No One Forgets

Jeremy lived alone in an efficiency apartment on the east side of town. He liked not having any roommates. He worked as a fork lift operator at a warehouse about twenty minutes away from his apartment. He liked his job.

After work every night he would come home and make himself something to eat, take a nap and go out to this bar around the corner from his apartment. He had a few friends at the bar who he would bullshit with about his day, or whatever was going on in sports. He would occasionally play songs on the jukebox whenever he wanted to remember some time that he was drinking to forget about.

On Thursday night, Mr. Biggly came in the bar. Jeremy had already been in his usual spot at the bar for a few hours. Mr. Biggly was not wearing his usual Denver Bronco's jacket or hat.

"Where's the Broncos shit Biggly," yelled Jeremy. Jeremy had hated the Broncos ever since they had John Elway on the team. He always taunted Biggly about his affection for the football team.

"Not today kid. I have had a rough one."

Jeremy ordered a beer for Biggly. Biggly sat next to him at the bar. Jeremy was on his sixth gin and tonic.

"So what happened to you today? You look like shit."

"Ah, my daughter. She came over to the house yelling at me about god knows what."

"Don't worry about it. But what's up with no Broncos shit? I've never seen you without something from that bullshit franchise on."

"I got my Broncos boxers on," Biggly laughed. "You want a shot?"

"You buying? You cheap ass."

"Yeah, well I got it."

Mr. Biggly and Jeremy drank and swapped stories all night. At bar close, Mr. Biggly talked Jeremy into going back to his house and finish up a bottle of vodka with him. Jeremy had to be at work in the morning, but he figured he could get away with only a few hours sleep.

Mr. Biggly drove Jeremy to his house. Coach Parr and three other fathers from the football team were sitting on Mr. Biggly's porch drinking beer.

"What's this shit," said Biggly as he got out of his car. Jeremy just sat in the car watching the inevitable unfold.

"Biggly we don't like you hanging around the practice field," said one of the fathers.

"Yeah, well what the fuck are you doing on my porch?"

"We've been waiting for you all night. We're gonna teach you a lesson. You're going to stop looking at them kids."

The men all rushed Biggly and started beating him. He tried to put up a fight, but he was too drunk.

When the men were done beating Mr. Biggly they left. Jeremy got out of the car and picked up Mr. Biggly.

"I got in a couple good hits, didn't I?"

"You did the best you could have Biggly."

Jeremy got Mr. Biggly into his house and set him in a kitchen chair.

"You still want a drink kid?"