Archive for July, 2008

So…waaay back when I was a kid…say about 18 or so…I was naive and believed that hard work and dedication (to a company) would get me ahead and make me a success. Heh…that is subject for another post…

I had a roommate at the time (he’s still my best friend)…and he believed too…

We’d been roommates a long while, and frankly put, did not do much more than work.

We’d been at it an insane amount. 12 hour shifts, 7 days a week, for months. The only break to the routine was when we worked longer shifts. Days off? What are those? Vacation? Dream on. Heh. Did I say dream? No chance of that. We’d lost the ability to dream then. It was just the work.

We were barely making it. So it was a big deal when we were both going to be off and we both had some money. Neither of us were dating at the time…women at that age and time didn’t like men who really work or are dedicated and passionate (to pretty much anything other then the women) as if the men are dedicated, then they are not paying sufficient attention to the women. Heh…subject for yet another post!

So, like I said. A big deal. We were off and we had a few bucks. We decided to see a movie (a blockbuster, probably sci-fi, don’t remember which one, not really important now) and both REALLY wanted to see it…we hadn’t been to a movie in a year at best…and then find some dinner. A real dinner…we’d been living on sandwiches and food grabbed off the truck or out of the machine at work…

Problem was, 12 hour shifts for months on end take their toll.

It was time to go to the movie. I’d dragged my fuzzy head out of bed and gotten ready, but my roommate had not. I could hear his alarm cheerily blaring from his room, but it was not enough to wake him anymore.

I stuck my head in the room, “Dude! Wake up!”

He grumbled, “Yeah…yeah. I’m up…”

Ten minutes later he was still asleep.

I kicked him on the foot.

*snort* “What!…oh yeah. I’m up.”

Ten minutes later…well…you get the idea.

But the movie…it was important…a recreational activity. We’d both sworn we’d do this.

I tried several things, stopping just short of bodily injury or massive destruction….not one of them had any real effect.

Finally, an inspiriation!

I poked my head back into his room, “Dude! You’re late for work!”

Surely that would do it.

I went back to the kitchen to get some more caffeine, grabbing a drink for him as well. It only took me about a minute.

I opened the door to his room. “What the hell?”

He was gone.

I checked the bathroom. Not there.

I looked into the driveway. His car was gone.

“Uh oh…” Just like that. Up and out in what had to be less than thirty seconds.

These were the days before cell phones…and it was at least an hour’s drive to work.

Sitting by myself watching tv, nearly three hours later I heard his car in the driveway.

He looked bewildered when he wandered in the back door. “Hey. You’re not going to believe what I just did!”

I did my best to look innocent. “What? Where’ve you been? Weren’t we going to a movie?”

“Sorry about that. I drove all the way to work. I was there before I even realized I was driving. I have no idea why. Job’s getting to me I guess.”

We made a later showing…grabbed some steaks afterwards, and spent the entire night bowling at the all night for $10 alley.

It was a good day. All work and no play…well…they kill the soul…not to put too fine a point on it. Best friends are a requirement in life.

I’ve never told him exactly why he drove to work that day…something like 20 years have gone by…

He’ll know now. He probably won’t kill me.

*raises a glass*

Here’s to best friends!

…and dude…you’re late for work!

CUAgain,
Daniel Meyer