MAD Druggist

By Frank Hozeska

Once upon a time, there was a very kind, loving, generous, and caring man who did good works. Unfortunately, the ungodly hypocrites in authority did not like his radical ways of counseling and made it very difficult for him to hold on to his livelihood. All he wanted in this unprecedented, unheard of, crazy cruel spiritual journey is for someone

• Language: English
• Publisher: Frank Hozeska Books
• Release date: May 5, 2023
• ISBN: 9781088130612

Frank Hozeska

I grew up in Burlington, Wisconsin, and I have a bachelor of science degree in pharmacy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and took pre-pharmacy courses at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. I also have a bachelor's degree in health education (K-12) from the University of Wisconsin-Lacrosse, I also played major varsity basketball at the University of Wisconsin Whitewater.After working in Wisconsin for five years, I decided to move to California for some adventure and some fun in the sun. As a hobby, I took up acting lessons and was cast in the play Italian American Reconcilation as the main character, Huey Maximilian Bonfigliano. I also did the open mike night comedy showcase in Hollywood and Los Angeles-and I tried my hand in writing screenplays. It's a good thing I kept my day job-since none of the other hobbies panned out.

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© 2023 by Frank Hozeska. All Rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

ISBN 978-1-0881-3061-2 (ebk)

Novel

Frank Hozeska Books

O

nce upon a time, there

was a very kind, loving, generous, and caring man who did good works. Unfortunately, the ungodly hypocrites in authority did not like his radical ways of counseling and made it very difficult for him to hold on to his livelihood. All he wanted in this unprecedented, unheard-of, crazy cruel spiritual journey is for someone to give him a break!

The Benediction

L

ouie was on his hands

and knees, washing one of his mother’s bathroom floors. He just graduated from pharmacy school and was living at home with his mother. He wasn’t working yet, except for all the chores his mother made him do to earn his keep. He had student loans and a car payment to pay off. He was planning on living at home for a while and helping out his mother financially with all her bills—and her yearly pilgrimage for a month in Europe—and then moving out as soon as he saved up enough money.

Then one hot summer night, Louie was driving home from a night out on the town, dancing and having fun. It was a beautiful hot summer night around 2:30 a.m. in the Midwest—so Louie had the top down on his red Mazda Miata. The breeze was blowing Louie’s long dark brown hair all over as he jammed to the songs on the radio. For some reason, the dark late-night sky was lighter and brighter than ever before. Louie gazed up at the million clusters of stars in the galaxy shining overhead as he drove down the highway. He was star struck! He decided to pull over to the side of the road to get a better look at the cosmos. He stopped the car and looked up and just admired all the stars. Then he got out of his car and was totally mesmerized by the awesome infinite galaxy of the cosmos. There were so many stars he couldn’t even begin to count.

Louie noticed that it was getting brighter in the northern skies. He thought maybe it was the northern lights; then again, why would they be this far south in the Lower Forty-Eight? He wasn’t in Alaska. Then he thought, Why is it getting lighter at two thirty in the morning in the north? The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, not the north! This doesn’t make any sense.

Louie kept focused on the northern sky, and all of a sudden, he heard this huge thunderous sonic roar, like a fleet of one hundred or more jets in the distance. For a moment, he thought the United States was under attack by the Russians. Then out of nowhere, Louie saw this huge ball of fire the size of the moon streaking overhead from north to south. Now, Louie knew why it was getting brighter in the north. He was awestruck and a bit concerned as he watched the huge, giant ball of fire with a tail a mile-long streaking overhead. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He stood there mesmerized and watched in amazement as the fireball kept on its orbit across the starry abyss and eventually out of our galaxy.

