Every week on the first Sunday of the month I make my way to the Rusty Dog. The Rusty Dog is a small bar outside of Cleveland Ohio, where I usually get a moment to myself. I usually don’t know anyone in the bar but once in a blue moon a stranger will sit and talk with me. But this is rare because I isolate myself from the drunks surrounding the bar. This is because at the first bar I attended I had a predicament that brought me away from there and to the Rusty Dog. For some odd reason the drunk of the drunks that no one liked decided that since everyone was annoyed by him that he would take a stab at me. So, while peacefully sitting upon the bar watching football a drunken skinny man with an abnormally large nose and a big mouth sat beside me. After a long delayed silence he said “Have you ever been hated or discriminated against? I have.”
“Yea…” I said in hope of the conversation ending there and then. But of corse this train wrench wasn’t done.
“Be 100% honest with me and tell me when you look at me what do you think.” He said
I took a deep breath and said “First, you sound like a high school cheerleader, have some confidence. Second you a skinny, Jewish man who spends way too much time at the bar. “When I looked up for his reaction the man’s face had turned cherry red and he looked almost constipated.
“So you’re a funny guy ay! You think I’m the town drunk? No, no! I’m not a drunk and I’m proud to be Jewish.”
“I’m not looking for trouble I was just giving you what you wanted.” I said walking away from the situation. But, he obviously took me walking away as disrespect because next thing I know a empty glass beer bottle was smashed down the top of my head. To say the least I took care of the situation but, decided I could never be in that bar again.
This leads me to the Rusty Dog where again I knew no one. Again I sat in the back corner. As I scanned the bar all I could see were Cleveland Browns fan moan and complain about their teams play. Soon after the game had finish a large man wearing a dog mask sat to my right.
At first he said nothing and ordered draft. Hours passed and the tension between us built but still no communication. “So…, the Browns aren’t looking to good.” I said breaking the ice.
“Yeah, I’m starting to get used to it these days” he said. I laughed.
“So what brings you to my corner and away from your friends?” he looked at me, then in the general vicinity of the bar, and shrugged. Realizing then he was a drunken man I withheld my farther questions.
After about ten more minutes I decided to leave. But, when I got out of my seat, he said “Can I ask you something?” hesitating for a second I sat back down in my seat.
“yeah sure” I said reassuring.
“have you lied to people just to make yourself look good?” he said with his mask still on.
“Yeah I think everyone does sometimes.” I responded sadly.
“Well I do every day and it never ends one lie leads to another.” He said.
“It doesn’t have to be that way you know.” I tried being friendly to this giant man opening up to me.
“Your right, if I had someone to tell things too I would.” He said putting his head down.
“What about your wife or your friends over there?” I answered
“A wife? That would be nice. And those guys? There not my friends they just like to drink for the browns games.” Shocked I replied
“What is your name?”
“Ted Jones, nice to meet you Mr.….?”
“Martin” I said accepting my new friend. We talked awhile about family and friends. But the conversation never got deep until Ted said “You know how people have goals in life and some are never achieved? Well I’m 35 years of age and I’ve tried and fail my goals there’s nothing left. I’m done.
“Your only 35 there is plenty ahead of you, make new goals and start a new chapter in your life.” He nodded his head, shook my hand and left the bar. At the moment I was puzzled and confused. How could he just up and leave? Maybe all he needed was a push.
The funny thing about Ted Jones is he showed me that being alone isn’t something to look forward to every week. From that day on I stopped going to bars every Sunday and decided that watching the game with my wife and kids would make me happier. So, even though I thought I was the one helping ted he was actually helping me. Never take anyone or anything for granitite and always look ahead never look back.
