“None taken,” said Jim.
The two were quiet for a while. Both men were processing each other’s story.
Finally, Jim broke the silence and asked Haim, “You two get divorced?”
“Well kind of,” Haim answered. “Judy is serving 20 to life for murdering her lover.”
“Whoa. That’s crazy. What happened?” Jim asked.
“Cops found Judy’s piece of shit fuck-boy face down in his condo. Murdered execution style with one bullet in the back of his head. A few days later the cops pulled Judy over after an anonymous tip and found the murder weapon in the trunk of her car. Case closed. The jury deliberated less than 3 hours,” Haim concluded.
“Shit. Did she give a statement?” Jim asked.
“Said she was framed. Can you believe it? Well that’s what you’d expect a lying, cheating, bitch to say,” Haim said. “Truth is, it worked out great for me. She’s locked up dealing with her dumb ass decision, and I’m playing golf with you and with no alimony or other ties to her bitch-self,” Haim self-righteously proclaimed.
Jim thought about what Haim said for a minute. It was all too neat and clean. It also seemed rehearsed like he couldn’t wait to tell people the story. I’m calling bullshit again, Jim thought. He made a mental note to Google Judy Wiesel when he got home. Something was wrong with the story, but damn it was intriguing, thought Jim. Having Linda waste away in the state penitentiary with nothing but her one-night fantasy with her “maestro” would be a dream come true.
The two moved on to other topics as they continued their round.
“Well I played like shit, but it was fun,” Haim said out in the parking lot as the two shook hands goodbye.
Haim drove away thinking about Jim and his predicament. He had, of course, lied to Jim, just like he had many times before with others who asked about his divorce. He had made up the Army Ranger Special Ops story and refined it over the years. The story was like a salve for his bruised male ego. It made him feel more manly. He had indeed been married to Judy. But she left him for another man. He never filmed her or even caught her. One minute he’s married and the next he’s divorced, and she is building a home with another man. The bitterness towards all woman was still strong.
Similarly, Jim could think of nothing but Haim Wiesel as he left the course and drove home. Oh he was sure the whole Judy murdered her lover story was fabricated, but it was still a hell of a story. There was an elegance to it that he loved. He tried it on for size: The lover’s dead and the woman he used to love, that he devoted his life to and had children with, was locked up for life with the never-ending mental torture of what she had done and what she had lost. Forgiveness is so over-rated, he thought. It would be much better if the bitch got exactly what she deserves.
An ugly sneer began to slowly emerge unconsciously across Jim’s face as he allowed his mind to enter a dark and dangerous place.
Four months later
Haim Wiesel was alone at a local bar. It was Friday afternoon and he had stopped by for a few beers before heading home. Out of the corner of his eye Haim noticed a chyron scrolling across the bar tv screen — “Local NFL All Pro Marc LaVallerie found dead in his upscale home.”
“Whoa! Bartender turn up the TV,” Haim shouted.
An attractive local female TV reporter was standing out in front of a large house. Police tape and police cars could be seen in the background. “Details are sketchy, but police have confirmed that Marc LaVallerie was found dead at the scene of an apparent gun shot wound. Foul play is expected and police confirmed to me that they have a solid lead on a possible suspect…….”
“Well I’ll be damned,” Haim. said out loud to no one in particular. My emasculated golfing buddy has more balls than I gave him credit for, he thought.
Well done and cheers, Haim thought silently to himself. “To freedom and justice!” he shouted at the TV while raising his glass.
“To freedom and justice!” shouted every man mindlessly at the bar.
As Haim Wiesel looked around, basking in the glow of the spontaneous male affirmation, the irony that there was not single woman in the place was lost on him.