Then all of a sudden, it made a huge U-turn and headed right toward him. OMG! Louie mouthed. Louie was terrified and stoically petrified as he stood motionless in fear. His adrenaline ramped up. He looked up, and the ball of fire was getting closer and closer, and there was no place to run or hide from this enormous apocalypse. Now, Louie was fearfully star struck. As the ball of fire approached him, the seismic noise from the object was nearly ear-shattering. Louie had tremendous fear in his eyes, and he was prepared to die! He closed his eyes, and in an instant, his life flashed in front of him. He could see himself smiling and laughing as an infant and his mother holding him. He saw himself as an altar boy, with his long white and black cloak and holding a big lit candle in front of the altar, he genuflected, and another altar boy tripped over his leg and fell on the floor, and the whole church laughed. Then he saw him and his father playing catch with a baseball, shooting hoops, and delivering newspapers together in thirty degrees below zero at four thirty in the morning. He saw his father laughing and hugging his mother, and telling jokes, and having a drink with his neighbors. Then he saw his father give some money to a needy person on the street.

Then, right before the ball of fire disintegrated him and the rest of the world around him into ashes and dust, Louie cried out, Forgive me, Father! He covered his head and dropped to his knees. He knew this was his last day on earth, along with the rest of life around him. Then in an instant—poof!— the ball of fire miraculously dissipated into light all around him. Still trembling and his eyes still closed, Louie couldn’t believe he was alive and unscathed. He touched his abdomen to make sure he wasn’t dead.

Then he felt someone’s loving, tender touch grasp his right wrist. Who was it? He thought. Was it the spirit of his loving father, or was it the spirit of the Lord? He instantly let out a huge sigh of relief as the spirit helped him to his feet. He opened his eyes, and to his surprise, he did not see the desolation and destruction of the End Times. He witnessed a bright, radiant light surrounding him, with a circumference of approximately two miles. He could see the little Norwegian church atop Holy Hill in the distance, and the cross on the church steeple was lit. To Louie, it was amazing. The bright, radiant light all around him was as bright as the day in the middle of the night. Louie thought he had just witnessed a miracle—a supernatural sign from God. He could see the trees all around him. It was even bright enough to distinguish the birch and the pine trees.

Louie’s tears of fear turned into tears of joy as he looked all around in awe. What on earth just happened? He thought. What was even more amazing than the ball of fire and the radiant light surrounding him was the enormous amount of love—the infinite flow of love—pouring down on him from heaven—and a peace and security that he never felt before. Louie thought that this truly must be a benediction from heaven. What did it mean, and why him? What did God want from him, or more like, what did he do that upset God? Louie, being a religious man, had a conscience—a big conscience.

Then the circle of light gradually started to dissipate and disappeared into the abyss. Louie breathed a sigh of relief, wiped the sweat off his forehead, and stood up in wonder. He shook his head in disbelief and was mentally drained from encountering this big metaphysical, spiritual phenomenon.

Louie jumped back in his car and drove back home to tell his mother what just happened. When he got to his mother’s place, he ran upstairs to his mother’s bedroom. Ma, Ma! He shouted as he went into her room.

Mary Ellen slowly woke up, groggy. What? What? She thought she was dreaming.

Sorry to wake you, Ma. Louie was out of breath. I have to tell you something.

Tell me in the morning. Mary Ellen was confused.

You wouldn’t believe what I just witnessed! Louie was amped up from his adrenaline pumping at light speed.

What? Mary Ellen was trying hard to wake up as she pulled the covers off her head.

Louie was pacing back and forth at the end of the bed trying to make sense of everything that just happened to him. Ma! This huge ball of fire, as big as the moon, came out of nowhere from the heavens—right at me! It was unbelievable! I thought it was God’s wrath on me! I thought it was the end of the world! Louie was fired up, to say the least. I thought everything was going to vanish, and that I wouldn’t have a home to come home to! Then all of a sudden, right before the ball of fire destroyed me and everything around me into dust, I cried out, forgive me father! Then, poof!—Louie snapped his fingers—Just like that, the huge ball of fire turned into light all around me for miles. It was incredible! Then, I felt someone’s loving tender touch grab my right wrist and help me to my feet. I thought it was pa’s spirit or the spirit of the Lord! Mary Ellen wasn’t up yet, and was trying to comprehend all this. Oh, it was not! She mumbled.

Yes it was Ma! Oh, it was not!

