THE WRONG RUB

 

This is going to rub some of you wrong, so in advance, I apologize. Fretting is over, I won’t allow it. Times come to face up to my liabilities.

Many of them were my friends…or so I thought, and with time you realize they are dwindling down to a few…or, until, they dump you, and you don’t know yet, I guess that’s my scenario, more times than not. Dumped.

(he rants)

        It’s hot.  Anybody hot? Gees, it’s stifling in here!

   

(…then back to ‘normal’)

That does not, however, come between me and my job, My job is, my Job! Where were we? What was the topic?…I’ll pick it up from there. Clue me in. Wait, I know, “Where was I the night she died?”

(There was a long pause, He stirred back and forth, and grew agitated.)

I don’t have to account for anything. I do not know this person, and she, is not known to me! And I can understand the confusion but …wait…Paige Kent? Is this about Paige Kent?

Oh lord, not Paige…..

(pauses)

It’s a real shame. She was one of those ‘discarded friends’ I ‘portended’ previously, about Paige. Hadn’t seen her in ten months, and ‘lost’ her Face page a couple of months after that. Not exactly a saint, if you prefer sinners. Poor baby.

(he rants)

IS IT HOT? IT’S HOT! Goddamn I’m bein’ cooked alive, I swear!

(…then back…)

Can we close this deal so I can get some air?

Paige was a delightful girl. She was beautiful and intelligent …and worldly, in a mannered way. She was never ‘involved', unless you want to charge her for the ‘one time’. You know…the time. But that was a time when everything was so fucking illegal. War On Crime, my ass. But I can tell from the looks on your faces, that you have no idea of what I speak, so…forget it, For-Get-It!

You might want to get me sober before any more questions…I don’t make much sense  to myself. I’m taking the drunk defense. Let me sleep it off and I’ll talk tomorrow, or, pursue legal counsel. If I had to speak tonight I’d say I was guilty, but I do not offer that up as the Truth. Therefore, I have no choice, but to recant.

Forgot what I said. Can you read the transcript back to me?

V