*
Larry was exhausted but happy, very happy, he lay in the thick grass of his brother's back garden and caught his breath. Jack, his 2 year old nephew was pulling on his arm, giggling and imploring him to play some more.
"That's enough for now, Jack, Uncle Larry needs a rest so he can play with you again later. Quick! Run inside and see what mum has for you," Joe smiled and watched his son totter off at high speed.
"It's good to see you smiling again, Larry," Joe smiled, "It's been a tough year for both us, what with dad dying suddenly like that, it's two months already, whew, I still find it hard to accept that he's gone."
Larry shook the grass off his shirt. "I know, it's been hard. I thought he'd be here forever, it was such a shock to lose him so suddenly, one heart attack and that was it. Shocking. I do feel like he left us with a gift, in a round about way. He's shown me how precious this life is, how important family is, how happiness must come first, it's not something to get around to later."
"Yes, you're right, it really does put it all in perspective. Family is everything. Jack is crazy about you by the way, he's always asking when you're visiting again. He's officially your number one fan," Joe beamed as he poked Larry in the stomach.
Larry playfully punched his brother's shoulder in response. "He's great. I love playing with him, he's such a good laugh, and so good natured. He's a great kid. Actually, I don't call around here to see you anymore, I only visit to play with your boy."
Joe looked Larry in the eye. "Do you think about having kids one day or are you having too much fun on the dance floor?"
"Good question, Joe. With all that's happened recently I do think about having kids. I'm ready and I'd love to, that is, when I meet the right girl. And no, I'm not having that much fun out there on the party scene. I'm 36 already, it's just the same old thing, I've been doing it too long. There's only so many consecutive weekends you want to stay up all night on Saturday and waste Sunday recovering. Yeah, it looks like fun from the outside but I can honestly tell you I've not been on one date, these last few months where I really connected with the girl. It's all very superficial."
Joe raised his eyebrows. "So, why are you out nearly every time I phone you?"
Larry took a deep breath and sighed. "Because I've no reason to be at home. There's nothing there for me. I work, go home to change and eat, and I go out. The house is just a crash pad."
"That explains why it's such a mess," Joe laughed.
"You got that right. And to be perfectly honest, Joe. I hate being on my own. I absolutely hate it."
"You've always been like that, even when we were kids. You always wanted to be in the thick of it, at the centre of the party. Remember when you tried to hijack my birthday party one year? You couldn't help yourself." Joe laughed and punched his brother in the shoulder.
"I think you must have me confused with someone else, I would never do something like that." Larry laughed. "Hey, I've got to get going. I'll say bye to Jack and be off. I've got a hot date this evening. You never know maybe she'll be the one."
* * *
Larry moved a pile of magazines and made space on his sofa, he sat down and stared blankly at the football game on TV. He couldn't believe it. Another date, another complete disaster. Dressed from head to toe in red, tonight's date had been a handful. She hadn't stopped complaining and she kept talking about her hair. Did he like it, should she try a different color, how about cutting it short? Dating in his 30's had turned out to be much harder than he'd expected.
Larry turned to his phone. Still no reply from Sue. She must be pleased she's finally done with me. She's probably met someone else and is perfectly happy without me. Still, no harm in saying hi.
Sue put down her glass of wine and picked up on the first ring, "Hello, Larry, long time no talk, eh? How are you
Larry was exhausted but happy, very happy, he lay in the thick grass of his brother's back garden and caught his breath. Jack, his 2 year old nephew was pulling on his arm, giggling and imploring him to play some more.
"That's enough for now, Jack, Uncle Larry needs a rest so he can play with you again later. Quick! Run inside and see what mum has for you," Joe smiled and watched his son totter off at high speed.
"It's good to see you smiling again, Larry," Joe smiled, "It's been a tough year for both us, what with dad dying suddenly like that, it's two months already, whew, I still find it hard to accept that he's gone."
Larry shook the grass off his shirt. "I know, it's been hard. I thought he'd be here forever, it was such a shock to lose him so suddenly, one heart attack and that was it. Shocking. I do feel like he left us with a gift, in a round about way. He's shown me how precious this life is, how important family is, how happiness must come first, it's not something to get around to later."
"Yes, you're right, it really does put it all in perspective. Family is everything. Jack is crazy about you by the way, he's always asking when you're visiting again. He's officially your number one fan," Joe beamed as he poked Larry in the stomach.
Larry playfully punched his brother's shoulder in response. "He's great. I love playing with him, he's such a good laugh, and so good natured. He's a great kid. Actually, I don't call around here to see you anymore, I only visit to play with your boy."
Joe looked Larry in the eye. "Do you think about having kids one day or are you having too much fun on the dance floor?"
"Good question, Joe. With all that's happened recently I do think about having kids. I'm ready and I'd love to, that is, when I meet the right girl. And no, I'm not having that much fun out there on the party scene. I'm 36 already, it's just the same old thing, I've been doing it too long. There's only so many consecutive weekends you want to stay up all night on Saturday and waste Sunday recovering. Yeah, it looks like fun from the outside but I can honestly tell you I've not been on one date, these last few months where I really connected with the girl. It's all very superficial."
Joe raised his eyebrows. "So, why are you out nearly every time I phone you?"
Larry took a deep breath and sighed. "Because I've no reason to be at home. There's nothing there for me. I work, go home to change and eat, and I go out. The house is just a crash pad."
"That explains why it's such a mess," Joe laughed.
"You got that right. And to be perfectly honest, Joe. I hate being on my own. I absolutely hate it."
"You've always been like that, even when we were kids. You always wanted to be in the thick of it, at the centre of the party. Remember when you tried to hijack my birthday party one year? You couldn't help yourself." Joe laughed and punched his brother in the shoulder.
"I think you must have me confused with someone else, I would never do something like that." Larry laughed. "Hey, I've got to get going. I'll say bye to Jack and be off. I've got a hot date this evening. You never know maybe she'll be the one."
* * *
Larry moved a pile of magazines and made space on his sofa, he sat down and stared blankly at the football game on TV. He couldn't believe it. Another date, another complete disaster. Dressed from head to toe in red, tonight's date had been a handful. She hadn't stopped complaining and she kept talking about her hair. Did he like it, should she try a different color, how about cutting it short? Dating in his 30's had turned out to be much harder than he'd expected.
Larry turned to his phone. Still no reply from Sue. She must be pleased she's finally done with me. She's probably met someone else and is perfectly happy without me. Still, no harm in saying hi.
Sue put down her glass of wine and picked up on the first ring, "Hello, Larry, long time no talk, eh? How are you
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