So, anyway Ma, there I was standing in the middle of the night with a heavenly light shining all around me! I could see everything like it was the middle of the day! I even saw the Norwegian church atop Holy Hill! The cross was lit! It was spectacular!

How many beers did you have tonight, Louie? Mary Ellen was skeptical. Two, and I danced them off!

Are you sure you weren’t dreaming? Mary Ellen tried another possibility.

I wasn’t dreaming, Ma! It really happened!

OK, well, tell me the rest in the morning. I’ve got an early tee time. Go to bed!

Go to bed! I can’t go to bed! I’m too fired up! Louie meant it.

Go to bed, Louie. I’m sleeping. Mary Ellen shewed Louie away with her hand and pulled the covers back over her head.

Ma, I want to talk about it. I can’t sit still! Louie was ramped up big time.

OK, Louie, take a few deep breaths and calm down before you have another one of your famous dramatic anxiety attacks.

Louie couldn’t relax after what he just witnessed. Ma, one minute, this ball of fire was going to end the world, and the next instant—Louie snapped his fingers—poof! It turned darkness into light all around me. It was unbelievable! It was incredible and surreal! Then my whole life flashed in front of me!

Mary Ellen haplessly replied, My whole life flashed in front of me when I had you!

Louie laughed and rolled his eyes at one of his mother’s frank comments. Mary Ellen took most things literally and asked. How could your whole life flash in front of you when you still have most of your life to live?

Ma, I’m talking about my past life!

Well, you didn’t say your past life. You said your whole life. Mary Ellen still wasn’t up.

OK, whatever, Ma. Louie was annoyed.

Are you doing those funny drugs? Mary Ellen questioned Louie.

No, Ma, I’m not doing any funny drugs! If I was doing funny drugs, I’d be laughing my ass off right now, and I’m not laughing my ass off. It scared the heck out of me! Louie was still pacing. What I meant by my whole life was my life up until now. That’s what flashed in front of me! I saw Pa. We were playing catch and delivering newspapers. I saw myself as an altar boy when I was genuflecting in front of the altar and Mario tripped over me and fell on the altar floor. Remember that?

Mary Ellen chuckled. She was starting to finally be coherent. Yeah, that was funny. The whole church was laughing at you two. OK, tell me the rest in the morning. I’m tired. Go to bed!

I can’t go to bed! I’m not finished telling you about the miracle I just witnessed.

Oh, you didn’t witness a miracle, Mary Ellen assured him. Those things don’t happen anymore. They only happened in the olden days.

Ma, it was a miracle! Louie proclaimed and boasted with confidence. If it wasn’t a miracle, then none of us would be here right now!

Oh, quit exaggerating. You sound just like your father.

Ma, it was a miracle! Louie insisted and tried to convince her.

When the sun comes out in Wisconsin all day—that’s a miracle! Now go to bed already. I have to get up early and play golf with the ladies.

I can’t believe you don’t want to talk about it! I can’t sleep right now! Maybe you saw a UFO. Mary Ellen was still inquisitive to know what really happened.

No, Louie disagreed. It definitely wasn’t a UFO.

Well, then maybe you saw one of those steroids floating around out there in outer space. Mary Ellen was falling back to sleep.

Louie laughed. You mean asteroids?

Whatever you call ’um! Mary Ellen tucked herself back under the covers.

Ma, look at me, Louie demanded. Mary Ellen had already closed her eyes. It was a sign from God! A sign from heaven!

Mary Ellen opened her eyes. Oh, it was not! Yes, it was! Louie argued.

No, it wasn’t, Mary Ellen insisted. Now go to bed! Mary Ellen looked up at the cross hanging on the wall. My son is crazy, Lord.

Louie was adamant. I’m not crazy! It really was a sign from heaven! It was a benediction!

A what? Mary Ellen looked puzzled.

A benediction! A divine blessing! Louie truly believed. Oh, it was not!

Ma, the ball of fire was real, and it was intended for me.

Oh, would you cut it out, Louie! It wasn’t intended for you! You’re not that special!

