Only The Lonely

By Steve Bussiere

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My son came home for a visit recently, which was great because I really miss him, although I know he is out there somewhere growing into the person he has to become. That is a wonderful and magical thing, but I still miss him.

While he was staying with me he gave me a book and told me I should read it because he thought I would really like it. He thinks the author's style is a lot like mine and told me it made him think of me while he was away growing.

We didn't spend nearly as much time together as I would have liked, because he is a young man and missed his friends here too, and wanted to spend time with them as well.

I was once a young man myself so after he spent a couple of hours with me I tossed him my car keys and told him to get out and see his friends, because when you are young, you need to see your friends more than you need to spend time with your old man, no matter how much you miss each other.

He smiled said thanks Dad, gave me a hug and headed out the door.

There was nothing on television that I wanted to watch, so out of curiosity born of boredom, I opened up the book and began to read it.

It was a great book, and I found it hard to put down. I sat there reading and marveled as I read my own life story it seemed.

I won't bore you with the details, but there was one chapter about loneliness, which really struck a chord inside of my heart.

The bottom line was that people were never meant to be alone because when we are alone, we become so self-absorbed that reality vanishes into the mist of life.

Well that's pretty deep stuff to read when you are feeling precisely the same way inside, which started me thinking. Loneliness starts you thinking sometimes which can spiral out of control.

At this time of year, there are a lot of people who are likely feeling a deeper loneliness than hopefully you can imagine, because it is not fun to feel that way.

I sat back and looked at my life, what it is and what it was, where it has lead me and I wondered where it will lead me to.

Then I thought about The Republic of Steve.

The Republic of Steve is a place in my mind, which was born of loneliness.

It is a place where I can create everything I would love to have.

It is a place where there is no loneliness, only friends.

Friends who care about each other, laugh with each other, lie harmlessly to one another and hide from the uglier side of life with each other.
It is a place where dreams are born and grow. Dreams like "The Paper Magazine".

Some of the dreams are born from hope.

Some are born from pain, and others are born of the same complete and utter boredom and frustration that only the lonely know.

It's a haven of sanity, born of insanity.

It may never be close to the best place on this earth, but at least it's "home", and home is where the heart is.

No matter how badly the day has gone, there is a place of respite at The Republic of Steve.

There is always someone who cares about you and all that you are going through.

No matter how down you are feeling on any particular day, there is always someone at The Republic who will rag on you, just to let you know they care, because you only tease people you care about.

There are always friends to have a beverage with and do some "neon tanning" under the four gazillion beer lights which adorn the walls.

Camaraderie is a wonderful thing which will kill loneliness, at least temporarily.

There is "Christmas" in The Republic of Steve, but it can't be held on the 25th of December, because it is not open on that day.

I suppose it's a lot like Wal-Mart, which is not open on that day either, with no check out lines.

With that in mind, I just want to take this opportunity to wish all of the denizens of The Republic of Steve, a very Merry Christmas.

THE CAST: (In no particular order)
Alton
Andy
Publisher Bob
One Draft Phil
Sole Brother Rich
Clark The Killer
Sherriff Ron
Karnal Kim
The Wiz
Angel Eyes
Cinderella
The Flower Girl
Butch The Water Bored Guy

And to everyone reading this, we all wish you the very best at this wonderful time of year! Hold the snow!

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