The Code

“I can’t.”
“What do you mean you can’t?”
“Well…there’s this thing, and I kind of said I would go…”
“So you can’t.”
“Exactly. I’m sorry. I really want to, but I just don’t see…I mean I don’t want to let Frank down and then instead I’m letting you down and….ohhhhh.” I was hoping he’d let me off the hook, but it didn’t appear that was going to happen.
“Well if you had to let someone down, why d’you pick me?”
“I didn’t pick Frank if that’s what you’re asking. And that is what you’re asking, isn’t it?” I waited, the silence the only confirmation I needed. “It’s just the way it happened.”
“Ah hah.” The flatness of those two words spoke volumes.
“Oh I get it. You think that just because I said that it didn’t sound like my cup of tea, then I actually went out of my way to find an excuse not to go with you.” Silence. “Well, I didn’t, OK. Frank asked me, I completely forgot that this was on and it’s just one of those things.”
“I see. Just forget about it.”
“No, I’m not going to just forget about it. You said…”
“Just drop it, OK. I’m not in the mood.”
“So now it’s all about you is it? As usual we can’t even have a civil disagreement over something trivial without you…”
“Trivial?” He was standing now, scarf in hand. “You think this is trivial? Shows how much you know.”
“I know enough, thank you very much.”
“Oh do you just? You think you’re so clever, so high and mighty that you know enough. Well you don’t know squat!”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“If you know everything then why don’t you tell me?”
“You are a mongrel, you know that? You always twist everything I say. I said I was sorry right at the start, but noooooo, you had to keep going, keep pushing me until…”
“Until what? Until you snap like you usually do? Until you lose control and chuck a hissy fit? Why don’t you just grow up!”
“Me, grow up?? I can’t believe I’m hearing this! You want me to grow up?” I was standing now too. “Let me give you some free advice – I’m not the one who can’t hold down a job, OK?”
“Oh, so that’s what this is really about, hmmm? Another chance to take a dig at my work. Go on then, take a free shot. Give it your best.”
“Well you aren’t exactly beating down doors to get an interview are you?”
“What, so a man’s not allowed to take some time out every now and then? Fine.” He threw the remote control across the room. “I’ll start looking right now. In fact, I’d be glad to get another job. At least it would mean I wouldn’t have to put up with you.”
“Well go on then, be dramatic – you’re so good at it. And I hate to point out the obvious but exactly where do you think you’re going to find a job at 7:30 at night?”
“You have such a smart mouth, you know that? You just can’t help yourself. You have to have the last word.” We were toe to toe now.
“Oh I think that honour is actually one that you deserve – not me. What about last year? In September? Who had the last word then, hey? Did I challenge your stupid decision? No. I gave in for the sake of the code – just like I always do.”
“If life is so tough for you then why are you still here?”
“Sometimes I ask myself that very question…”
“Well let me make it easy for you…I’m done.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Exactly what I said. I’m done. I’m done with being treated like dirt and disrespected by a wannabe like you.”
“Wannabe? Puhlease! Surely you can do better than that.”
“You want better, baby? I’ll give you better. It’s over.”
“If you walk out that door don’t think for a moment that you’re coming back…”
“Fine by me.”
“I mean it. You can’t say that…that…stuff and then just expect to walk back in tomorrow morning and everything is back to normal…I mean it this time.” He threw me a withering look as he grabbed his jacket and walked out the door for the game.
Oh man. This is ridiculous. We’re going to get divorced over the code. I can’t help it if I like AFL more than Rugby League.