The Liar...., or One Man's Stage....
As I stood behind the bar with my back to the room, I heard customer' voices as they navigated their way to their favorite seats. I glanced at the mirror in front of me and 9immediately recognized two favorite guests. The bartender had worked his way towards my friends and handed them dinks. He was great at remembering a persons drink, and name. I was facing my friends as they thanked Sean for two great drinks. Scattered here and there were a few more customers, but before I could say a word, my friend said out loud "we came to hear one of your stories!" I had been put on the spot but didn't care. If I cold entertain our guests, so-be-it, I'm you guy. I glanced the room, and sucked as much attention as I could before proceeding. The stage was set! Unfortunately I was speechless...who knew? As every eye in the place was on me, including the bartender Sean. He was smiling as if he recognized 'writers block' for the old friend it was. I paused obviously, as if part of the act to give Sean time to accommodate our guests. My mind was spinning, trying to think of something entertaining, something unique, not to spoil the moment. I turned back to the instigator and broke the silence.
While at work the other day, my dear friend Ray had called. He was in town and had stopped at a local restaurant to have breakfast and used the opportunity to give me a call. Now keep in mind, Ray is at least late seventies. We talked for about ten minutes, when I had to get back to work. He apologized for calling me at work and said he would see me another time. In hindsight "another time" most likely will not come for Ray and I, and after realizing it the blood rushed to my head. I asked myself, what the hell had I done to my best friend? Anyway, Ray and I shared history together. Some of that history is the subject of one of my favorite stories.
We were in a small thirty-two foot boat navigating our way up the inner coastal waterway to Ketchikan, Alaska. At three in the morning and halfway across Queen Charlottes Sound, we were engulfed by thirty foot seas. No one heard us screaming as the pounding waves sank us. Ray and i ended up in a small cabin, dazed, upside down and under water. As cabin lights started dimming, my dear friend was crying when he said "Charlie, I'm sorry for killing us". Needless to say, we both made our way to the surface. The Canadian Coast Guard said they could not reach us in time, and that we had thirty minutes in the fidget waters before hypothermia set in. Later on, I remember watching Ray's lifeless body float away in the moon light. We lost all feeling in our arms and legs, and simply could not hold on to one another any longer. I remember the moon shining on his thick glasses as he floated away. I yelled, but he did not respond. I remember thinking to myself; "I had failed my dearest friend". To make a long story short; I could not get that event out of my mind. I was devastated for the rest of the day. Here we are at the end of our lives and I couldn't even take the time to have a cup of coffee with him! My display of apathy sickened me. I spent the rest of the day trying to piece together the actual events of that harrowing night. As a casual story teller who tells stories to the public,, I find myself in troubling predicament. My worst fears that date back to my childhood have caught up with me/ and now, even as I speak, the situation haunts me. The bar was silent, and my two friends were staring at me in disbelief. Two people with looks of concern on their faces moved to the bar and sat in front of me. I looked into their eyes, and said "I fear, in my ebb years I have become a liar! Everyone's mouths dropped open in awe!
Many of you sitting here have heard my stories. Some true, some dreams. But I have to tell you, after spending the whole day recollecting our saga; some of what I remember did not make any sense! I realized I had told that story so many times; the truth was like meeting an old friend again! Head lowered, I paused and glanced the room.
Looking at the two guests sitting in front of me, I continued; I have become a fisherman! The size of the fish is only surpassed by the size of the lie! Suppose you heard my story ten years ago and remember it fondly as a minnow. Ten years later and hear the same story, only his time it's a whale! I returned my gaze to my two friends to recite the predicament I found myself in.
I realize in my excitement, my stories had changed! Not in a bad way, but instead of the minnow adventure, I now find myself being lashed by stinging salt spray while strapped to the side of Moby Dick! I paused to glimpse the room again. Three more guests had silently moved to the bar and were eavesdropping on what I was saying. My last outburst had become quite animated and it became too much for them to just sit at a booth. They had to be there for the finale. I lowered my head again for effect, and continued; to me, my situation is a frightening one. Don't you see I may have adorned truths for the moment! Watching people's faces as they savored every word was the oil of roses! Some of the events happened so long ago, I fear scrutiny will sadden even me! The minnows' of my years have vanished from my memory and now I stand before you questioning even fiction. If this is so, I will never know! I perused the crowd for sympathy. I paused and gave the tension that permeated the room, time to subside. Shaky hands moved warm beers to dry lips. And finally, finally, my good friend sitting at the bar loudly declared "my friend, we don't care! We just come to your fine establishment to hear a good story!" I smiled back as I watched the crowd nodding their heads in agreement; some wiping their eyes with a cuff of relief. My friend went on to say "and that was one of your best, Cheers!