If that was a surprise, so was reporting for work the next Sunday. I found myself working with Alexander Rothrock, home from school and employed in a meat factory.
“Ethan!” He exclaimed, embracing me on sight before I could even speak. I patted his shoulder awkwardly. We stood in the locker room, where he had accosted me before I could even put on my rubber boots.
“Hey, Alex.”
“You’re still working here? That’s awesome. Really awesome. I was hoping you did. I mean, I haven’t seen you all year. How was your freshman year? I have so much to tell you…”
He was enthusiastic, and it was hard not to be caught up in his exuberance. We had been good friends in high school. But I had struggled all year long.
“You didn’t write. Or call. Or email, which has to be the easiest method of communication ever invented, at least for university students.” I spoke quietly, but my voice was void of any warmth. It stopped Alex in mid-sentence. “I would email my friend Mihnea in the room beside mine in the residence just to see if he was there and wanted to go to the cafeteria. I could have just knocked on his door, but everyone at school did things like that.”
I looked up at him. Alex was a little taller than me, but I held his eye like an equal.
“So where do you get off acting like it’s okay to ignore me for a year, and then be my friend now?”
His sunny demeanour fell into clouds. His brow furrowed, and I could see remorse in his eyes.
“E, I’m really sorry. I screwed up…” He paused. “I could make excuses about how busy school was, and life in general. I got your emails. I just didn’t make time to answer. I’m sorry.”
I looked at him for a moment. His lack of self-justification was refreshing.
“No excuses. I like that.” I told him. “You’re my friend, and it shouldn’t matter how long you’ve been away. But that doesn’t mean you can take me for granted.”
“No excuses. I’ll remember.”
And then we went to work.
No Man an Island 
6 comments
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April 24, 2008 at 12:09 am
Katie
Hmm. This is a little bitty hint of Ethan’s darker side, the unforgiving side that killed Hope. It was effective, in making Alex stop and think and feel remorseful, but it’s the same, just on a smaller scale.
You also see that darker side a couple chapters ago, when Ethan slashed at the demon’s eyes, just to teach a lesson. Flashbacks to Dan and Owen, anyone?
April 24, 2008 at 12:14 am
Katie
and wow, that just made me realize what a thin line we tread, every day. Sure, sometimes are meaner thoughts and actions are seen as ‘justified’ but…are they?
Makes me think of Chicago, and the ‘not guilty’ song. “I didn’t do it..but if I’d done it, how could you tell me that I was wrong?”
April 24, 2008 at 12:38 am
Fiona
Or is he just learning to stand up for himself, instead of being a victim?
April 24, 2008 at 1:19 am
nomananisland
It just goes to show how thin that line is, between right and wrong, assertive and aggressive, justified and extreme.
April 24, 2008 at 3:36 am
Allan T Michaels
I like this chapter. The writing is nice and tight. And it communicates a lot in a short burst, as Katie’s two posts show. 🙂
April 24, 2008 at 10:07 pm
Katie
I’m going to make some mental leaps here that may or may not make sense.
First off, cutting someone down to make a point or ’stand up for yourself’ is not something I would consider a good thing, and certainly not what Jesus would have done. What would have been victim-ish if the conversation had gone more like…
Alex: Hey Ethan! -hug-
Ethan: Hey dude! -hugs back- Why didn’t you write all year??
Alex: Sorry man, I just…yeah, I’m sorry.
Ethan: Hey, we’re friends, right? Doesn’t matter how long you’ve been away.
..yeah that’s overly simplified, but I hope the point is made. If this weren’t the story it is, I would write off this chapter’s interaction as hey, we’re all human.
Anyway, ending that tangent. To continue my pondering…
When Ethan separated from his dark, sinful side and became a spirit wandering in the desert, did he become sinless? Because Reza is still Ethan, we see that with Hope. He has the same memories; Reza seems to be Ethan’s suppressed sinful side. What makes him Reza and NOT Ethan is the fact that there are no redeeming factors, like the holy spirit has been torn from him or something.
This ramble came about because I wondered just how much like Jesus did Ethan become?