New Message: Mike Fitz

10:47:33

Snider,

Can we meet at my house before we go to dinner tomorrow? You can come over about 5:45 or so and we’ll have a drink or two to get ourselves loosened up before we go out. If that’s a problem, I guess we can meet at the restaurant but alcohol’s cheaper at the house.

Have you talked to mom?

-M. Fitz

Snider’s fingers fly across the keyboard.

Mike, that sounds great. Free drinks are always preferable.

I video chatted with Mom earlier and she looked great. She also commented on my blog so she’s up to date.

See you tomorrow.

-Snider Fitz

http://SniderFitz.blogspot.com

Sent 10:48:53 via iPhone.

Snider rang to doorbell.

No answer.

He took his phone out of his pocket.

He had a new e-mail.

It was from a friend he’d never met.

A link to a cartoon.

The cartoon redefined gay as a white, male Christian bashing and condemning the homosexual lifestyle.

Snider laughed in his head at the irony. Another e-mail.

It’s from Mike.

He read it:

Hey brother,

I’m standing right in front of you.

-M. Fitz

Snider looked up at Mike and murmured, “Funny.”

“I thought so” Mike smiled slyly.

The brothers hugged with heavy pats.

Mike spoke first. “How’re you?”

“Good.” said Snider, then looked down at the phone.

Mike said, “Follow me” and led Snider out of the front hallway toward the kitchen where all of his alcohol was hidden on the top shelf.

He didn’t want the kids to find it.

“So, Snider, what’ll it be?”

Snider slumped down on a kitchen stool and looked down at his phone. “Whatever you’re having”

“Okay. Double vodka martini it is.”

Snider didn’t react.

Mike grabbed the Grey Goose and two glasses. “So, how’re the blogs going?”

Snider grunted.

“How many, what do you call them…. the things you get when a lot of people are visiting your site. You know what I’m talking about.”

Snider didn’t say anything.

“Internet traffic! That’s it. What’s your internet traffic like?”

“Good” said Snider.

“Have you put up any new posts?”

“I did this morning.”

“What was it about?” Mike grabbed ice from the freezer.

“Me.”

“What about you?”

“About what I was doing.”

“What were you doing?”

“Blogging.”

“Oh…” Mike shook the martinis. “So you were blogging about blogging?”

“Ya.”

“Did anyone actually read that?” He poured them to the rim of the glass.

“I’ve had 2,435 internet traffics since it was posted four point three nine hours ago.”

“English please.” Mike handed the drink to Snider.

He didn’t look up from the phone.

“Hey. Here’s your drink.”

Snider grabbed it, annoyed. “I posted it four hours and twenty-three minutes ago. Well, since I’ve been talking, I guess it’s twenty-four minutes. When I said that I’ve had 2,435 Internet traffics, I was mocking you. They’re called Internet hits. Now will you please stop asking me questions. This talking is exhausting me.”

“It’s called social interaction. Talking. Social interaction. You should try it more often. Are you going to taste that?” Mike pointed at the martini.

“Ya.” Snider grabbed the glass and poured it all down his throat.

“That was quite the taste, Snide.”

“Ya…”

“You should probably slow down a little bit.”

Snider placed the empty martini glass on the table. “Don’t preach to me.”

“I’m just saying…”

Snider looked back down and began typing.

Mikes phone buzzed in his pocket.

“Is that you Snider?”

“Is what me?”

“Did you just message me?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about…” Snider smiled. “Are you going to get that though? Because if you don’t get it, you may be delayed in your response time.”

“Ya. I’ll get it. Just wait a second.” Mike picked up the martini and began to sip.

His pants leg buzzed.

Snider sat silently smirking.

Mike’s pants leg buzzed.

Snider looked at Mike.

Mike looked back. “That’s you, isn’t it?”

Snider returned to his phone. “Nope,” he said.

“Can you put the phone up, Snide?”

Snider didn’t move.

Mike sipped the martini, pretended to be threatening. “I’ll beat you if you don’t put it up.”

“You haven’t beaten me since we were kids.”

Mike smiled. “You know you would absolutely take me now.”

Snider smirked. “Yup.”

Mike’s pants leg buzzed.

“Are you going to get that?”

“Does one unread message really bother you that much?’

“Will you just make it stop buzzing, at least?”

“Why?”

“If it wasn’t buzzing, I’d be able to relax a little bit more.”

Mike thrust his hand into his pocket. “You never relax.”

New Message: Snider Fitz.

Can I have another drink, please?

And thank you.

--Snider Fitz

http://SniderFitz.blogspot.com

Mike looked up.

Snider looked up.

They met eyes.

Stare down.

“Okay. Snide. For the love of God. Put up the phone.”

Snider laughed. “Alright, I’ll put up the phone to drink for a bit but can I get another drink first.”

“Haven’t you had enough already?”

“Mike, get me another drink or I’m taking out the phone.”

Mike got out the Grey Goose, began pouring another martini.

There was silence between the brothers.

Snider pondered his next blog entry—the importance of family to keep you grounded.

Mike, between sips of the martini, thought about Snider’s friends and family. They were sitting in the other room, waiting for Mike and him to walk in.

Ready to sit Snider down, explain to him how he’d hurt them with his addiction.

Ready to intervene.

Mike handed Snider the new martini. “Snide, you wanna move into the living room?”

“Sure.”

And Snider, drink in hand, followed Mike into the living room.