Ma, it was intended for me! I’m serious!

No, you’re delirious, and quit trying to flatter yourself! People see those meteors or whatever they call them flying out of the sky all the time. It’s no big deal!

Ma, it is a big deal. It’s a real big deal! Louie tried convincing his mother. Do you know who Sir Isaac Newton is?

Yeah, he’s the guy who discovered the Fig Newton? Mary Ellen joked. Louie laughed. No, he discovered gravity!

What’s gravity got to do with it?

Louie amped down a notch and explained, When Fig Newton—Louie laughed—I mean, Sir Isaac Newton sat under the apple tree and the apple fell and hit him in the head, he didn’t think it was no big deal, like everyone else. He knew there was something else going down, like gravity!

Wasn’t that William Tell?

No, William Tell was the guy who put the apple on his head, and then someone shot it off his head with an arrow, or was he the guy who shot the arrow? I don’t know! Anyway, it wasn’t him. It was Sir Isaac Newton!

So what’s your point, Einstein?

My point is, it was an astronomical big deal! Louie spread his arms way out as far as he could reach to prove his point. There was something God was trying to tell me.

Yeah, like get a job! Mary Ellen was being facetious. That’s what he was telling you! End of story. Now go to bed.

Louie laughed. Ma, I think it was more profound than that! It was like God was telling me to do something huge!

Well, don’t get any grandiose ideas, or people will really think you’re crazy!

Ma, when I was in the light, I felt a great love surrounding me, a love that I never felt before—nothing personal, Ma—and I felt that God was telling me to trust him and fear him at the same time. It was an incredible feeling. I wish that light never went away.

Did you forget to take your meds? Mary Ellen joked. Louie chuckled. Good night, Louie. Now go to bed and forget about it.

Forget about it? I can’t forget about it. How am I supposed to forget about it? I’m never going to forget about it. It’s a part of me, and it’s going to haunt me the rest of my life!

Well, don’t dwell on it. It will drive you nuts, and don’t tell everyone what you told me, or they’ll really think you’re nuts! It was just a big happening. That’s all it was. Now go to bed!

Ma, I don’t care if everyone thinks I’m nuts! It happened, and it happened to me, and it meant something to me, believe it or not!

It didn’t mean anything. Mary Ellen tried to convince Louie so she could go to sleep.

Ma, it might not have meant anything to you, and it meant something to me!

OK, Louie, whatever works for you. Now go to bed, and remember, whatever happened to you stays with you. I don’t want everyone thinking my son’s a nutcase. Now good night! Mary Ellen scooted her head under the covers and closed her eyes.

Louie looked up at Jesus on the cross. My mother doesn’t even believe me!

Mary Ellen popped up from under the covers. I believe you, Louie. Just don’t make a big deal out of it! Good night. I have an early tee time. Mary Ellen snuggled back under the covers.

I know, you told me three times already. Thank you for your great inspiration and insight, grasshopper, Louie said sarcastically as he folded his hands in prayer and bowed. Then he looked up at Jesus on the cross again. Why me, Lord? Of all the billions of people in the world, and you throw this huge ball of fire at me! Why?

Forget about it, Louie. It was just a coincidence! Mary Ellen blurted out from under the covers.

It was more than a coincidence! Louie insisted. It was like I was on the road to Damascus!

The road to where? Mary Ellen popped her head out from under the covers.

The road to Damascus! Don’t you remember? In the Bible, Saul was surrounded by a bright, radiant light from heaven on the road to Damascus.

Who’s Saul?

Saul! He’s that guy in the Bible who persecuted the people of the way.’ You mean the Milky Way people? Mary Ellen joked.

Louie laughed. Yeah, the Milky Way people. Louie instantly changed to a serious mode. No, the Christians, Ma! Anyway, Saul was blinded by the bright, radiant light.

So are you blind? Mary Ellen asked facetiously. No, I’m not blind. I can see.

Oh, that’s good. Now go to bed!

