LOVE: EVERYTHING OR NOTHING

The bar was packed as usual on a Saturday night. It was the place to be, whether on a date, looking to make new friends, or just unwind after a long week. The Brownstead Brewery always felt like a welcome to place to anyone. However on this particular night, Keith didn't want to feel welcomed, didn't want to feel happy. He just wanted to get his mind off of things and relax. He knew the bar would be busy with lots of people having a good time, getting drunk, unwinding from whatever was going on in their lives. Keith just wanted to feel like everything would work out and hope he would not feel pain anymore.

Every once in a while he would stop and look around from his bar stool and see what was going on around him. He liked to watch people and see how they interacted. He could usually tell within a few minutes the purpose of why a group were there. He looks over at a group of people at the other end of the L-shaped bar and studies them. He believes they are engaged in a double date. One couple seems to be very comfortable with each other and the other aren't sitting that close to each other. The guy looks rather nervous around the woman and he can't blame him. The woman is easy an eight on the attractive scale while the guy looks more like a five. He keeps looking at them while sipping his craft draft beer hoping the guy finds a way to show some confidence, but nothing seems to happen after ten minutes. He decides to look over his shoulder and see if anything else more interesting is going on but everyone is just mingling, nothing special happening.

He turns back looking at his beer and takes a long sip of it. "Why did I come here?" he whispers to himself looking at his mostly empty beer glass.

"Would you like another or do you want water?" the bartender asks.

"Just water for now Andy," Keith says in a depressed voice.

"You need to stop beating yourself up Keith. It's been nearly a month since what happened between you and Jillian." Andy gives Keith his glass of water. "I miss seeing you happy."

Keith shakes his head. "You know it is not that simple for me to stop beating myself up. I've tried distracting myself in so many ways but...the thoughts just keep returning and they won't leave me alone."

"Then we are going to play basketball at the courts tomorrow."

Keith looks up to see Andy staring at him. "Thanks for the invite, but I..."

"That wasn't an invite. I'll see you there tomorrow at two or I'll be banging on your door until you come out."

Keith couldn't help but laugh knowing Andy would not take no for an answer. "You might be a great friend, but tomorrow I'm gonna take out all my anger out on you."