Page 63 of Puck Me Back to Life

“That's unfortunate.”

“I know.”

The bartender starts pouring drinks before Dante even orders. Apparently, this is a regular occurrence.

Within minutes, beers appear in front of us. Dante immediately starts talking. The man treats silence like a personal enemy. Normally that would exhaust me. Tonight it's oddly comforting.

Maybe because it means I don't have to carry the conversation. Maybe because Dante seems genuinely interested in people. Or maybe because for the first time in a long time, I don't feel like I'm being examined. I'm just sitting in a booth. Drinking a beer. Talking about nonsense like a normal person. The realization feels strange. Good. But strange.

Dante points at me. “So besides reading and hockey, what do you do?”

I think about it. Then immediately realize how depressing the answer sounds. “Mostly reading and hockey.”

He stares. “That's it?”

“That's it.”

“What about movies?”

“I watch movies.”

“What kind?”

I shrug. “Whatever is on.”

Dante looks horrified. The reaction makes me laugh.

“You don't have a favorite genre?”

“I don't think so.”

“That is insane.”

His attention shifts toward Ash.

“Meanwhile this guy is some kind of psychopath.”

Ash finally looks up from his drink. “I don't think that's fair.”

“You voluntarily watch horror movies.”

“Lots of people do.”

“Normal people don't.”

“Why do you like them so much?” I ask.

The answer comes surprisingly quickly. “They're relaxing.”

Dante immediately starts laughing.

Ash doesn't look embarrassed. “Most horror movies have rules.”

“What does that mean?”

He shrugs. “The monster is the monster. Everybody knows who the bad guy is.”

Something about the answer makes me pause.