"At least I'm not THAT guy", I thought.................
He probably sat in his seat saying the exact same thing about everybody he saw. About everybody he taunted while he sat there.
And that laugh.
It must be the same guy thats been there for years, because the odds of two people having the same laugh, doing that job, I imagine are pretty big.
Well, THREE people.
5 or 6 or 8 years ago, I had a coworker who had the same exact laugh. So much so, that another coworker nicknamed him "dunktank", because of the similarity in the laughs. "Dunktank" is in reference to the clown who sits over a tank of water, and taunts fairgoers to (buy, and) throw balls at the target in an attempt to get him dunked.
I remembered that laugh, and I remembered that coworker.
Hes in prison now on two murder charges, in connection with a very famous case.
It was a loud laugh, an infectious laugh, almost a forced laugh, but it wasnt. He was the type of guy to laugh at everything.
Not so much anymore, I'd guess.
As far as I knew him, he was a nice guy. Friendly as hell, and I bet if the company were to cast a secret ballot then, as to which coworker would be where he is today, I'd have gotten more votes than he would've.
I'm not exactly a social butterfly at work, y'know. Not like I'm rude, but there are people who HAVE to store beer in the trunk so they can have one before they get home, and there are people who do not.
Even on the worst days (and their name is legion), I can wait.
Dunktank.
I dont remember anything bad about him, but then again, you can spend more time then 10 or 12 hours a day, for 6 days a week, and STILL not know someone, y'know?
Sometimes, it takes something more. You know, like a murder charge to light up the lightbulb over your head.
Or something.
So I'm walking around our county fair, and I hear this laugh.
My first thought is "holy cow that guy is STILL at it".
And then I thought of the nicknamed guy. He's still where he is too.
Always will be.
At least I'm not THAT guy.
Either of them.
I started to wonder about each, both of them and their lives.
Whats it like to travel around and do THAT, for years on end? Man thats gotta suck times a thousand.
At least people compliment my work or slip me a hundred bucks as a tip every once in a while.
THAT guy gets the finger for doing his job, and thats AFTER he gets dunked.
Sheesh, I bet HE keeps a cooler of beer in his trunk.
I wonder what its like for dunktank in prison?
I wonder how a happy go lucky type survives in there?
God he must feel lonely.
I wonder if I should visit him?
Yeah thats it. Start my workplace social networking in the state prison.
I dunno.
At least I'm not that guy.
Its gotta be one of the lonliest places on earth.
One of.
Like a county fair.
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