On this episode, Aaron offers up a tale of friendship, as one man risks his life for fortune, while the other just might be his saving grace from certain death. The conversation then shifts into what constitutes a true friend. Most importantly, how far can a friend go before you simply cannot help them anymore?
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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 “Pals” in full? Think you can identify the moral or theme for this episode? Read it below, and then take a listen to the podcast.
Pals
John knew the gold was there.
After 15 years of searching, he had whittled down the possibilities of where the lost Mackenzie gold shipment could be, and NOW he was sure. All he needed was to grab the gear, head out to the desert, drop down the shaft, and recover the riches.
John loaded up the truck and headed over to Terry’s house. Terry had been John’s friend for years, and had put up with all kinds of nonsense like this as John stalked the countryside looking for treasures of any sort. Better yet, he’d always been supportive.
John walked up to the door just as Terry came bursting through it.
“Johnny boy! Where you headed this time,” Terry belted.
“I found it, Terry. I’m absolutely positive this time. Any chance you can make the trek with me?”
Terry looked at John, then back inside and shook his head no. “I’m sorry, man. I already promised Sheila we’d take a trip into Phoenix. If you’re still hunting next weekend, though, I’m in.”
“I understand,” John’s statement didn’t ring true, but it was necessary. “Here’s where I’m searching, right next to Aguila, and here’s a map you can have. If you don’t hear from me in 2 days, come looking. Deal?”
“Deal.” Terry took the map and watched as John jumped in his truck and hit the road.
Many hours later
John looked down the mine shaft and winced at the 100 foot drop. He rigged up his ropes and started to rappel.
“This was it!” he thought. “Years of hunting and finally it won’t be for nothing.” John’s 60 year-old frame wasn’t built for mountain climbing, but even he could make it 100 feet.
John rappelled down about 40 feet, then…he heard a SNAP! Suddenly, he was rocketing towards the Earth when he felt his back hit the dirt, taking the wind out of him. As he regained his composure, he looked at his rope and saw that the carabiner clip was completely busted. That’s why he fell…and that’s why he couldn’t get back out.
Two days later
Terry frantically and repeatedly dialed John’s phone. It had been two days, and John was not one to ignore his calls. Sheila, Terry’s wife, walked in and asked, “Are we still heading to lunch?” Terry looked at his phone, then back at her. He knew she had grown tired of Terry’s incessant need to assist his friend, but he could not eat in good conscience. “No, I have to look for John”.
Terry could feel this would be a fight of significant magnitude when he got home.
Terry pulled up to see John’s truck exactly where he said it would be, two days ago. He quickly leapt out of his car and ran toward the mine shaft, screaming John’s name as he approached.
The closer he got, the more he could hear a weak, almost defeated voice coming from below. It was John.
“Terry, Terry is that you?? Am I losing your mind??”
“It’s me, pal. I just thought I’d come and make sure you weren’t spending my share of all that gold without me.” They both laughed.
Terry arrived at the mine shaft and looked over the edge to see John laying in the spot he obviously fell two days earlier. Immediately he could tell John was dehydrated and frail, so he tossed the water bottle he had with him down to John.
“Drink that, and get yourself ready. Somehow, I’m going to get you out of this hole.”