Louie couldn’t stop talking about his cosmic encounter. Let me finish my story, Ma, and then I’ll go to bed. So then God asked Saul, ‘Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ Then Saul said—Louie scratched his head—What did Saul say? Louie was getting tired and couldn’t remember what Saul said next.

Don’t ask me! Mary Ellen said. I wasn’t there!

I know you weren’t there, Ma! I just can’t remember what Saul said. Louie was getting frustrated since he couldn’t remember.

Who cares what he said? Mary Ellen was irritated and wanted to sleep. Go to bed already!

Louie rolled his eyes. Ma, it truly was a miracle!

Oh, it was not! Mary Ellen snapped back. There you go again with one of your over exaggerated hyperbolical stories, just like your father. Quit talking and go to bed! You have to get up early and find a J-O-B!

Louie went to bed and sat up for a while, contemplating about the metaphysical, spiritual phenomenon he just witnessed. What was that all about? Louie thought. Why didn’t that asteroid destroy me or anything around me? When the Tunguska meteor event in Russia exploded above Siberia, it leveled eight hundred square miles of scorched trees! This one didn’t level nothing, not even me. God wanted it to happen that way for some reason, and what’s the reason? It’s driving me pazzo!! There’s a reason for everything. God doesn’t let things happen for nothing. I wonder if there are any remnants of treasures from the cosmos out there.

Louie turned off the light and tucked himself under the covers. Then he jumped up out of bed, got dressed, grabbed a flashlight, and drove right back to where he saw the light. He checked all around and couldn’t find anything. Oh well, he thought and drove back home and went back to bed.

The next day, Louie went to the café to meet up with Gina, his girlfriend. While he was waiting for Gina, he ran into Robert, a good friend. Robert was sitting outside on the café patio, enjoying the beautiful day and finishing up his desert. He’s beautiful Alaskan malamute, Sasha, was lying on the cement next to him in the dog-friendly café.

Hey, Louie, Robert said.

Oh, hey, Robert. What are you doing here?

Well, I just finished up my lunch, and then I’m going to go and visit a friend in need.

Oh, that’s very kind of you, Louie commented. So are you going to have lunch?

Yeah, I’m meeting Gina for lunch and a special occasion. Oh, what’s the special occasion?

I’m going to ask her to marry me.

Did you say marriage? Robert jokingly made a frightening look. Yeah! Louie laughed. You look scared!

Robert smiled and informed Louie of the challenges. What do you want to get married for? All you get is a nagging wife, screaming kids, in-laws you can’t stand, never having any money in your wallet, always answering to someone, and never having any privacy. Must I go on?

Louie laughed. Well, maybe I don’t want to be a lonely man for the rest of my life like you.

Who said I’m lonely? Robert always had an answer for everything. I’m not lonely. I’ve got all my friends and Sasha! Well, I’ll talk to you later, Louie. I have to go help my friend in need.

Ok. Louie said.

Then Gina walked into the café. Gina was the nurse slash pilot slash equestrian slash sailor slash everything whom Louie adored and was dating for over a year. So did you find a job yet, Louie?

No, not yet! Although, I did I survive a huge ball of fire as big as the moon that God threw right at me and almost turned me into dust with the rest of the world.

What? Gina scrunched up her face. What were you smoking?

Louie laughed. I wasn’t smoking anything! There really was a huge ball of fire from the heavens streaking right at me last night! Louie told her the story. That’s what happened!

Gina responded, It sounds to me like you saw a meteor that burned up right when it hit the earth’s atmosphere.

How do you know, Galileo? Louie said sarcastically.

I’m just saying, Gina said. I do know something about astrology. I think that’s called astronomy? Louie said.

Astrology, astronomy, whatever! It’s all the same stuff!

I think you’re right, Louie agreed. I believe it was a meteor—with a message!

Oh, it was not! Gina disagreed.

That’s exactly what my mother said. Louie smiled. It was just a meteor, Louie.

So you don’t believe there was some kind of hidden message or anything supernatural about it?

No! Gina flat out and emphatically told Louie. So you don’t think it meant anything?

