Second Lies - The Finish

Virtual Depravity - The Departure

It was a cloudy Wednesday…all afternoon long we rode around the countryside as Bear vented. He was understandably angry, for the second time in three years his wife left him and this time most likely for good.

After getting back from Knoxville we passed out till afternoon when we made a little trip through the back hills along the river. It was sitting at a spot along the river Bear made his lament.

“I know it takes two to have a relationship and it takes two to wreck one…but I didn’t believe she was gonna do anything because she was always on the fuckin computer.” Bear then went off on how to proceed with a divorce, how to rearrange his finances, how to work on his home, how to deal with Star in the future, all the while his face getting pale as a sheet of paper. “Bear, why don’t we head on back, you look like you need rest.”

“RJ, we still haven’t heard from her, we don’t know what the fuck is going on?” Then as if on cue, my cell phone rings. “RJ, its Star, how is ‘he’ doing?” “Bear is right hear, you wanna talk to him yourself?” “Not right now RJ” “Where are you Star?” “I’m in Atlanta right now leaving for Louisiana” “You couldn’t get a straight shot to your final destination Star?” “No, I’ll call to let you know my progress.” Bear looked at me quizzically.

“Star, have you heard from Terry? Have you worked out when you will arrive and will he be there to pick you up?” “Of course RJ,…don’t worry, I’m going to be fine…tell Bear I love him” “No Star, tell him yourself” “I got to go RJ, I will call later.” Bear looked at me and asked “Tell me what RJ? “She loves you.” Bear now started to regain color to his face as his anger caused his blood pressure to rise.

We picked up some food at the Hillbilly Holler Po’ Dunk and took off into the hills going to Bear’s house. Afternoon passed into night, Bear stayed busy between the computer and phone calls to some of the neighbors.

Skippy came over to motivate Bear, keeping his spirits up by telling anti-feminist jokes and talking about Hooters. Bear was obviously elsewhere mentally…worried about Star.

My phone rang again about 10:30 Wednesday night. It was Star, “I’m in Mobile, Alabama RJ and will arrive in Lafayette about 4:30 am…Terry will be there to get me.” “Star, if you get there and things are not what they seem to be or you feel that you are in some danger call me or Bear so we can guide you from there” “RJ, I will call you if anything is weird, I won’t call Bear until I know I am safe and settled.”

“Listen Star, this situation is very, very dangerous…from my vantage point you are acting on promises made in a virtual world that may have no validity in the real world or the here and now…be careful, be very careful.” “You worry too much RJ…I know Terry, we have shared so much…but I will let you know if anything is not right.” “How is Bear holding up.” “Just fine Star, he is concerned for your safety too.”

“I gotta go RJ, bye.” Bear was looking at me waiting for the report. I told him she was in Mobile, Alabama on her way to Lafayette and what I said to do if things are not what they were made out to be. “This fucking asshole Terry got her the cheapest fucking ticket…it doesn’t take all day and a night to get to Louisiana.” Bear puffed on his cigar while clutching his gut, obviously in pain. I didn’t sleep well that night, nor did Bear.

Thursday morning I read a text message from Star that she was picked up by Terry at the Lafayette Bus Station and that she would call later. I told Bear when he woke up. “How do we know this guy isn’t raping the shit out of her, how do we know he didn’t take her phone away, how do we know if she isn’t in an emergency room somewhere or worse.” Bear was flustered, conflicted and dismayed.

About an hour later Star called and she was elated, “RJ, I’m OK, I’m safe and Terry is here with me now. Its more than I expected. We just had breakfast and this is wonderful, I’m very, very happy.”

Then Terry got on the phone and introduced himself and let me know that she was safe and that he would give me his address via e-mail when they got some rest. “Sir, I know that this whole thing is most irregular but I do love Star and will do the best I can.”

“Terry, how do you know so much about each other without ever meeting until now? How can you really commit to love when all you know is the ‘Second Life’ world? Help me understand just a little Terry.” “RJ, she captivated me, she intoxicated me, she seduced me and I guess I did the same to her.” “Do take care of her and do have a good relationship with each other, do you hear Terry?” Terry said “Yes sir, you are awesome”. I told Bear about the conversation, he turned pale and went to the bathroom.

I was told to avoid stress at all costs. I was told to go someplace to relax. I was told my blood pressure is near uncontrollable. When I took my blood pressure as I do every day it was higher than abnormal even when I take my medication. I took more meds. I thought about this whole mess and asked myself the dumb question. Why didn’t Star tell me about leaving Bear before I came down here?

I had to ask myself was it for her safety she did this while I was here or for Bear’s safety? (Star can shoot damn well for a city chick) Did Star make up her mind to leave Bear when she met Terry online or did she make up her mind to leave Bear when the letter from the Neo-Nazi’s wench came to the house? (Oh, the letter involved a court case Bear won against a Neo-Nazi for property damage and allegations about Star’s conduct).

