Memory #21
The first time I met him he was shouting noises at the night sky with his hands in the air, shirtless, showing off a tanned body covered in simple, black tribal symbols. We were outside in a snowy mountain wilderness, surrounded by thick pine forest, fresh air, and miles from the nearest town. I stood in the snow and he stood on a small boulder silhouetted in the moonlight from the light of a cabin behind him. Above us the star were crisp.
He shook his body at the air and screamed, “The world’s falling, and we’re on it!” His breath turned white in the cold air. He locked his eyes on me in a wild stare and I couldn’t tell if he was just staring or actually saw me.
“It’s all coming to an end! Did you hear that?”
I didn’t answer.
“Want some whiskey?” He ask, suddenly snapping out of whatever madness had taken hold of him.
“Sure.”
He walked towards me and I saw that he had been holding a water bottle half-filled with whiskey.
He was 6 foot 6 and towered over me, still shirtless and tattooed “Drink it. It’s our only hope.” His voice was relaxed but the way he spoke made me think he was putting a lot of effort into sounding half-sane. There was a tension in it like a criminal who wants to confess but knows he can’t.
We both took a few big swigs.
“Ever been to Thailand?” he asked.
“No. I’m guessing you have.”
“Yeah. It’s the craziest place in the world. Bangkok is the dirtiest, scummiest, hell-hole full junkies, hookers and transvestites. Everyday was like I was standing on the edge of the world looking into a pit. And everyday I jumped.”
“Is that why you left?”
“No. I loved it. Junkies and prophets. I’d still be there right now but I messed up my foot crashing a motorcycle in the countryside. I had to trade in my camera just to get to a hospital. Then I came home because I ran out of money.”
“Why’d you go?”
“To get out of this place. I was sick of the bullshit and wanted out. Drink this.”
We drank the rest of the whiskey bottle. The air was cold and I watched as that drunk tribal giant kicked in the screen door of the cabin, shouting as he stumbled in. The party inside was loud and the mountain was empty and wild.
Nothing was strange.
