His name was Mike

Hiding behind nicknames

First, his name wasn�t Mike. We grew up together. His family used to give him a nickname that he hated and never allowed me to use it, especially during adolescence, he said it embarrassed him. We were best friends. We knew each other�s secrets. We graduated together from high school then life separated us. Life took him away and made me drown in local problems. I could never reach him. Many years passed, I never knew what he did.
And then, one day, I was looking for a publisher for my first book because many people encouraged me to publish but no one could help me. Mr. G.T. was waiting for me in his office for an interview. The first thing that caught my attention on his desk was a book with his photo on the cover. It was titled �My son� by Mike.
Mike? Who was this Mike? He looked so much like him. It couldn�t be someone else!
�Miss?�
�Oh! Excuse me, sir. I went very far in my memories when I saw this book��
�I thought you were here for your own book!�
�That�s right but� Can I have the writer�s number ? I think he was my classmate�
�You think?�
�No, actually, I�m pretty sure� except that �his name wasn�t Mike!�
He laughed loudly.
�It�s probably his pen name, miss�
�So you don�t know his real name?�
�I can�t remember all the info kept in the CVs I have here!!!�
�So would you give me his number?�
�Sorry, miss, I�m not allowed to�
�But you don�t understand� he�s my best friend!!!�
�Oh that�s obvious!!!� He was laughing sarcastically.
I was nervous.
�Please, listen to me� He was really my best friend, we grew up together but then I lost him and could never find him. Please help me!�
�Ok, I�m sorry. But I don�t see what I can do for you without breaking the rules.�
�I sat down, thinking, sadly.�
�Can we talk about your book now?�
�YEAH! I�ve got an idea!�
�What?�
�Can you give him my number?�
He seemed disappointed.
�I see you didn�t hear my question�
�Oh excuse me, what were you saying?�
�Never mind, I�m losing nothing! It�s your book not mine�
�Oh yeah, true, my book. But my friend is more important�
He smiled and, for he first time, I saw compassion in his eyes.
�I�ll try my best.�
I was too nervous. I asked him for another appointment to discuss my book and he agreed. I left him my phone number and he promised he�ll call me as soon as he talks to my friend.
I waited for a week, a whole long week� Nothing. I could do nothing, I didn�t go out, I didn�t try to visit other publishers. I could do nothing but waiting for the phone to ring. But I never got the expected call. By the end of the week, I had lost my patience, I went back to Mr. G.T.�s office. I argued a little and finally succeeded to meet him without a RDV. When he saw me, he took a deep breath and started hitting his head!!!
�Sir?, anything wrong?�
�I totally forgot��, he said.
I couldn�t believe it.
�How could you? I have been doing nothing but waiting for you for a whole week.�
�I�m really sorry, I was too busy�
�Thank God I didn�t wait more!�
�Listen, I made a promise and I wasn�t lying��
Was he scared I change my mind about publishing my book if I considered him as a liar?
He went on �And to prove it, I will call him right now, in your presence�
Well, I wasn�t expecting so much but I didn�t mind.
�Hello. This is Mr. G.T. �Oh no I�m sorry, I didn�t read it yet��
Mike seemed disappointed too. Mr. G.T. activated the loudspeaker so I could hear what Mike was saying.
�Actually, I�m calling you because of some old school friend who wants to meet you. But I didn�t want to give her your number without your permission.�
And he gave him my name.
I held my breath waiting for his reaction.
�I�m sorry, I don�t think I know her. I�ve never heard this name before� was all what he said.
Even Mr. G.T. was confused. He didn�t know what to say.
Mike went on �I hope you�ll read my book and answer me as soon as possible�.
�Sure�.
I kept quiet. I went out and cried for a while. Then I got back in the office.
�I�m pretty sure it�s his voice�
�Then he must have lost his memory�. I mean to forget his best friend�s name!!!�
�You don�t believe me, do you?�
�To tell you the truth, I don�t know anymore��
�I understand you see a lot of psycho fans daily, but it�s not my fault, I�m not one of them!�
�I know it�s a hard and embarrassing situation�
�I need you to send him my book�
�What for?�
�Please, just do it� Please!�
�Fine�
From that moment on, I learned to expect nothing from anyone.
Two weeks later, Mr. G.T. called me. He said Mike wanted to meet me.
�How come?�
I was astonished!
�He loved your book very much�. Which made me read it urgently too and he�s right�.Your writing deserves to be published before other candidates�.�
�Did he recognize me?�
�He said nothing, I just gave him your pen name, as you wished�
�Thank you Mr. G.T. Tell him I�m coming�
That evening, Mike waited for me in the restaurant. I meant to be 15 minutes late.
As I saw him, I pretended looking for him, as if I didn�t recognize him.
But he came to me and called me with my real name, he seemed surprised.
I sighed him�. �Actually, no, that�s not my name. I�m here to meet a writer named Mike!�
�Mike?!! Wait � Are you telling me you are� Holy Whisper?!�
�Yeah � How did you know that? ... There�s no way you know this name� unless you are� Mike!!!�
�Indeed that�s me! I never expected it would be you!�
�Me?!... What do you mean?�
�I don�t believe you didn�t recognize me!�
�How would I? I�m just a big fan of your writing; I�ve never met you before��
�Hey� what kind of joke is this?... I mean we were childhood companions, don�t you remember me?.... It�s me��
And for the first time, I heard him call himself with the nickname he hated so much as a kid.
�Oh no� You think you�re him but that�s wrong. That guy who has always been my best friend can�t be someone like you� That guy, maybe he wasn�t talented� but his name wasn�t Mike!