On this episode of Smirk, Aaron tells a tale revolving around two friends, Dwayne and Jake. When a relative calls needing their help, things take a turn for the worse. The ensuing events depicted in the story immediately lead to an enlightening discussion.
Welcome to Smirk. A podcast that covers society and culture through a storytelling lens. Part creative writing, part discussion, and always interesting. Each week our hosts brings a story to the show, a story they wrote themselves, which is immediately followed by discussion on the author’s moral or theme.
These stories can cover any topic the host wants to discuss, it can be lighthearted or more serious. No one but the author knows if these tales are truth or fiction, and part of the fun is guessing while you’re listening before the reality is made clear.
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Want to read Aaron’s story “Barking Mad” in full? Think you can identify the moral or theme for this episode? Read it below, and then take a listen to the podcast.
Barking Mad
Dwayne and Jake were leaving the Quik Stop just as the call came in. Dwayne looked down at his phone, and saw who it was: his cousin Mike. Immediately he sighed. Turning his gaze to Jake, they both shook their heads and decided to ignore the ring. Not today.
Rounding a corner, they headed back to the neighborhood. Being brought up in the projects, you come to know which calls, family or otherwise, you should ignore, and Mike was definitely one of those. While both Dwayne and Jake have escaped many of the trappings of their financially strapped community, Mike wore them all as a badge of honor. Drugs, illegitimate kids, violence – it was Mike’s day job.
Jake, though, was heading to the military soon, hoping to get a fresh start and find his way out of the hole he’d dug for himself, while Dwayne was just trying to keep from falling into yet another cultural abyss.
They finally put Mike’s call behind them and returned to ribbing each other and laughing about the futures they’d never have.
That’s when the phone rang. Again.
Now, Mike calling once usually meant he was about to need help doing something stupid and most likely illegal. But calling back immediately? Well that meant he was in trouble. And in the neighborhood, you don’t ignore those calls.
Dwayne picked up, “what’s up?”
“Dwayne! That you?” Mike was agitated. “Man, you need to get over to the house now! I just got back and my two front windows are busted out! I don’t know if they’re still in there, but the cops are in no hurry and my pups are in there. Trained or not, I don’t want to chance my boys getting hurt. Can you back me up?”
Of course, neither Jake nor Dwayne wanted any part of it, but family is family. So they tore through the complex and pulled up right as Mike was preparing to enter, SWAT style. Checking his six and everything else he learned from cheesy action movies.
Mike slapped his hand on the Beware of Dogs sign just as he burst through the door, pistol in hand, Jake and Dwayne followed right behind him, wielding a bat and a 2×4 from Dwayne’s trunk. As they worked their way through Mike’s place, they finally arrived at the living room.
And that’s where they stopped dead in their tracks, staring at the horrific sight lying before them, mouths agape. Astonished, no one could speak.
Around the room, Mike’s possessions were all still there. Big screen TV, stereo, a few random narcotics, even a handful of cash. Also peppered throughout this room, was a thick, red fluid. As if someone had splattered paint all over the walls and furniture.
But it wasn’t paint, this was blood.
And sitting square in the middle of the floor, calmly licking their lips and sitting upright at attention, were Mike’s pair of 6 month old rottweilers. Blood dripping from their mouths, but somehow, happy as could be. There were no assailants in sight, just remnants of a crime gone very, very wrong. And from the looks of the scene, these criminal masterminds would not be bothering Mike EVER again.
Now, listen to the full episode as we dissect Aaron’s story.