Between The Yees And The Haws

Ar Yan

Name: Ar Yan
Age: 30
Occupation: Town Drunk
Created By/Modeled After: Aryan Chhabra

   The days tick by. Time ticks by. And Ar is getting nowhere. This isn't what he wants. Is this really what he's become?

You poor, drunk bastard. He thought. Is this really all there is to you? Liquor, liquor, and more liquor? You sad, sad bastard.

   He didn't move. He just stayed there, lying on his bed. He sighed. It was getting late. He was normally at the bar by this time. But today was different. He wondered if Moonshine noticed he was gone. Probably not. No one cares about you, you sad fuck.

No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't seem to bring himself out of bed. He knew Vanilla was at the bar, so he couldn't go and talk to her. She was his neighbor, and he would occasionally go to her house in the mornings for coffee or tea. They didn't even consider each other "friends", just companions to spend mornings with. Mornings and nights are the most lonely. Still, Ar Yan someone to confide in on a closer level of a relationship. Of course, that's why he liked Moonshine so much. Bartenders are great listeners, and Moonshine seemed to care about Ar's well-being.

Still, Ar wanted something more than just a bartender to listen to him. Someone to help him in day to day life. He wanted to go find that person, get out of this town, but he had nowhere to go. In this town, all he was known as was the town drunk. But another place would grant him a clean slate.

Just get up, for God's sake. He told himself. What good is it doin' ya if ya just stay in bed all evening, you miserable sack of shit?

   With a bunch of resistance from his body, he forces himself to sit up. He thought about Moonshine, and how he hoped he was at least thinking of him. Wondering where he was. Was it bad to say that he hoped the bartender was worried about him?

He made himself presentable, deciding to go out tonight after all. Maybe not to the bar. Maybe he would do something different tonight. Something better for him.

He walked by the old church next to his house. Even though he's lived in Buckleton for years, he's never once gotten curious and actually gone inside. Hardly even a church at this point, anyways. Just some crazy old dude who used to be the preacher a few decades back, now living in this abandoned building. His name was Willy something.

Are you really that lonely? Ar Yan asked himself. Are you really about to do this shit?

"Hey, Willy!" Ar Yan called into the empty church. The big double doors were always left open, which couldn't be good for the old guy. "WILLY!" Ar yelled again.

"Who's there? Ya ain't got no weapons on ya, do ya?" He heard a man's voice call from inside the church.

"No I...I don't think so? I was just wondering if I could come in. Just to visit with ya." Ar said politely. A head poked out from one of the pews.

"A visitor? You fuckin' with me?" Willy's eyes were wide and he had trouble hiding his excitement.

"Felt like you needed someone to talk to. I...I need someone to talk to."

"I'm great for talkin' to! It's what I do, what I used to at least! Come in, boy! Come in!" Willy frantically hopped over the pews to greet Ar Yan. Willy shook his hand.

"Willy Horsefucker. Great to make yer acquaintance!" He smiled brightly. Ar Yan couldn't help but feel slightly uneasy at the man's crazed look in his eyes. He let out a small chuckle.

"Horsefucker?"

"It's a family name."

"Got it. I'm Ar. Ar Yan." Ar continued to shake the man's hand. "I live close to you."

"Yes, you're the man who lives next to that darlin' blonde girl! Shame she's Jewish. Damn Jews ruin everything."

"Isn't that...pretty anti-semitic?"

"Just let it go there. I'll get in trouble, not you."

"Fair enough."

"So what's been on your mind? Why'd you come see a crazy old kook like me?"

"To be honest, I don't know." Ar sighed. "I've just been in the middle of a crisis. I mean, ain't we all?"

"I think I've had my fair share of 'em. Should be done with 'em by now. But I know where you're comin' from, boy." Willy's eyes went from crazed to sympathetic.

"It's just...what does Buckleton have to offer me? It's not like I'm the town sweetheart. No one even sees me as a man with feelings, with emotion. Just as the fella who has both a destroyed heart and a destroyed liver."

"Oh...I thought I did recognize you. You're the drunk. The one who comes home real late. I hear ya sometimes."

"That...yeah, that's me. I want to be something more than that." Ar explained. He didn't really understand why he was explaining all of this to the crazy man who would forget who Ar was in an hour or so. Still, it was comforting to finally have someone to listen to him.

Ar Yan spent some time just telling Willy all about his fears and past experiences, what made him the way he was. He was expecting Willy to say something crazy, or to constantly interrupt him. But Willy just nodded along, occasionally giving him a pat on the shoulder when things got extra heavy.

Ar realized he had spent too much time there and the sky was almost pitch black by the time he and Willy said their goodbyes.

"Be sure to visit again, boy!" Willy waved. Ar Yan felt bad for assuming the worst about Willy. He noticed how he and Willy were one in the same when it came to assumptions, and how everyone thought Ar was a selfish, pathetic drunk who didn't have anything else to his name besides liquor. If Ar wanted to change that, he was going to have to do something about it.

He began to walk back to his house when he heard a rustle behind him. It was too dark. Ar Yan could hardly see his own feet.

"Who's there?" Ar called out. No reply. Ar kept walking, slightly faster.

Someone grabbed him by the shoulders and placed a hand over his mouth. Ar thrashed around wildly, trying to scream for help.

"Shut the fuck up, will ya? I don't hurt anyone I don't need to, and I don't think I need to, ya hear?" The voice attached to his attacker whispered. Ar slowed his movements slightly, still struggling against the attacker's grip.

The man turned Ar Yan around to face him. Ar could barely see in the darkness, but he'd recognize the face in front of him anywhere.

"You're...you're-"

"Yeah, yeah. You want an autograph or what, partner? I need you to answer me this - you know anything about a bounty hunter?" Sanjay asked Ar, who was shaking.

"Um...I uh...no, I'm sorry. I don't. I swear."

"Christ almighty, would ya calm down? I believe you, buddy. You know anyone who might?"

"Anyone who might know about a bounty hunter? Not really. We don't have many of those since we don't got many criminals." Ar explained.

"Shit...I was told there was one lookin' for me here...I don't know if it's true or not, but either way, I can't get out of here until next week. I'm stuck with a goddamn narc on my back." He groaned. "I just gotta lay low. I'm assumin' you ain't gonna tell no one you saw me?"

"I'm the town drunk, who am I gonna tell that would believe this shit? Sanjay the motherfucking outlaw in Buckleton. Cool story." Ar told him. "Well, good luck man."

"Thanks for your...well, you didn't really help me now did ya?" Sanjay chuckled. "You know any place where I can lay low?" Ar thought for a moment, then smiled.

"My...friend...might be able to help you out." Ar said, nudging his head towards the church.