No! Gina shook her head. Even though Gina didn’t believe in any message from above, she still wasn’t 110 percent sure that it wasn’t a sign from God. She was still inquisitive and wanted to know more about the big happening. OK, Louie, let’s just say hypothetically that it was a meteor with a message from God. What do you think the message meant?

I don’t know. Louie shrugged. It could have meant a lot of things. At first I thought it was the end of the world, the End Times, the apocalypse, WWIII, until it turned into light all around me. Then I thought it was a miracle and a warning from God.

Well, there’s you go! There’s your answer. It was a warning from God! What kind of warning? Louie asked.

"I don’t know, and don’t strain your alla’s searching for the answer. It will drive you nuts!" Gina and Louie laughed.

You know, sometimes I think after witnessing that big unheard-of happening, I believe God wants me to do something big and unheard of, like some big unheard-of happening or something!

Oh, cut it out, Louie. Quit thinking so much. You think too much! You sound like Chicken Little. Gina acted out Chicken Little. The sky is falling! The sky is falling!

Louie laughed and joked. ‘I’m not Chicken Little. I’m a little chicken! To tell you the truth, Gina, I really don’t know what to think of it. It’s driving me pazzo!"

"Well, quit trying to figure it out and forget about it, it will drive you mad!

Maybe God is mad at you!"

Why would he be mad at me? I think I have a pretty good relationship with him, except the time when I had a fling with a married woman who insisted she had an open marriage. Louie made the sign of the cross and looked up. Forgive me, Father, that won’t happen again. I learned my lesson—Thank god!

Gina thought of another possibility. Maybe God thinks you’re lazy for not getting a job right away and living with your mother.

What? What do you mean lazy? I just spent the last ten years in college studying full time and working part time. My brain is fried! Give me a break! I need a break from the rat race, before I snap and go mad! Louie grabbed his hair and pulled it pretended he was mad.

You’ve already been on vacation for the last two weeks, and you’re probably driving your mother nuts!

Gina, FYI, I wash the kitchen floors, clean the bathrooms, buy the groceries, cut the lawn, wash the windows, wash the dishes, vacuum, and even painted the cement porch. Must I go on? Besides, I’ve sent out a million applications and had a few interviews already.

Did you get an offer letters yet? No.

Well, then you need to send out a million more. Otherwise, God might throw another ball of fire at you. And this time—you might not be so lucky.

I’m lucky I met you. Louie smiled. I mean, you’re the perfect girl for me. You’re smart and attractive, you make me laugh, and we have always have a lot of fun together.

Yeah, we do, Gina said.

Remember the time that you danced in my big shoes? Louie reminisced. That was hilarious. I couldn’t stop laughing. That’s when I fell in love with you. Then, there was the time that we played tennis on that hot, muggy day, and you played topless!

Oh yeah, Gina laughed. That was crazy!

Yeah, and then that Cessna flew right over the tennis court to get a better look at you.

Oh yeah, that was a classic. Gina laughed.

You really cracked me up Gina with all the crazy things you do.

How about the time I took you for an airplane ride and did all those loop-the-loops? That was fun.

Oh yeah, real fun, Louie said. I turned green and threw up in the back seat! Gina laughed. We had a lot of fun together. Louie smiled. Then he got serious. So, Gina, I know you’re moving to Michigan for your new job, and I want to know. Louie opened his hand, and there was a cheap tiny fake diamond ring. Will you marry me?

Gina hesitated and looked bewildered and was lost for words. Louie sensed Gina wasn’t expecting a ring, and he felt uneasy with Gina’s pause and was getting nervous. Louie wasn’t expecting any hesitation at all. What’s going on? He thought.

Then Gina blatantly flat out told him, Louie, I can’t marry you.

What? Louie was hurt and stunned, and then he joked to save face. Was I that bad in bed?

Gina laughed, No! Heck no! You rocked my world!

Oh, that’s good to know. Then what’s the reason? Louie felt sick. He thought for sure he was going to spend the rest of his life with her.