I took more medication and sat down passing out on the couch. Later that night I prepped everything I needed to pack up on Friday. I had to send something I brought to diagnose Bear’s PC problems back to New York. I couldn’t wait to get away from this confusion, from the pain, from the bitterness and the obvious deceit. What a vacation. I will lock my ass in my house for several days with a bible, a bottle and my meds when I get back.

Friday morning Bear and I had got up early it was lightly overcast. Bear ranted on about the timetable of Star’s ‘plan’ and attempted to put together conspiracies, noticing how he figured she was playing his friends against each other and how she attempted to blame him for everything. Then Bear said something to the effect “may God smack me down if I’m the one who did everything wrong.” Right away things started to happen.

The sky turned pitch black and the Emergency Broadcast System put out a thunderstorm warning with high winds for the county. Lightning struck trees as water came down in a torrential flood lasting about half an hour.

Bear scrambled through his house closing windows. The cat had got into the house just before the rain started and it wined continuously for about 15 minutes. Bear’s dogs trembled under the couch.

I looked at Bear and said “Be careful not to ask God for much concerning Star.” Bear laughed thinking I was making a joke. I wasn’t. The rain slowed and turned to a mist and the sun broke out between the clouds as a rainbow appeared in the sky. It lasted all about two or three minutes and disappeared. Bear proceeded to talk about God, Star and what he believed would happen to Star. By that time Skippy came over.

We all jumped in my rented SUV and headed into town. “You know what, sickness or death could happen to Star for what she did…got baptized, did witchcraft and now she’s blaming this on me…may whatever bad is coming her way get to her.” I said, “Bear, she’s still your wife, the two are still one flesh, whatever you put out comes back to you in some way…be careful with what’s in your heart.”

“God Almighty, give me a sign because I know I’m right” said Bear. We were going up hill on the downhill side was the road we were to turn on.

At the corner of the road was a Church with a cemetery. On the edge of the green country cemetery were three rows of empty metal chairs before a deep dark grave with a casket eerily uncovered out in the open with not a living soul insight as a dark cloud passed over when we made the turn. I prayed for myself. I thought about Bear’s heart. I said “Hey Bear, there’s your sign!”

Skippy started to shudder. We went to the General Store where Bear picked up a bunch of things for the house. We went back the same way we came as dark clouds passed over the sky. Bear noticed that the new guard rail on the road back had been hit and something was at the bottom of the ravine. It was an accident just day’s old. As we again passed the Old Church Cemetery the casket and chairs were still in the same place.

As the cloud passed over a big bird with large wings circled the graveyard as lightning flashed in the distance. “I wonder what that sign means” said Bear. “Whatever it is it caint be good” said Skippy, now ghost white pale as we hit the main road back. I just prayed for myself and plead mercy from Almighty God.

Later that afternoon Star called Bear on his house phone. It was a civil call. Star asked him to send her clothing and some personal items because she left so quickly she didn’t have what she needed. Star had two job interviews in her new seaside home on the Louisiana part of the Gulf.

“Is the guy for real Star, can he take care of you” said Bear? “We can take care of each other Bear” Bear’s face crinkled in anger as he shook his head. “That’s good, your box will be packed and sent on Monday.” I walked away so they could talk in private. After the call I asked Bear about the face he made. “She is the one who is the problem child, I put her in her place like my Dad did me” said Bear. “When did she stop being your wife and become your child?” Bear looked at me, put up his hands puffing away on his cigar.

I thought about the sign. Bear and I went to UPS Store, got a box and returned to his house. On the way Bear again revisited conspiracies, the Second Lifer cult and the whole world of virtual gaming. “What does God think of this RJ? How does this sit with the Bible? A baptized Southern Christian adulteress, what about it RJ?”

“I would never dare assume to guess the mind of Almighty God, but being baptized she is under the blood of Christ, even as a sinner, because Christ died for that very reason…sin. So I say what we need to do is pray, ask God for guidance and seek healing and forgiveness Bear.” Bear shook his head, “I don’t think she’s asking God for forgiveness, she’s blaming me…may God be my witness, I am not wrong.”

As we pulled up to Bear’s house the sky flowed with dark clouds coming down from the mountain. Bear turned on the TV and the Emergency Broadcast System now had a tornado warning for the whole county, giving instructions on how to hide and survive.

The sky turned pitch black as lightning flashed, thunder roared and the wind howled whipping the rain horizontal against houses, cars and trees.

I asked God not to let me suffer if he’s out to get Bear. I came for a vacation, not to witness judgment at the hand of God. As the wind and rain hit the house the dogs jumped on Bear and stayed with him trembling. The storm again passed and the TV reported the damage throughout the county. Again I told Bear, “don’t drag God into this demanding vengeance, God has a way of giving you what you ask in ways you can’t imagine.”

Saturday morning I left Bear and he was quite sad and quite angry. Star is living her second life fantasy in reality, Bear is living his only life with pain, loneliness and despair...again.

RJ