Losing Your Focus

He was on beer number ten. I was counting. He was happy I was counting.

It let everyone else in the bar know his minor achievement and gave him 

an excuse for his behavior. He would drink another and smile at the young 

blondes at the end of the bar-top as I said, "Eleven." This is what he looked 

forward to : drinking beer while I kept count. 

  And smiling at young women. 

Reviews

[jenniewren (J.W. Bouwma..]

reminded me of Counting Crows' "Mr. Jones".. the sadness of small lives whose boundaries are so constricted... *sigh*

also. that final line, drifted off to the bottom of the page adds a further poignancy to the whole thing..

[Leap]

Lush.

[Brittany]

This is depressing. Like, the achievements of under-achievers. But, on the other hand, maybe this sort of situation brings hope to the character. The escalating count on said consumed beers gives enough courage to "smile at young blondes" and gives him an "excuse for his behavior". Makes me think that maybe people drink just so they can cope with themselves, not because of depressing situations. More of a subdued self-loathing. Maybe?