A little tale 'we have to talk' and regret.
Sunday, March 17, 2047
It was a few minutes after midnight. Tom Calvert was in Dublin on a business trip, dressed in an expensive suit, he had the air of a very rich man complete with the gold Rolex. He sat with a sad expression despite a faux smile.
The bartender came up to him and said, "Last call. We close in twenty-five minutes."
Tom nodded with a feigned smile.
The bartender asked, "What is the matter?"
Tom looked at the name badge on the bartender that said, 'Patrick.' and half laughed, "The ultimate Irish name, 'Patrick.' Nothing except my whole life is a waste.
Patrick was skeptical, "What do ya mean?'" he said in the stereotypical Irish accent.
Tom said, "Just that. My whole life. A waste."
Patrick looked him up and down, "You are obviously very wealthy. I rather doubt your life is a waste."
Tom said, "I run a clothing company for my father-in-law but as sure as I am sitting here, my life is a waste."
Patrick said, "Regret is the most expensive thing there is. I know three things. The first is, I'm the best bartender there is and that makes me the best listener. The second is, that you are a wealthy man and that makes you the best tipper. Three is, you are the last man in the bar so we have some time to hear your tale."
Tom laughed, Patrick had a relaxing air about him.
Tom said, "I am indeed wealthy and everyone thinks that is the best thing there is. What if I told you I have walked a terrible road. I hurt someone I should never have hurt. I am married to a woman who broke my heart, then turned me into every bit the cheating piece of shit that she is and Im stuck in a marriage I cannot escape. I have two sons that are sons of bitches that I never raised. I make do with mistresses and one-night stands. I would trade it all in a second if I could."
Patrick nodded, "So you are rich and you have mistresses. Sounds typical for a wealthy man."
Tom nodded, "I am typical I guess. I had a model in my motel room last night for one night. On the ten scale, she was an eleven."
He shook his head, "It's not worth it."
Patrick nodded, "So. Let's go back to the beginning. You said you would trade it and it sounds like it all started when you hurt someone you should not have."
Tom nodded, "Her name is Allie. Well was. Her abusive husband slapped her a year ago. When he did, she fell down the stairs and broke her neck. That is my fault too."
Patrick shook his head and said, "If you didn't do the slapping then you didn't kill her."
Tom said, "It was my fault. You see. About a year ago, I saw her in the checkout line at Walmart and we got to talking. We caught up and decided to go across the street to the mall food court and have an iced tea to catch up. We reminisced and I apologized for what I did to her all those years ago. She smiled and then said something that floored me. It was painful to her all those years later but she absolutely floored me. When I betrayed her by not believing her and going with my current wife, she told me... that... wow here comes the regret... I was the only man she ever truly loved. She was head over heels in love with me and was going to give me her virginity right after prom the week after. Full out she was on the pill and wanted to give herself to me in bareback sex in a hotel room. She had it all planned out. We had been going out for three years, her parents knew about it and even blessed it by booking a room for us at Motel 6."
Patrick nodded and said, "There is more to the story I can tell."
Tom said, "That last little bit came out as a huge guy was standing behind us. I did not know it but that was her abusive monster of a husband. Upon finishing that last sentence, the sasquatch man said in... what I can only describe as an evil voice said, 'Allie. You need to come home.' She paled, nodded, and walked away without a word. She died that night. I got word from the thirtieth high school reunion committee a month ago."
Patrick winced.
Tom shook his head, "I ruined two lives."
Patrick shook his head, "You did not slap her."
Tom said, "True, but she met and married the monster right after graduation. Had we stayed together, even a few months more, even if we did not eventually marry, she would not have had that rebound relationship with him and married him. She endured twenty-nine years of that abuse! Had we not broken up, she was headed to Martins University on a full scholarship for art and her life would have been completely different! IT'S ALL MY FAULT!!!"
Patrick said, "Back up. Start at the beginning. I still don't think it is your fault."
Tom thought back...
Monday, April 24, 2017
Tom arrived at school and looked for his girlfriend Allie. Brittany the head cheerleader was at his locker. She sympathetically looked at him and said, "I'm sorry to tell you, but Allie is over in D hall. She is with my ex, Chad, making out with him."
