EARLY MORNING PHONE CALLS SUCK

Just now (6 a.m.) the phone rings.

Whenever the phone rings between the hours of midnight and 8 a.m...it's NOT good news. Either someone is dead, in the hospital or drunk and at the police station, thinking I have some pull down there.

It was my buddy Billy.

Billy called to tell me that the grandson of a man I worked with ten years ago was shot to death yesterday in a gang argument.

Okay. I TRY to be a caring person.

I REALLY do.

But....

Calling me at 6 a.m. to tell me about the death of the grandson of a guy I worked with ten years ago that I never saw since and barely spoke to when I worked with him?????

Sorry. I never met the kid. So what do you say when someone tells you this?

"OH DEAR GOD IN HEAVEN!!!! WHY?!?!? WHYYYYYYYYY?!?!?!?"

Nope.

I said "Is that it, Billy?"

Billy snickered. He's known me for 16 years. He knows me better than a 13 year old knows his first Playboy.

"Uhhh yeah...that's it."

"Did I REALLY need to be called at 6 a.m. to be told that someone I never met was dead?"

"Uhhhh no."

"Alright then. THINK, Billy. THINK next time."

"You got it."

I hung up the phone. NOT TEN SECONDS LATER the phone rang again.

Billy.

"Yeah, Billy?"

"I forgot one more thing. You're an asshole."

We both laughed so hard. Maybe it was the early hour doing it to us.

I love the guy.