the critics who never offer to help.”



“Why must you always be so pissed off at me?” said my …er friend. “I only want to help you.”



“Help my ass. Do you call what we did the other night help?! I am still in the dog house because of that.”



“You had fun at the time.’



Yeah right!” I retorted.



“Stop at the bank and take out some money.” Said my friend.



“What money?” I shot back. Sometimes this guy has lots of nerve. He’s my best friend but what nerve.



“Trust me. Just go to an automated teller and there will be money there for you.”



“Just to prove you wrong, cause you cleaned me out the other night, I will try to do just that.” I pulled up to the bank went to the teller machine. I pushed the buttons listening to the beeping as I asked the machine to withdraw five hundred dollars that was not in my account. I glanced back as the door to the bank opened. I could feel anxious feet shuffling back and forth behind me as the machine spit out five hundred dollars worth of twenty dollar bills. “Holy Shit” I muttered. “That’s impossible.”



I told you so.” Said my friend.



I glanced over at him then to the wide eyes staring at me from behind. The woman behind me was staring as though she was looking at some sideshow freak. She gulped then nervously broke any eye contact as she politely waited to take her turn in front of the bank machine.



I moved past her slowly counting the gift that fell into my hands…at least I thought it was a gift. My head was screaming put it back but my friend was urging me to run. So I ran. We left the bank and jumped into my car started the engine and sped away.



“Off too the pub” screamed my friend with hysterical laughter.



“You’re going to kill me man.” I shot at him.



“I just might.” He said calmly back. He was silent for a moment then said; “ Just think…God’s really mad at you now.” I looked over to where he was sitting…but again there was an empty seat.



Again he left me alone. Some friend.





I pulled into my parking space at 3:00 am. The five hundred dollars gone and hardly able to walk let alone drive.



“Good decisions my friend.” He said to me. How the fuck does he do that. I stopped and with a wobbly head tried to focus on his nothingness.



“God is very mad at you.”



And I went blank.