Shaking - Part 1

Tim did not want to go home to his nagging wife. He’d much rather stay at the bar, continue drinking beer, and watch the football game.

A drunken man bellowed at Tim from the next barstool over. He was getting a little too close for comfort, and his breath reeked of liquor and jalapeno peppers. “Hey, buddy,” he said, with a quick lift of his chin. “I heard it’s supposed to snow tonight. Imagine that. Snow in the beginning of October.”

Tim replied, his eyes wide, “Oh yeah? I haven’t heard anything about that. Where’d you hear this from?”

The intoxicated man slurred, “I saw it on the news. Say, what’s your name? I’m Alex.”

“Tim.”

Alex threw his head back and laughed, spraying Tim with spittle. “Well, nice to meet you, Tim.”

Tim rolled his eyes and turned his head toward the television.

Snow in October did not surprise Tim. He had only lived in Michigan for four years but already knew the weather was unpredictable. Since he hated the cold, the worst part was the winters. It was nothing like the warm sunshine of Atlanta, Georgia.