i happen to meet a brute of a man and his swagger made people move off the sidewalk and walk in the street

a jaw like an anvil that looked like it was forged from steel

eyes that pierced and always looked past and not at

i am a bit crazy and our paths crossed and i didn’t give him the reverence he expected

grabbing me by the collar he turned me around as he held me off the ground and i said,

”i may not be big but i got a pretty good shot and if you want to go then ”x” marks the spot

and i meant it

he looked at me with those piercing eyes and i didn’t look away, he put me down and started laughing

”you little shit, you got some balls, even if you don’t have a lot of sense, i like that, let me buy you a drink, i said no alcohol, tonic water be fine”

we sat silent for a bit and he said, ” man take a walk i’m going to tell you something, i ain’t never told anyone” and we walked down the street

” i am a badass on the outside because i am scared on the inside and i’m too afraid to let anyone get too close or they might figure it out, i am an orphan and have been on my own since i was 12 and now i am 36 and have a few acquaintances but no real friends, i scare people away……………..but your little ass didn’t budge and i need someone who won’t budge and i can’t run off, you want to take a shot at being friends………………………”i’ll think about it,” i said………he looked surprised and i said,” just kidding we can see what happens”…………………………..

this is what happened, we became great friends, Pierre decided to stop drinking, we go to meetings in recovery together and he works a good program

he got married and my wife and his wife are about as tight as we are………………………………….his walls came tumbling down and what was inside was one of the most kind and considerate people i have ever known

hiding behind a facade because he didn’t know any other way

i have had my as kicked by alcohol and drugs, so i’m not worried about getting it kicked by this ox and he saw someone who had faced down his demons and wanted to know if i could help him do the same

and we did, and still do