A Book, A Beer, And A Secret

He was always like this. Homework was done late at night, on the bus or in the schoolyard, and as for exams, well that was just the same.

He wondered if it would be the same when he graduated and got a job, but he had a secret that made him highly confident in everything he did, and he was certain that his life would be amazing. He felt special.

He always got things done and joked about it to everyone, and he annoyed many rather than gained their admiration.

When he was fourteen he went into his first pub and developed a penchant for getting drunk off whatever he decided to try for the night. This then developed into reading and revising with a pint of his favourite drink of the night. He became convinced that getting drunk helped him retain more information.

Lecturers and Tutors warned him that if he turned up smelling of drink again, they would have to suspend him, but he knew they wouldn't because he was their star student.

He didn't have a girlfriend or boyfriend, his only love was his work and the drink, which made people jealous of his success.

How could someone like that consistently produce such excellent work while spending every night in various public houses and drinking himself, often to oblivion?

His parents put up with him because his results were second to none, and though he drank far too much, he was never sick or suffered from hangovers. They were also a little perturbed but put up with it because they saw him as their meal ticket when he finally graduated and landed some incredibly high flyers job position. They hoped his drinking wouldn't affect his (and their) prospects.

Each night he would be in the pub and sometimes with a book for his revision.

Some said they heard him talking while he drank and revised. and his parents heard him in his room at night, but again did not question him about it.

His work was always flawless, he still got warned but he knew his position at the facility and home was secure. No one questioned him to his face but they did talk behind his back. When he was talking to himself they tried to listen but the words were often slurred or lost in other noise.

While there was a little jealousy among his peers, he was seen as a mysterious drunken genius. They said he talked with imps and demons, even the dark lord himself, who told him what he needed to know to get top marks and pass his exams. Although they could smell the beer on him after a night out, he never had a hangover. That was weird.

He heard the rumours and stories that were circulating about him, and he laughed, and in drunken conversations, he laughed. His parents heard him and the drinkers in the pubs heard him, and the conversations became a little clearer.

Him: "Should we tell them? They want to know"

?: "They would never believe you"

The words then became lost in the general hubbub but now everyone wanted to know who he was talking to, and what about.

Him: "That Loki has been giving me all this help and keeping me compus mentis after the drink? Maybe you are right it is outrageous that the Norse Joker is helping me out, though I must say it is fun"

?: "People prefer to think they are right, even if they are wrong. Just keep it like it is and me and you will go a long way"