Commitment
flash fiction | no more excuses
“Look, we don’t have to go through with this.”
“We promised.”
“We can just walk away and say we changed our minds.”
“But we made a commitment.”
“Alcohol was involved.”
“Are you saying you can’t be trusted whenever you have a beer?”
“I’m saying I was caught up in the moment. Some decisions deserve to be made in the light of day.”
“We said no more excuses. This was the year.”
“We also said we were going to ‘eat clean starting immediately’ and then ordered mozzarella sticks.“
“But then we agreed to start today, instead.”
“And what about the ‘no more drinking?’ Remember?”
“Okay, well, in the light of day, that strikes me as ambitious. But what does this say about our commitment? Our integrity!?” Howie frowned and shifted his view across the parking lot into the noon sky.
Nothing.
Howie exhaled slowly. “Okay. You’re right.” Then his eyes widened. “How about this? New plan: baby steps.”
“Yes. Thank you. That’s the part we missed last night.”
“Step one: we get back in the car, get away from this or any other gym and agree ‘no’ memberships today.”
Milo brightened. “Perfect. Step two?”
“We reassess our relationship with mozzarella sticks.”
“Agreed. When do we start?”
“No time like the present.”
“Exactly. Fresh-start energy. We get honest with ourselves and course-correct.”
“The closest place is Mallory’s.”
Milo paused. “You know that’s a bar?”
Howie was committed. “They have mozzarella sticks.”
by George Alger
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