The Life of Buddy

The bar

After leaving Parker Burt went to confront Collins. Fortunately it did not take long to find him. He figured that in emotion state he was in he would be in one of the three bars in town. And it only took one call for him to find out which one.

His drinking establishment of choice was Toler's Tavern off of Main Street on Adam's lane. It was the smallest of the three bars whose only neighbor was a storage facility.

The bar was small reminiscent of the one Archie Bunker would frequent in All of the Family. It was a dimly lit, smoke filled bar that only attracted an older crowd. A older male crowd. Women tended it not to find it too welcoming and avoided it.

Not that the owner cared. As far as he was concerned his place was a safe haven for the men of the town from their wives, girlfriends, and the annoying younger generation.

Made sense that this was the place Chris chose.

There five people sitting at the bar watching a minor league baseball game on a television that he was certain was older than Brandon. The grizzled bartender greeted him and then pointed to a booth across from the bar. Chris sat with back to the front entrance as he nursed what he assumed was a glass of Scotch.

"Hey Chris." Burt said as he slid into the seat across from him.

Chris gave him a sour look as he said. "If you are here to yell at me about my conversation with Buddy. Save it. I'm not in the mood." He then took a sip of his drink.

"I don't care if you are in the mood or not we are going to talk." Burt said as he seethed with anger. "I can't believe that you actually tried to bribe my son  to manipulate your son so you can go home."

"I did what I had to do." He replied with a small shrug.

"What you had to do?" He asked incredulous. "No what you had to do was apologize to your son for the horrible way you treated him."

"Apologize." He laughed bitterly. "I am not going to apologize to that bug."

The blood rushed to his face as he said  "Jasper is not a bug."

"Yes he is." Collins said. "He is a worthless, useless bug and it disgusts me that I have him for a son."

"I find it disgusting that that sweet kid has you as a father." Burt said.

"Sweet kid." Collins let out a belly laugh that filled the bar. A few of the patrons shot him annoyed looks and then returned their attention to the game. "I don't know what kid your talking about but its not Jasper."  He then called out to the waitress for another drink. "He is a arrogant, disrespectful, judgmental little jerk."

"Hmmm. I wonder where he gets those traits from?"

Collins gave him an insulted look. "Not for me. I know how to treat people with respect."

"Unless that person is your son." Burt said.

The waitress sat his drink in front of them and then asked "Would you like anything to drink sir?"

"No thanks." He said.

She walked away and he looked at Collins who glowered at him. "I respect Jasper."

Burt blinked "Really?"

"Yes really." He said. "Believe it or not I love my son."

"You have a strange way of showing it." Burt said. "I mean I've seen you bully him, I've seen you belittle him, I've seen you beat him like he was animal but I've seen nothing that tells me you that you love that boy."

"Like you're the perfect father." Chris said

"I dont claim to be a perfect father." He said. "Believe me I have made plenty of mistakes with all my kids."

"Yes you have." Chris said.

"But I've demeaned them or put them down in front of other people or allow my temper to get the better of me when I've disciplined them."  Though I've come close a couples of times with a few of them he mused.

"No you just allowed your perverted wife to sexually assault them." Collins shot at him.

Burt clenched his fist and then gritted his teeth as he said. "I allowed nothing."

"Sure you didn't." He said skeptically. "Its just all happened under your roof without knowkedge." He then took a drink of his Scotch. "I may be hard on Jasper but I never would allow anyone to violate him like you allowed Elizabeth to do to Mason."

"I didn't..."  Burt then cut himself off. No he thought he is not going to get me off topic.  This is about Jasper not about what happened to Mason he told himself.

A thought then occurred to him. You know what if he wants to talk about Elizabeth and Mason we'll talk about Elizabeth and Mason.

"You know you could learn a lot from what happened between Elizabeth and Mason."

"Excuse me?" He shot in an incredulous look.

"Hear me out." Burt said. By the look in his eyes Burt could see that he was not interested in hearing him out. Burt continued anyway.  "She subjected him to horrific abuse for years. Physical, emotional you name and she did it." Remorse filled his eyes at what happened. "She just kept pushing him and pushing him until he finally snapped and struck back."

"She was lucky he did not kill her." Burt said.

""Okay." He said completely oblivious to what he was getting at.

"Dont you see you are doing to the same with Jasper." He said. "If you keep mistreating that boy sooner or later he's going to snap and strike back and you might not be so lucky."

Chris fell silent and Burt stood up. "Think about it. Think about what you are doing to that poor and the emotional trauma you are inflicting upon him. And what kind of person your actions might turn him into. Because he might not take his frustrations out on you but he could take them out on his own kids someday."

Chris looked at him incredulous. "You know Burt instead of worrying about my kid why don't you worry about your own" He then pulled out his phone. "Especially that disrespectful brat Buddy."  He said as he brought something up on his phone.

"Buddy is not disrespectful or brat." He shot him an angry look. How dare he say that about him he thought.

"Oh really." Chris said. "Take a look at this text he sent me."

He handed him the phone and Burt's eyes widened as he saw the contents. Did Buddy really send this he thought. To an adult and one who happens to be his teacher.

Can't be real he thought.

"I'll talk to him." He said as he placed the phone on the table.

"You need to do more than talk." Chris said as he put it in his pocket. "He needs his backside blistered."

Burt gave him an uncomfortable look. "As I said I'll talk with him."

"You do that." He said. "You talk to your son and leave mine alone."  He then put the phone in is pocket. "Good night."

Burt stared at him for a moment and then walked off. He had nothing more to say to him. He just prayed that his words would get through to him before its too late. For Jasper's sake and his own.