Buddy, Nee Jim

Buddy And Jim And Stanley, Part 2

Buddy’s real name is Jim Lee. He’s a graphic designer and still wants to be a comic book artist.

For a while, he’d draw and I’d write the copy. Neither of us was good at creating a story. Our friend, Rob, did that.

A different Jim Lee became a famous comic book artist, depriving Buddy of his rightful identity - Jim Lee, Comic Book Artist. Buddy needed either a new name or a new dream.

This theft occurred about the time that Jim started calling everybody “Dude.”

I hated that. I didn’t need a new name. I ignored him whenever he tried to address me that way. For him, calling me Dude soon became sport.

“Dude? Hey, Dude? Dude? Come on! Hey, Dude.”

“What?!”

“Hey. Dude. Buy me a beer.”

“Sure Buddy.”

Whenever he demanded a beer, I answered, “Sure Buddy.” Soon, others called him, ‘Buddy.’ They liked the irony. I just liked the new name.

I lacked the ability to start stories or name unnamed characters. But I could piece the bits together or nickname a friend. Buddy stuck. Who would want to call him the unfamous Jim Lee, anyway?

He picked up my note pad as I sat back down. He asked, “So, how goes the writing?”

“The writing is OK.” I took my note pad back. “The clients suck. How goes the drawing?”

“I always like the work I do for myself. I found some new material to work with.”

“The binocular stuff?”

“No. Scott Morse.”

… continued

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Buddy And Jim And Stanley

Part 2: Buddy, Nee Jim
Part 1: Olfactory Paranoia