Bad Behavior after the Trip to the Bar...

Hi friends! Happy Friday!

Here is a scene I've worked on from early on in the book, when I'm attempting to socialize with my train-wrecky neighbor J.T. at the Steak and Shake after happy hour. I hope you find it as amusing as I do! Omigosh, some people are soooo stupid!

-Jane 

***

“I have so much more potential than this,” he said. “I don’t know what I’m doing here.”

“It’s a recession, J.T. You’re stuck. Just like everyone else.”

“Speak for yourself,” he muttered.

Our food arrived and we ate in silence. I ate my bowl of chili and smiled to myself about how that might break the bank.

J.T. persisted in his dark mood. He continued to stare at the yokel as we left the booth, and just as I found myself regretting my choice to be the designated driver (and too nice to ditch him earlier), I saw something interesting after we paid the bill and started walking toward the car. He had taken off his belt and was winding it around his hand. The yokel with the snake tattoo appeared in the parking lot to stare him down some more, and they started doing some sort of pre-fight ritual that involved watching each other and walking slowly in a big circle.

Of all the times in my life I’ve been too nice and put up with bad behavior, I thought, it really should end now. What was going to happen? Some bloody parking lot fight, or police activity? I’d managed to stay out of trouble in Winterville by flying under the radar, but being associated with J.T. would definitely put me in the spotlight with local law enforcement and who knew what else.

Plus, I thought, This guy is an idiot.

I crept quietly to my car and pressed the button on my keychain to unlock it. The parking lights flashed, but the two men took little notice. I sat down in the driver’s seat, turned on the ignition, and quickly put it into reverse. 

            J.T. looked at me in a panic as if to say, Wait. I hit the power lock button and started driving.