A World of Our Own

The Real Folk Blues

<Arthur POV>

Billy's room was eerily quiet tonight.  Usually he is playing videogames until around 3 am.  But tonight, there was silence.  Even if Billy had gone to sleep early, there would always be some sound from his room.  He always slept with something on.  Arthur approached the slightly ajar door to Billy's room and started to open it up.

"Hey!  You okay man?"

As he looked in the room it had appeared as if Billy were just sleeping.  That is, until the light from the hallway reflected off the belt buckle that Billy had used to close around the bottom of the bag.  

In a flash, Arthur rushed over to his unmoving friend.  He ripped the bag off and checked his pulse.  It was weak so he wasn't dead yet.  He started to administer CPR. 

"COME ON!!!  Stay with me damn it!  Don't die!  Don't give up!"

 Panic showed on Arthur's face as his efforts didn't work immediately.  There was no way he was gonna let his friend die, especially after Billy had saved his life just two years earlier.  Billy offered him a place to stay when he lost everything, when Arthur felt the best choice was to kill himself.  But Billy made sure he stayed alive and his life was steadily getting better.  He wasn't gonna give up on Billy like Billy had done for him.

"BREATHE DAMN IT!"

Arthur threw his arms down in frustration and grief.  His tears rolling down his face as he felt his friend was gone.  Arthur's fists wound up hitting Billy right in the gut causing Billy to spring up, the air escaping his body in a loud groan.  Billy looked at his friend with anger.  He had wanted to die.  He wanted to escape.  But he was denied.  

"Why did you save me?  I should be dead!"

"You are not dying, especially while I am here.  You are one of my best friends and I can't lose someone like you."

"Damn it Arthur!  I have to die!  34 years!  34 years of never being good enough!  Of never being told by someone that they wanted me!  That I was, of all the guys out there in the world, who they needed more than anyone!  You don't get it!  No one does!  No one could understand!  And then whenever I try!  Yeah whenever I try there's always something!  Another guy or some reason they leave!  They all do!"

"Bill, there's someone out there.  She will come when you least expect it and she will be someone perfect for you.  You wanna know how I know?"

Billy looked at Arthur in disbelief.  He hated those lines.  

"Yeah man.  How do you know this wonderful information passed down from generations."  Billy said with as much sarcasm as he could muster.

"It's because I am fat."

Billy burst out into laughter at Arthur's obvious attempt to cheer Billy up.

"Fuck you man."

"No.  I'm serious.  Fat people are the most intelligent humans on the earth.  And besides if the world floods.  Boom!  Fat people float.  So instant floatation device."

Both friends couldn't resist to laugh and laughed and joked into the morning.

The next day, Billy called out of work to take a much needed mental day.  He didn't want to deal with Melissa or any questions that may be asked from any of the coworkers that were contacted during last night's escapade. 

Billy had thought of messaging Kim.  He couldn't really explain why but it was her that gave him peace of mind.  She always was able to make him smile and laugh on the bad days and even the good days felt so much better when they talked.  Maybe she was the one he could see a life with.  Maybe she was the one who could make him truly happy.