Free My Best Friend's Bucket List: Volume One by Shane Grey Page B

to his Bucket List,
he wanted me to fulfill it(see the PROLOGUE page to clear up any
confusion).

CHAPTER 7
    I
Discovered My Best Friends Bucket List And All I Got Was This
Stupid Responsibility
    (And I chill with my
mom)
    I sat on my mom's torn and ripped couch, in
her apartment, she was sober enough to remember me at this point.
She downed straight warm cups of Old Crow. I knew the sober
wouldn't last, so I did the only thing I knew how in these kinds of
situations.
    Drink.
    The bottle of Jack Daniels was in my jean
pocket. I slipped it out on took a long pull.
    “ Do
you drink every day?” Mom
asked.
    “ Do you?”
    “ Don't be a fucking smart aleck.”
    “ Then don't ask stupid questions, I am your son.” I said. “Therefore, I am
a functioning alcoholic. Like you, the alcoholic part, obviously
not the functioning part.”
    “ Always such a smart mouth punk. You think you're superior and
that you know better, because you just took off to that whores
house to live.”
    “ You talking about Aunt Becky? She's a fucking Bible thumper.
Farthest from whore I have ever seen.”
    “ You think someone can't be a whore for Jesus Christ?” Mom
said, words slowly starting to slur.
    “ Fuckin' A. You're getting drunk again.” I said. Right on time
the door bell rang. “About fuckin' time.”
    “ That pizza is hours late.” Mom said.
    “ I'm convinced you didn't even order one to begin with. I
actually called and ordered these ones.” I opened the door. Paid
the guy. Set the pizza's on mom's filthy table. I wasn't above
these living standards I just chose to not live this
way.
    The carpeted floor was covered in cigarette
ashes, cans, bottles, empty pizza and Chinese food cartons. Clearly
she had let herself go. Now I was wondering if I should just have
some pizza and go. I clearly wasn't going to find sympathy here.
And the last thing that was good for me would be to get involved in
this train wreck.
    “ Tough call, dude.”
    I turned to an empty chair. It was occupied
by Dick. He smiled. Blood poured from his stomach and throat
wounds. He took a bite of pizza. He was still in his delivery
uniform. Of course mom couldn't see him, no one could but me, it
was my curse and a blessing. Not many people got to interact with
their best friends once they check off this mortal coil.
    “ How are you going to explain my bucket list to Lorrie? Have
you even decided if you're gonna do it?” Dick said. I shook my
head. I couldn't answer out loud. My mom would hear me. Though she
was digging into pizza and washing it down with room temperature
whiskey.
    “ I don't know what to do.” I said and bit into a piece of
pizza.
    “ About what?” Mom asked.
    “ Dick was just murdered. He left behind his girlfriend and an
extremely long bucket list he wants me to fulfill.”
    “ Sounds like a lot of horse shit. The best part about losing
somebody is that you don't gotta do shit for them ever again. You
should throw away his grocery list and tell his chick to hit the
bricks.” Mom said. I felt anger toward this woman that gave birth
to me. She didn't know shit.
    “ It's a bucket list. Things that he never got to do before he
died.”
    “ Dude I was only twenty-six when I was killed.” Dick pointed
out.
    “ Fuck it. Take care of yourself.” Mom said. It was nearing
time for me to leave.
    “ He was only twenty-six when he was killed, mom.” I said. “I
loved him, he was a brother to me. You need to watch your tone when
you speak of my friends.” She seemed to shut up after
that.
    We ate in silence. My Jack Daniels was gone.
She cracked a fresh bottle of old crow. I got up, it was late, even
Dick had fallen asleep. I didn't know if I was supposed to shake a
ghost awake.
    “ I need to get going,” I said. “Just so you know I probably
won't be back.”
    “ I figured as much. You're probably used to being around
idiots that kiss your ass.” She was fully liquored up. That comment
of hers woke Dick up.
    “ Is it time to go,