Drunken Rant

“The fucking thing about it, man. The thing that makes me nuts, is how the fuck is this supposed to teach me anything? I was happy. I was a high level warrior, dated a girl that was hot even in THIS world, and people really respected me. I was asked to go on raids all the time. I was the King. Had to start fucking saying NO, y’know what I mean?” Dithers slurred. He had finally broken down and engaged the bartender in drunken ramble. No one else seemed interested in hearing him talk about the game, to the point that several patrons who had sat next to him had bustled away at the mere mention. “I hear ya buddy. But hey, it wasn’t real, right? Bunch of bullshit. You’re better off without it,” the bartender muttered. “Better off? Shit man, I fit in there. I had a purpose and it made me feel good. Here? I’m just another awkward guy in the room. I’ve only been banned for a week and I’m already sick of not fitting in. This is the real world? Fuck the real world. My real world is a cubicle, a pushy A.I. boss, and nothing to do most nights. Now you tell me which is a bunch of bullshit. I just…I just want to go back,” Dithers finished with a whimper into his nearly empty beer glass. He had drunken several before even beginning his rant. “Look, I know what you’re going through…Dithers was it? We all do here. This place is a hang-out for people who were banned from their games. That’s why people don’t want to listen to you, because we’ve all been through this and no one wants to relive it,” the bartender said as he leaned in. “Here have a cigarette. My name is Mark,” he said.