Barney
The Likeable Demon
by
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I admit I was starting to get put off my game at this point. There was so much I wanted to learn, but I had no idea where to begin. Barney must have read my mind. He said, “Who do you think I am?”
“I think you are an assistant to Satan, the Devil, Lucifer or whatever name he goes by. I think he is the personification of evil. So I guess that makes you an evil wanna be.”
Barney smiled ruefully and said, “Yep, thought so. What if I were to tell you that all that demon nonsense is just that, nonsense. We keep getting blamed for anything and everything that goes wrong. I’ll be perfectly honest with you, we don’t have anything do with it. Evil is a state of mind. It has nothing to do with us.”
I was incredulous. “Seriously? Well, who or what is ‘US’, a bunch of Boy Scouts or good Samaritans looking to do good deeds? After what you tried to do with my daughter’s memory, why would you ever think that I would believe you? Get real. And just who is this boss of yours? He must be a real piece of work.”
Just then the door to the restaurant opened and in walked perhaps the most gorgeous woman I have ever imagined let alone seen. She had shoulder length auburn hair with red highlights, a gorgeous tan, and a figure that Playboy Playmates would kill for. I normally don’t notice the eyes of a beautiful woman when I first see her. This time was different. This lady had striking green eyes. They were lustrous and glimmering. They were like sparkling, shimmering pools. She was wearing a yellow blouse and very tight, very short jean cutoffs which exposed perfect legs. To top it off, since this was Texas, she wore a pair of cowboy boots. The restaurant grew totally quiet as every guy and most of the women there stopped to stare at this vision. As she glided behind my chair, I caught the addicting aroma of Je Revien perfume. I remember this from a girlfriend in my younger days who wore it. I love the scent. To me there is no other perfume that compares. This vision of loveliness stroked my cheek with her hand as she passed behind me while heading over to Barney. He pushed his chair back a bit from the table, and this babe curled up in his lap. They shared a long hug, and then they shared one of the most passionate kisses I could imagine. I think I broke out into a sweat watching. When they finally stopped, she stood up and started to walk away. Barney said, “See you later, Boss.” She turned her head and winked at him. Then she strode out the door. Every guy in the place had their eyeballs firmly fixed on her retreating form.
I blurted out, “You can’t be serious. That’s THE BOSS? That’s Satan, the devil, Lucifer, whatever you call him?”
That really got Barney. He laughed and said, “Him? You think that’s a ‘him’? Are you blind?”
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About the Book
Bob Wallace is a good man who has just endured a horrifying event. A short time after his daughter died, Bob heads to a local coffee shop to sort out his thoughts. When a stranger approaches his table and asks to join him, Bob has no idea of the man’s motive. As Bob reluctantly listens, the man explains he is seeking out the grief-stricken. His employer has the capability to go back in time and erase people, not just their memory, in order to ease the pain of loss. All he has to do is agree and then the man will disappear, along with any indication that Bob’s daughter ever existed. When Bob refuses, he believes he will never see the man again. But five months later when the man reappears, the torment begins. Barney, who appears to be a likeable fellow, takes Bob on a mind-boggling tour through religion, politics, and morality. But what Bob does not know is that there is more to Barney than he realizes. Barney’s employer is an enigma. He/she has two manifestations: one is beautiful and deadly; the other is suave and charming. Both are evil. Barney is the tale of a grief-stricken middle-aged father’s life-altering experiences after he encounters a charming stranger with a plan.
About the Author
Thomas O. P. Sweeney graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point. He earned an MBA from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, served in the US Army in Germany and the United States, and worked in management in the chemical industry in Illinois and Texas. He resides with his wife, Jennifer, in Frisco, Texas. His first book, My Dearest Christina: A Father Remembers his Daughter and her Battle with Lupus, was published in 2017.