Clean (Part 1)

"So start again and get it right this time? I hate it when you don't tell that joke right!" Steve said, as the class clown who grew up to become a teacher, and then quit, spending his weekends in comedy clubs.

Nick grinned, after having just told his "half hour" long version of Thee Aristocrats. It was really only 10 minutes, yet people felt like they had been entertained for much longer.

The last seven of their circle of friends, who were either still single or now divorced, were out for Nick's freedom party. Dinah was usually the center of attention, but tonight she made sure Nick was the star. She had known him the longest of all of his friends. She had never known him in all his years, to be hurting so much. Dinah made sure to reign herself in and direct the good time towards the man who deserved a party in his honor, after all he'd been through the last couple years. The gathering of friends was larger an hour ago. Most had gone home to their families.

Dinah had fantasized about Nick's wife a couple of times, but she never would have considered doing anything about it. Nick was too much like a little brother to hurt him like that. She couldn't believe it herself, that his ex-wife would commit such an act of degrading deception, and for so long. Dinah didn't know how anyone could do such a thing. Sure, she had done some cheating, early in a relationship, once, when she was younger; but she couldn't imagine how a mature adult being with someone else like that, after a decade of marriage, then just be so disgusting about their betrayal, and for so long, almost a whole year. Would she still be doing it to him today, if it wasn't for Jay? She thought about that last part, again, it would be three years now, still cheating. This detail was so important to the story that is Nick's life. "How does one even put on such an act, for so long, and not lose part of their soul?" Dinah, asked herself quietly, while looking at her friend from across the table.

"Grapes" was the big guy, next to little Dinah. Not that you would want to mess with either of them. Dinah could probably take "Grapes" in an unfair fight, in spite of her size. She was raised on the streets in West Philly and when the hood came out of her, you knew she wasn't messing around anymore. Yet, she was one of the friendliest people you will ever meet. Dinah was wise beyond her years from a harsher youth than most. This also made her a trusted advisor, of sorts, for many, and Nick's Jiminy Cricket.

Let's get back to James "Sour Grapes" Branson. This guy was big, like Thor. No, not the young god; the heavy one, from Endgame. "Grapes" was that dirty old man who actually did hit on Nick's wife. Right in front of him, knowing he would be shot down.

There were moments when Dinah wondered if "Grapes" hated Nick's ex-wife too, because she cheated with anyone else but him. No one was there for it, but apparently rumor has it that he invited her out to dinner, after everything came out. She had left crying and embarrassed, after "the Great Grape Ape" swung with all his Silver-back might, verbally at least, unleashing a tirade of Harambie proportions.

His rapidly graying hipster beard had beads woven into its braids. Which was really a good look for him, since he had no hair on the top of his head.

To his right, sat Steve Daugherty, the Bill Hicks, to "Grape's" George Carlin. Steve & "Grapes" interacted as if the old men, in the balcony of the Muppet Show, were in a May/December bromance. "Grapes" told mostly Boomer jokes, about trump and other aspects of politics he found to be irrational, or hypocritical.

Steve was "Grapes'" main man in life. The Mutt to his Jeff. The Jay to his not so Silent Bob. Lately, Steve's whole act has been to use an overhead projector to put Trump Tweets on a screen for people to laugh at, as he deconstructed them, for relevance and irony. He didn't mean for it to become his, thing, for so long, but it was easy and it made people laugh. Now, after seven months of dissecting POTUS tweets, it's becoming depressing to him to do the act, for all the obvious reasons, but he still does it, because the people laugh.

Jenna yawned. Oliver rolled his eyes, knowing he'd have to wrap up the night early; being that he was Jenna's ride home for this evening's festivities. He had promised to take Jenna home early, but now, Oliver really wanted to stay out partying all night. As they said their goodbyes, Bob suggested Nick should put Charlotte through college. That was all Oliver needed to hear. He knew exactly where the guys were going next.