Living In The Cross Fire

Shane is onto Tom about him setting Mark W. up with Kim.

I probably haven't spoken too much about Kim, as I haven't seen much of him lately, but he has a whole inter-connected history within my group of friends. Let's just say that when we all experimented with recreational drugs, put them in their proper place and moved on with our lives, Kim took to them more enthusiastically and more permanently than the rest of us. He's lost the love of his life because of them. Well, it was his choice. Most of the guys he's had since have been little more than tweaked out fuck buddies.

Tom and he have had a weird slightly-twisted-never-really-eventuating relationship and a history of messing with each other's lives.

But I digress...

Shane was looking a little bunnies in the head lights, as he told me what he knew of the Mark W/Kim saga. He had the full picture, although he hadn't quite joined all the dots. Tom had told me that he was setting Mark W and Kim up, because he thought they would be good for each other. Two of his favourite people, single and alone. So, I had to be careful of what I said to Shane.

"Kim and Mark... and Tom," said Shane. "That's four days out partying for Mark, around Wesley's birthday long weekend. No wonder Mark hasn't been to work much this week."

"Poor Mark, hasn't he been well?" I ask.

"Poor Mark? Poor Mark! Poor fucking Mark chooses to go out partying for four, maybe five days in a row and then he falls a part afterwards and spends half the week on the phone to me wanting support," said Shane. "And now I find out some how Tom is involved."

"You know, I'm not sure if Tom said that the three of them were out together the Sunday after Wesley's birthday." I was back peddling. I had quite unthinkingly given Shane that information. I spoke without thinking, a few days ago, I was distracted, it just slipped out.

"The last thing that Mark needs right now is some junkie playing with his mind," said Shane. "What does Tom have to do with this?"

I shrugged. Tom was doing it for his own amusement. Putting Mark W. and Kim together would give Tom a greater power base from which to operate. I said nothing.

"Why is it that every time I look around Tom is meddling in my life?" said Shane. "Why does he want to?" I thought, for a moment, Shane had tears in his eyes.

"I think he's bored." I felt immediately disloyal after I'd said it, but it was the truth.