Late Night Visitor

Hi, my name is Davis.

ME: What do you mean he got run over?

My friend Jeremy tends to have a flair for the dramatic.

He called me close to 3am after a harrowing night that ended with Joey jumping out of my car onto the street to let me know that his ex-buddy Ben had been in some kind of an accident.

Apparently he had gone with him to the hospital and was now outside waiting for word on Ben's condition.

JEREMY: A car must have hit him. What else could have happened?
ME: Maybe karma turned into a Honda and took the bitch out.
JEREMY: Davis, this isn't funny. He's really hurt. And whoever did this must have just took off.
ME: Good. Maybe now he'll learn to appreciate what a community can offer when it bands together.
JEREMY: You mean orgies and drunkenness?
ME: I meant undying support, but yes also--

Then came the knock on the door.

ME: Hang on, it's probably one of my tricks coming to reclaim something from the lost and found.
JEREMY: I'll call you tomorrow.
ME: Nite nite.

I got up out of bed and walked to the door. When I opened it, there he was--

Joey

--And he didn't look good.

ME: But I guess you would look like absolute hell after--
JOEY: Ben.
ME: What?
JOEY: He's hurt.
ME: I know. Jeremy just called from the hospital.
JOEY: It's my fault.
ME: What?
JOEY: I did it. It's my fault.

Before he could say anymore, he fell into my arms and started crying. I said what I said next without even thinking.

ME: You didn't do anything, Joey.

He kept sobbing, but I pulled him away from me and looked him right in the eyes.

ME: Do you hear me? You didn't do anything. You were here with me all night, okay?

I had to shake him to get him to say it.

ME: OKAY?
JOEY: Okay, okay--I'm sorry, Davis. I love you. Please, don't--let me--I'm sorry...

Then we were embracing again, and then we were in my room, and somehow we started making love, and the 'I love you's were everywhere, so that they almost covered over the sense that something bad was going to happen.