Tom almost ran to D hall and saw Allie with Chad. He saw the end of a kiss between Chad and Allie as he came up behind them and startled them. Allie jumped and Tom took it as an admission of guilt. His world crashed down, his girlfriend was not only cheating, she was cheating with Chad, the smarmy know it all. He looked at her in rage then stormed off after saying, "Cheating slut!"
Allie ran after him saying, "It's not what it looks like! Tom!? Tom!!!???"
Allie collapsed in a heap on the floor as Tom walked briskly away.
Tom went back to his locker, Brittany was waiting and said, "Told you. Sorry about that but I figured that you should know that my ex-boyfriend was going behind your back with your girl... Anyway, Prom is coming, I'm not with Chad anymore and I'm available now..."
Tom looked up at the beautiful blonde and built Brittany and asked, "Really?"
Brittany nodded enthusiastically.
Tom was broken but could not believe his luck, this amazingly beautiful young woman wanted to go to prom with him. He nodded enthusiastically. For a man with a broken heart, he sure bounced back fast.
Tuesday, April 25, 2017
Before class that morning, Allie came up to Tom and said, "Tom! Please listen. Chad came up to me and asked me about art class. We were talking for a minute then he just started kissing me hard. I didn't kiss back. He just invited himself to kiss me. I didn't consent."
Tom looked into her eyes and saw the truth, but he thought about the sheer improbability of her story and said, "Wow. You are the world's best liar. I never want to see your cheating face again! Whore!"
Tom stormed off and Allie collapsed in a heap as her heart broke a second time.
Saturday, April 29, 2017
Brittany called Tom's cell at nine that morning, "Tom! Hey, my dad wants to meet you! I told him all about you and that you are taking me to prom!"
Tom sighed, "Really? Already?"
Brittany was enthusiastic, "Yes! He is very anxious!"
Tom sighed, "Fine. I guess since we are going to prom together."
Brittany said, "Great! Dress decently. Daddy hates slobs. The address is 16 Windsor Court."
Tom put on his khakis and the red shirt that he wore for his part-time job at Target. It was the best he could do without notice.
It was an unusually nice warm spring day already in the low 70s with beautiful sun. Tom put the address into his phone and saw where it was. At the far north end where all the mansions were. His family's tiny house was his grandparents' home that his father had inherited before the town became the upscale Suburb it was then. His nervousness only increased when the entry to Windsor Court was guarded by a gate. When he got up to the gate he nervously said, "Uh. I'm Tom Calvert going to see Mr. Randolph. The man at the gate gave only half a second to nod before pressing the button to let his car through.
Tom felt out of his element as he passed half a dozen huge mansions. These were the real deal with outbuildings and garages for a dozen autos. Upon arriving at the house, he drove up and Brittany was waiting at the door with a beautiful smile.
Brittany was at his car door as he got out and she gave him a hot and slightly wet kiss. She smiled, "Better get used to those... and more."
Brittany led him through the front door, past three different living rooms or something that looked like them to one in the back that led to a huge pool and pool deck. On the far side was a pool house almost as large as the house he lived in.
Brittany beamed as she walked up to the table and introduced him to a man in his early forties. He was good enough looking that even being straight, he knew her father was good-looking. Next to him was a woman with somewhat faded beauty. She was elegant and looked properly younger than she was after her first facelift.
Brittany beamed, "Daddy! Mom. This is Tom, my date for Prom."
The man appraised him up and down then his face changed to a smile.
Tom said, "Uh. Hi Mr. and Mrs. Randolph."
The man scoffed, "Call me Jim and this is my wife Helen. I loathe being called 'mister' anything."
Tom said, "Um. Okay. Uh Jim."
Jim smiled and said, "Relax. Brittany likes you so I like you until you prove otherwise. I like most people she likes, except Chad. Reminds me of Eddie Haskel from Leave It to Beaver. Smarmy and only half as smart as he thinks he is. I'll be my usual blunt self. What is your class rank? My daughter says you are very intelligent and hard-working."
Tom said, "Eight."
Jim nodded, "Excellent! Number eight of over twelve hundred. You are every bit as smart as my daughter says you are. Sit! What does your dad do?"
Tom said, "He drives a truck."
Jim nodded and smiled, "Honest work for an honest man working. I like it. McGoverns Trucking is a great company."
Tom said, "I did not say where he worked."
Jim said, "I need to be careful who dates my daughter."