Helping Out a Friend
The bear who tended bar caught Dav as he was leaving the expo aisle to get his things from the office and head home. "Boss, I might have a small problem." Dav stifled a sigh. For once this week he was so sure he would get out of here before they actually closed. But this was what he asked for when he opened his own place. "Ok, Fal. Is Evra going to be good out there without you for a few minutes?" "Should be. We're down to just a couple people left out there." "Come back to the office and tell me what going on." They got to the office, shut the door and each sat in one of the chairs facing each other. "Well, this guy at the bar...I think we kind of screwed up." Fal seemed both embarrassed and a little scared. "Start at the beginning and spell it out for me. I can tell you're worried you screwed up. Go ahead and tell me what happened. And remember, you'll be in less trouble for admitting you did something wrong than if I find out you're lying to me." Fal took a deep breath. "Well, this guy, the tan wolf at the end of the bar came in about an hour and a half ago saying he was going to be meeting someone here. I served him a drink and started a tab for him. A bit later I looked over, saw his drink empty and asked if he wanted another. He said sure so I gave it to him. In all I've served him four." "Four drinks in an hour and a half may be a little faster than average, but it's not terrible. Does he seem like he's in bad shape?" "It seemed like the last one hit him really hard, so I was planning to get him a glass of water, offer him something to eat, you know, stop the alcohol and delay his leaving for a while, the usual stuff. Went to tell Evra and she told me she had done the exact same thing. She didn't realize he already had a tab started with me and had started one herself. Turns out between us we've served him over half a bottle of whisky in about 90 minutes. He's not actually asking for anything right now and he's not causing a scene of any kind. If anything he seems kind of...sad.""I appreciate you coming to me and being honest. We'll all be sitting down later to figure out a system so this never happens again. I'll come out, talk to him and handle it from here." "Thanks, boss. We're both really sorry. We know we screwed up." "It is a pretty big mistake, but you've handled this situation exactly how I would have wanted. Apart from the whole seven or eight drinks in 90 minutes...Now get back out there and help Evra get everything finished up." Dav came out and walked over to the bar. He did a double take when he realized that the "tan wolf" was his neighbor Ris. "Ris? What's going on?" Ris slowly turned his head and gave Dav a wobbly look. His ears and tail drooped in embarrassment. "Uh, hi. I'm really sorry. I kind of guessed I might be getting a 'manager visit' when the bartender left. Please, don't get mad at them. Let me settle up the tab and I'll head home. Don't worry--I know I've had too much. I'll call a taxi.""Actually, I was just about to head home. Go ahead and settle up and I'll give you a ride.""You really don't have to.""I know I don't. But you are a friend in need, and I always help a friend in need. Besides, you kind of look like you could use someone to talk to.""OK. Thanks a bunch, mate."Ris fumbled a credit card out of his wallet and dropped it on the bar. Fal glanced at Dav, who nodded at the bear as a signal that everything was going to be OK and to go ahead and close him out. He came back over with the card, slip and a pen. Ris managed to scrawl a tip and something that might have been his signature and got his card back into his wallet. The dingo stood up and as he wavered a bit, Dav put an arm around his shoulder to help steady him, then led him out to his car in the parking lot. Dav helped Ris into the passenger seat then walked around to the driver's side and got in himself. He turned the key enough to roll down the windows a bit but didn't start the car just yet.Ris broke the silence."I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to come to your place and get off my face like that. Won't blame you if you ask me to never come back. And again, please don't be too hard on the bartenders. I know I should have stopped ordering at least four drinks before I did.""One, don't worry about them. We'll be having a talk about what went wrong, but they honestly aren't in much trouble. Once they realized their mistake they did exactly what I have asked them to do. Second, I stopped being the manager the moment we walked across the threshold. If I was going to ask you not to come back it would have been
while we were still inside. Now I am truly just a friend helping a friend. Let's get you home. You seem upset about something more than just this and as a friend I'm more than willing to listen if you want to talk. But if you don't, that's OK too.""OK. Thanks, mate."With that Ris lapsed into silence. Dav waited an extra moment then started the car and pulled out of the parking lot to head home. Every couple minutes Dav's ears would twitch briefly as Ris would draw in breath as though he were about to speak, but then let it out with a sigh. Finally after the third time Ris finally spoke."I'm really sorry if I caused you any embarrassment tonight. I met someone on a local dating site and we agreed to meet for a date tonight. They asked for an idea of where to get together, and being so new around here the only place that came to mind was yours so I suggested it. It was going to be my first date since my breakup and I was pretty nervous so when I arrived a little early I had a drink to try to settle myself down. When they were late I got even more nervous and had another. Once I realized I was being stood up my nervous drinking turned to depression drinking and you pretty much know the rest of the story. Except for you and Inci, I don't know anyone around here to speak of, was so excited to meet someone new and when they pulled the no-show I just got too much into my own head. Did they take one look at me and decide I wasn't worth it? Was our conversation online just a joke to them? I just got feeling a little worthless. I was actually a little surprised you admitted knowing me with the sorry state I was in." This all came out in a sort of jumble, each word right on top of the previous one."Nonsense. We may have only known each other a couple weeks, but I consider you a friend. For a long time I have chosen to never be embarrassed about who I choose to call a friend and that isn't going to stop now. Once I decide someone is a friend I will stand by them and help them even when they make mistakes. Make a mistake, accept it, admit it, learn from it, and move on."With that, Dav parked the car at the curb in front of Ris's house. He looked over at the dingo and saw him staring back with a dazed look in his eyes."Come on, let's get you inside."Dav got out circled the car and opened the passenger door. He grasped Ris by the forearm and helped pull him out of the car. Dav guided him up the walk to the front door, waited for him to fumble the keys from his pocket and helped him unlock the door. "Couch or bedroom?""Bedroom, please."Ris was barely able to pick his feet off the floor as they navigated through the living room and down the hall."Are you going to be all right?" Dav sounded a little worried. "Do you need me to stick around for a while?""No. I'll be fine after I sleep this off. Wouldn't even be this bad off if I hadn't skipped lunch. Or had gotten a decent night's sleep last night."They reached the bedroom and as Dav let go of Ris to let him fall on the bed, Ris spun and grabbed Dav in a tight hug."Thanks a lot, mate," Ris croaked in his ear. "Thanks for listening to my sob story. Thanks for not judging. And thanks for being probably the best friend I've ever had in my life."Ris dropped on to the bed and within a minute was snoring lightly. Dav waited a couple minutes to be sure Ris would truly be OK, turned out the light and headed home.