"Come on, Brad!" Mike laughs as he downs another beer.
I shake my head and watch, wondering when he'll be ready to leave. Bars weren't my scene back in the U.S., and being here in Kosovo hasn't changed that.
"You need to loosen up, man." Mike slurs his words, clearly having had one too many drinks. He bangs his drink on the table, sloshing it over the sides.
I rub my forehead. I didn't sign up for this. Coming to Kosovo was supposed to help him snap out of the slump he's been in, not sink further into it.
"You know, you should take him to the forest."
A gruff voice startles me. The old man next to me nods his head towards Mike, then leans in close.
"He needs it."
"The forest?"
The old man nods. He must be one of those hippies, someone who thinks being in nature will fix everything.
"Yeah, the forests are nice here." I stand up and start to move away, but the old man grabs my arm.
"Take him to the forest. Soon."
Mike falls off the stool and crashes onto the floor. The old man lets go of my arm and I back away, a little creeped out.
"Come on, man."
I help Mike up and wrap my arm around his shoulders to walk him to the car. He's too far gone to protest, which I'm grateful for.
After I help him, I get in the driver's seat, then look up to see the old man watching us through the window.
I shake my head as I drive away.
The forest. Right.
"Come on, Brad!" Mike laughs as he drinks another beer.
I shake my head and watch, wondering when he'll be ready to leave. I didn't love going to bars back in the U.S., and being here in Kosovo hasn't changed that.
"You need to loosen up, man." Mike slurs while he talks. He's definitely had too much alcohol. He bangs his drink down on the table, making it spill over the sides.
I rub my forehead. This is not what I was expecting. Coming to Kosovo was supposed to help Mike deal with all of the hard things in his life, not ignore them by getting drunk.
"You know, you should take him to the forest."
A low voice surprises me. The old man next to me nods his head towards Mike, then leans in close. "He needs it."
"The forest?"
The old man nods. Maybe he's a hippie, someone who thinks being in nature will fix everything.
"Yeah, the forests are nice here." I stand up and start to move away, but the old man grabs my arm.
"Take him to the forest. Soon."
Mike falls off the stool and crashes onto the floor. The old man lets go of my arm and I back away, a little creeped out by him.
"Come on, man." I help Mike up and walk him to the car. He's too drunk to argue with me about leaving, and I'm grateful for that.
After I help him get inside the car, I get in the driver's seat, then look up. The old man is watching us through the window.
I shake my head as I drive away. The forest. Right.
Brad 「親友との休暇は...」
