About Some Snakes

[1.2]New year's eve with an alcoholic

I rolled my bike next to the small garage of the big, white house and walked up the steps of the stairway. I rang the bell. I waited. No-one opened, no-one cropped up. I rang for a second time but there was still no sign of moving in the house. But the lights were on. I sat down on the steps, save from the raindrops dripping from all edges. After about ten minutes I rang again. This time the door opened immediately and Graham stayed behind it so I couldn't see him. "You should know, that I just open after three times of ringing." he said with a sort of seriousness only Graham has in his voice while telling a joke. "Since when?" I asked him, walking through the door slowly. "Today." He said, closing the door behind gme. I turned around so we watched straight in each others' faces. He looked at me critically. "Oh." He said. "Oh, what?" I replied. "Nothing.. But what did just happen to you? You're not looking great." "Oh it's a long story. But you're ugly too, sweetheart." I laughed silently. "Why are you here?" "It's not important, is it?" "No, no just asking." He gave a handkerchief to rip off the blood on my lips. I washed my hands and face after that we both went to the living room. Graham walked over to his fridge next to his little counter. He put a few pints of gin, tonic, beer, wine and sparkling wine on his bar. "What is it going to be?" He asked with a gentle smile. "Oh nothing to hard. A beer for the start, please." He showed me to did down on one of his barstools and poured me a bottle of coke-beer in a big glass. "To your health." I said while rising my glass. "Cheers!" He said. He already made himself a Gin and slimline tonic with ice but no lemon in it. His favorite drink. I could never forget that. He put down his G&T again, picked up his pipe of the ashtray on the counter, took some matches out of the box and lit the pipe. He whiffed a few times and tooke a sip of his drink again. He was relaxed now, smiled. He looked at me, still wearing my completely wet clothes. "Are you cold?" "A bit." He left the room, came back after a few minutes and gave me a tracksuit trousers and a Pullover. "Here you are. Put it on and don't say no." "Okay." I said, went to the bathroom and put the warm, wide clothes on. Damn, that was bloody comfortable. It was around quarter past eight when I was back in that cosy room with Gray again. "The others are going to show up around half past eight. Whatever that means." He muttered. "Who 'the others'"? I asked confused. "John, Mike, Eric and the two Terrys." "Oh that's nice." I answered nodding. Graham went to the stereo, turning it on smoking, his first glass was empty. The music. Oh how I remember that. It was always the same playlist playing. We both got up and started dancing and singing on "Take me home country roads". I still drank my first drink but Gray poures himself his second Gin and slimline tonic with ice but no lemon in it. He was an alcoholic sometimes but he was fine for now and that was important. Happiness was always around when we both met up. I don't know where we met first but I think it was at the village celebration. It was the first time I've seen him. Then he was 17, I was 15. So now he was 19 and we still were friend. I really liked him from the beginning and then I was sure that I gonna find friends in my new home. At least one. And on this new year's eve, after living here for about two years I've got six male friends and that was all. My old best friend didn't live here but I was still im touch with her. But Graham and I that was like Gin and Tonic, like bread and butter, like beans and corn- we both were completely different but we matched together in a very witty way.