I didn’t realize when he sat down next to me at the bar, but when my third whiskey was finished, he offered me another. He was one of those men, the ones you know are charming without even speaking, with a wide smile and eyes of an almost supernatural cobalt blue, the kind that instills trust in you.
«What’s wrong, buddy? Are you okay? Yeah?» he said with a caramelized and slightly sharp voice, I couldn’t help but feel the opposite effect of his smile. «You don’t look well, we don’t know each other, but I’m quite observant. That’s why this whiskey is on me, yeah? Come on, let’s toast to summer nights.» A timid clink and a forced smile from me accompanied a large gulp of my companion’s drink.
«Thank you, mister…» «Yes,» he interrupted, «I’m Mr. Yes.» I was too dizzy to argue about the strange name and the tic he had when speaking. «I appreciate the whiskey, but I don’t feel like talking today.»
«My dear friend, you don’t have to talk, yeah? Maybe you’d like to listen? Yeah? I’d like to tell you about my cat, ah, wonderful creature, yes, the best company, unconditional affection, so many good memories. Yes, he was a gift, he’s been mine since he was very small and defenseless, I even considered him the best company at some point. However, a couple of months ago, he started meowing at night, he wouldn’t let me rest, it was a constant torture, his habits changed, he would scratch everything good in my house, my belongings, yes, you can’t allow it, so today I made the decision to kill him, I administered poison and it was all over. Poor cat, the most curious thing is that with so little you can kill what you once loved and at the same time what annoyed you the most, yes, it was the best decision.» The comment left me puzzled, I didn’t know how to respond, it’s strange to feel cold in your body when you’re drinking whiskey.
«Tell me, friend, what bothers you? Why don’t you just get rid of it? Yes! Like finishing a drink, like me with my cat.» Again, as a reflex, I offered a forced smile, said goodbye, and left as quickly as I could.
There’s no one on the bus, and I can’t stop thinking about Mr. Yes. In his words, in the poison and death, everything can end so quickly, in the end, the whiskey only heated my anger, discontent, and helplessness. I don’t feel well, I get off two streets before, and in an alley, I vomit. In the end, only a scrawny and rabid dog watches me eating what appears to be the corpse of a rat.
I climb the stairs, frantic, and out myself, I search in the drawer of the cupboard, the cold metal clashes against my burning hands. I lie down in the darkness of my room, the burning of my whole body begins to disappear, and like a transfer of heat to cold, from dry to wet, my sheets slowly stain with a heavy coppery red, and just before losing consciousness, in my watery vision, sitting by the window, a specter watches as I fade away, with cobalt blue eyes, nods, and then smiles.
Mixpov 