Truth or Dare

That always fun, often interesting game

For the entire year, the band members kept up the Truth or Dare game on the way to every football game and to out-of-town parades. Everyone in the back of the third bus had their turn to tell the truth about something or take a reasonable dare.

When all three buses arrived for lunch at a strip mall filled with fast food restaurants, the back of the third bus gang hung together to continue their quest for the most honest or most daring escapade of all.

As all seven sat down at two tables with their food, Micah was up and he chose Dare.

“Micah,” Alyssa said. “See that man over there sitting alone? Take your lunch over there and eat with him.”

Micah looked at Alyssa out of the corners of his eyes. He considered the action.

Rose Ann said, “You’ve got five seconds to decide. If not, you fork over ten bucks to all of us. You know the rules.”

Micah grabbed his bag and drink, flashed a fake smile at his friends, and walked over to the bald man sitting by himself.

He asked if he could join him and after he sat down, Micah explained what this was about.

“No problem,” Cliff said, barely moving his lips. “How well do you know your friends over there?”

Micah nodded.

“Wanna get even with ‘em?”

He nodded again, this time with a smile.

“Micah, I need you to play along with me though. Everything I do after I say ‘go’ is pure acting and you’re involved. You game?”

Micah’s smile was bigger with his nod.

“Now, you probably shouldn’t be smiling. So here we go, Mr. Micah,” said Cliff.

Cliff slammed his hands on the table and shoved his empty tray onto the floor.

“How dare you come over here and try to humiliate me! How dare you and your so-called friends over there try to pull a fast on me. Have you no sense of dignity? Have you no shame?”

The bald man rose and made a bee-line to the back of the third bus gang.

“You guys should be ashamed of yourselves, all of you.”

Camera phones were now recording from other parts of the restaurant as Cliff tore into the Six. He wasn’t profane or violent, but after a minute of ranting, he walked back to his table, picked up his drink, winked at Micah, and left the restaurant.

Micah bowed his head, trying desperately to hide his smirk. He turned his head towards his friends, grabbed his lunch, and walked over to them. They were in shock, apologizing profusely for the Dare.

He lifted his head, nodded twice, and burst into laughter.

Micah looked out the window, waved back at Cliff, and turned to his friends and said, “Busted!”

And so ended the Back of the Third Bus gang’s need to play Truth or Dare ever again.

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