***This is not a normal posting, it is my stab at a little Flash Fiction challenge through Dude Write.***
Never one to turn down a dare or back down from the phrase
“you’re not man enough” has usually landed me in a predicament.
Many moons ago, back when I was 21 I was in charge of
throwing my best friend his 21st birthday party. There were catches, I was in charge with
another friend, it was supposed to be at his house and it was supposed to be a
surprise. Being idiots back then, my friend
and I went to his house while he was at work and not thinking he would ever
lock his doors, so we had to break in.
No problem, the cops were not called and we began to set up.
After the house was decorated and ready for his arrival we
waited for the guests to arrive. In
other words I had plenty of time to down a six pack before arrival. Feeling pretty good I started to greet the
guests and let them in on the plan. Once
the place was jammed with people, the guest of honor arrived. “Surprise!” was yelled all over the house and
the party began. People flowed out into
the yard and street and I found myself sitting in the living room downing
another six pack.
Then she walked in, my ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend,
one of my good friends. I had expected
them to be there so I was prepared.
Nonchalantly, I said hi and asked how they were doing. Don’t forget at this point I was 8 beers and
I think 3 shots into the party. They sat
down on the couch and the living room filled up with our close knit group of
friends.
Sitting in the recliner, minding my own business I heard it,
the phrase that when said, strikes fear in all of our hearts and you have to do
it. “You’re not man enough…” In this case it was followed by “…to drink
this.” I looked at the tall glass filled
with clear liquid and looked at the person holding it. It was my ex-girlfriend. She repeated it again, “You’re not man enough
to drink this.” I asked what it was and
she told me water. I looked at the
glass, then at all of the faces in the room waiting to see what I was going to
do and then at her.
“That’s not water.” I said as I grabbed the glass and drank,
no chugged to clear minty liquid down. I
leaned back and looked at everyone staring at me with open mouths in disbelief. Then the words, “Excuse me I need to puke.”
came from somewhere near my head. The
last thing I remember was going to the bathroom, puking and then waking up on
the front lawn with a few people watching me.
To this day, no one will tell me what I did in the timeframe, which was
approximately six hours. From that moment
forward I vowed I would never drink Permafrost ever again.