I’m engaged. Gina poured more salt on Louie’s wounded heart and then she reached into her purse and pulled out a huge 5 carat diamond ring and showed Louie. What the freak? Louie was shocked.

What? Louie was overwhelmed with sadness. How can you be engaged? We’ve been going out for over a year!

I was engaged before I met you. Gina set Louie straight. Louie’s head dropped.

Then the waitress walked over to the table. Does anyone need anything? Yea, a referee! Louie perked up to hide his sadness. The waitress laughed. We’re good. Louie said.

OK, just call me if you need me, The waitress said. OK, what’s your phone number? Louie joked.

The waitress laughed. Sorry, I’m seeing someone.

I’m joking, Louie said.

I’ll be back. The waitress walked away.

Louie turned towards Gina. So who are you engaged to? I can’t believe I’m even asking you this.

To a doctor.

Oh, you didn’t like my drugs? Louie joked sarcastically again to stay afloat. Then he grabbed his forehead and put his head down. He shook his head in disbelief. Then he gathered some emotional strength and raised his head. You really broke my heart, Gina. Louie fought back the tears.

I’m sorry, Louie. You’re a nice guy, and we always had a lot fun together, and you’re a great dancer. Except!

Except what? Louie looked at Gina with sad, puppy dog eyes. I can’t wait to hear this! Louie said sarcastically.

Then Gina’s true colors blossomed. Except nice, isn’t the only thing in life!

What? I can’t believe you said that, Gina. I really didn’t think anything else matters except for the fact that we always had fun together and always made each other laugh. Louie was distraught. He thought he was dreaming. I can’t believe this is happening to me. It seems so surreal. This shouldn’t be happening! Louie was dazed and confused. I really thought we were going to spend the rest of our lives together, laughing and having fun the rest of our lives!

I never thought that, Gina said. Never? Louie was shocked.

No, never, Gina said nonchalantly.

Not even once? Louie was hoping for some kind of meaningful connection.

I always thought we were just good friends. Gina wasn’t afraid to tell Louie the truth.

Good friends? Louie was overwhelmed.

Yeah, real good friends, like good buddies, Gina said.

Louie just shook his head in disbelief. We were more than friends and good buddies, Louie proclaimed. Right now, I feel like the biggest fool in the world.

Well, you know how that song goes. Everybody plays the fool sometimes. Louie couldn’t believe Gina was so unemotional and numb about breaking up with him. Gina apologized. I’m sorry I hurt you, Louie. I didn’t want to hurt you. I just have to do what’s best for me right now.

Why did you even bother going out with me if you were engaged to what’s his dirty name? Louie snapped.

Gina chuckled. Well, you’re here, and I’m here, and he lives in Michigan. Besides you’re a lot of fun. I would have married you if I wasn’t engaged to him.

Oh gee thanks, so I get the consolation prize. That’s very thoughtful of you. Louie sadly joked. So how did you see him when you were seeing me?

Well, remember all the times I went to Michigan to visit my relatives at the cottage?

Yeah. Louie knew what was coming next.

Well, I wasn’t really visiting my relatives. I was seeing ‘what’s his name.’

Louie grudgingly laughed. You’re sneaky Gina, really sneaky. No wonder you never said you loved me.

I’m sorry I hurt you, Louie.

You didn’t hurt me, Gina. You ripped my heart out!

Then the waitress walked up to the table. Would anyone care for dessert? Louie blurted out before Gina could say anything, I would love some! In fact, I’ll have a triple scoop of chocolate fudge ice cream with a ton of chocolate syrup please! If you don’t mind, I’m going to over dose on some chocolate right now! Louie forced a smile. Gina and the waitress laughed. OK. Would you care for any?" the waitress asked Gina.

No, I’m good, thank you.

OK, I’ll be right back. The waitress walked to the kitchen.

Louie looked at the ring. So what am I going to do with this? I might as well just throw it away.

"Don’t throw it away! You might need it again someday. Well, I hate to eat and run, Louie. I’ve got to go. Thanks for the fun times. Sorry