Song: I'm Eighteen by Alice Cooper

Location: Crane, Indiana at The Lonely Night Saloon

Time: 4:00 p.m.

I am at the Lonely Night Saloon for a night of drinking and classic rock. They usually play good tunes here all day Saturday. The whisky is going down well, my vision is a bit blurry yet I still scan the scenery. People are dancing and drinking, having a good time. Great for them, more power to them. I can't help but to feel drug down by something. Maybe its my failure in this life which I often think about. Who knows it could be the fact that I am alone. I have pushed everyone away, its better for me, and good for them that I did. I haven't been the same, and at times I don't feel sane. I feel disgusting, inside and out.

*Rumpke takes a drink from his bottle of Crown Royal.*

I smell something rotten in the air, Smell's like piss, and bo. Some people just have no shame do they, oh, wait a second..

*Rumpke smells his underarm and almost gags. *

I guess I have no shame. Why should I? I'm just a lifelong member of the white trash circus. Coming to a town near you. Get your rotten eggs ready folks. Give me your best shot.

Out of nowhere a man bumps into me. I turn to him.

Man: Sorry about that.. Hey! Your Rumpke!

Rumpke: I don't know who I am these days..

Man: You are Rumpke, and your here drinking! Let me buy you a drink.

A drink he says. He he.. Yeah, I could use a drink, screw it, I could take the whole liquor truck in the back and that wouldn't be enough booze. “Drink until you drop” I say. As a result of these thoughts, I nod at him while saying “A drink sounds good man.” The man walks away to go to the bar in search of a drink for us both. I hope he doesn't want to sit down and talk. I know I am here at the bar on Saturday but I'm not looking for social interaction unless its a brawl. I could use one of those but for now, I need to just sit back and drink. The time will come, maybe I could have some patience. I sit there in that chair waiting patiently for my next drink. I could use a smoke but his establishment makes you go outside to smoke. I think that's a bone head decision. Smokes and booze go together like fly on shit. I'll never understand what the owners were thinking but I guess it doesn't matter because that's the way it is. Suddenly the man comes back and sets a couple of frosted mugs onto the table. One for me and one in front of what I presume will be his seat. These mugs filled to the top with what I guess to be a clear liquor. The mans next move is to pull out the seat and then he sits down. He's looking at me with an odd smile. It's odd because it makes me think he is infatuated with me. The smile makes me uneasy but I shrug it off, and grab the mug. He sits there with the same fucking smile. “Come on man, don't make me play dentist here.” is what I think to myself. I motion to him to pick up his mug.

Rumpke: These mugs won't drink them by their self smiley.

Man: Oh! I'm sorry I never would of thought I would of met you. Yet alone be having a drink with you! Here, lets get to drinking.

With that said he grabs his drink and motions a cheers salute to me and then begins chugging the mug. So he's a fan, harmless, and hey, he wants to drink with me. I patiently wait for him to get a quarter of the mug down and then I hit my mug. Its cold, very cold, and tastes great. And before I know it, my once full mug is now only a shell, lacking the inner good stuff. It's a shame that it goes that fast. I look over to man drinking, he finishes off his bottle and then gets a little to excited when he slams the mug on the table. And then that dude gave me a sudden thought that something isn't right with him when he stands up and yells “Yeah!”

Man: Want another drink?

Rumpke : Sure, here take this, the next round is on me.

So I hand him some money, clearly enough to buy many drinks for the afternoon. He walks off. That drink was good, I can't wait for another. My blood is on fire! My vision is blurring even more than what it was and I feel a bit lightheaded. “I'm Eighteen” by Alice Cooper is playing on the jukebox. The song fuels my buzz. A good song, a good buzz they both go hand in hand and fit me like a glove. A few minutes go by and the man comes back with a waitress following him. The waitress has a tray with many mugs on it, She smiles as she lays the tray of frosted mugs on the table and winks at me before she walks away. So at this point, I'm ready to dive in to those mugs.

I feel like I'm in slow motion as I ask the man “Whats yoour nae?” And he looks at me with an expression that I link to confusion when he asks me “What? Damn, I gotta brush up on my drunklish or maybe he hasn't had enough to drink! He needs more so he can understand me. You know how it is to be drinking with someone, ya'll can be so trashed and talking gibberish. And what's beautiful is you both know exactly what the other is saying even if its not in English! So I point to the last mug and then nod at him. I think he smiles back at me but at this time the room is spinning, the floor, gravity itself is pulling me down, I should probably get home but before I do, I need to ask him. “What is your name?

Man : Chris, Chris Cooper.

He said that name, I've heard it before but at the moment, the thought goes out of my mind as quick as it comes in. I can't think, I'm dumbfounded, I'm trashed. No.. I'm on my way dowwn. And then, there was a crash as my head slams into the concrete. Everything goes blank and the scene fades to black.