Page 3 of Taking The Shot

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Hours later, Keith was sitting on the couch of his studio apartment staring at the television blankly as it played reruns of The Clone Wars cartoon on television – and sighed. His sandwich was half-eaten, and his Fritos untouched. He had an emergency ice cream stash in the back of his freezer and contemplated inhaling a pint – along with half a box of Lactaid, debating if it was worth it or not.

His phone pinged beside him, and he lifted it, glanced at the screen, and rolled his eyes toward the ceiling.

Boucher, at least think about it – please?

No.

It’s not just her and the kids, you know?

It’s the team.

There’s a lot riding on this.

He saw the flurry of messages and realized this was a group text thread – and sighed once again. They meant well, and they were trying to encourage him in the right direction, but the problem was that was not a road he ever intended to travel down. Was he lonely? Sure. It would be great to have someone to talk to in the evenings, but like his last girlfriend told him before he dumped her –‘You are the equivalent to a child, and you have to grow up.’

Yeah, dating wasn’t for him if that was what women were like.

Y’all mean well – and I understand – but I don’t want to get married. I don’t want to marry some woman who is hung up on her dead husband, nor do I want to raise a pair of stepkids who hate my guts. Think about it… what happens when she finds out? Hmm? How do you think she is going to handle it? The media will eat her alive for marrying me! And the kids? I don’t need to have more crap ladled onto my proverbial plate.

Oh.

Lemme think.

She might not even like you.

True.

She might hate him…

I know I’d hate seeing that ugly mug next to me if I woke up…

Truth!

What?

It’s true. Would you scream if Boucher was lying next to you in bed?

Uh, I wouldn’t.

EVER.

I’d scream.

Heck, I’d scream.

Commence sobbing.

Crying Games sobbing… it would be pathetic.

Ha ha, funny guys. Were you trying to cheer me up?

Oh, go drink your Metamucil - and just meet the woman!

She’ll be volunteering at the church, handing out food pantry donations on Wednesday night – come with me.

I’ll think about it.

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