41. He Didn’t Show
So I spent the day drinking.
Had a plan this morning. Go to The King. Patch things up with Hugh. Make it right. Shake hands.
Find out what he knows.
Picked up a Ginsters Buffet Bar from the 24-hour BP garage on the way.
Got there just after eleven. Same smell as always. Ordered a red and asked if Hugh had been in.
Barman shook his head.
Decided to wait. Picked a table by the window and ran through the script again. Keep it simple. Maybe a joke. Remind him we were friends once.
Well, we played squash and drank together.
Don’t remember what kicked off the fight. Not properly. Something he said. About her. One minute, we were drinking. The next, people were pulling us apart.
It wasn’t just the fight. It was everything underneath. The stuff we didn’t say. He was jealous of me. My success. Lisbon. The girl. Pathetic.
Finished my glass. Ordered another.
Sat there long enough to watch a couple come in, drink, laugh, argue over the jukebox, and leave.
Could’ve saved them the drama. They both like shit music.
No sign of Hugh. Ordered another. Probably for the best. I don’t need to apologise to him. Ordered another.
Could be he’s still angry. Could be he avoids the place since I started coming back. Smart little cunt.
Thought about leaving. But maybe he really does know what I did. Then we need to talk. Properly.
Ordered another.
He didn’t show. Weak. Stopped at the BP garage on the way back. Bought a four-pack of Smirnoff Ice and some dog treats.
Can’t sleep.
Think I’ll go knock on the neighbour’s door. Make friends. It’s only just gone midnight. I know the fucking dog is still up.