““As I got closer to him, I could see that he was right. The years had not been kind to him. He was heavier than I remembered, with even less hair, and his smile was a disaster. I saw soldiers in Vietnam that couldn’t even spell “dentist” that had a better smile than John’s. “Oh, a man can dream,” he said, brushing past me and heading behind the bar. He pulled a draft beer from the spout and placed it on the bar. “This one’s on me.” I slammed the beer down in one sip, replaced the empty glass on the bar, and walked out. “John,” I said, nearing the door. "If I don’t get outta this place, I never will.” I got into my father’s Mustang, put the top down, and headed for the interstate. Destination unknown. People tell me I have a nice smile.””
