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Marv Merchants used to be a happy man, a carefree kid at heart who enjoyed his life. That was because he had Harry Lyme, his partner-in-crime since the day they met. Harry was more than just Marv's partner though; he was his friend and Marv thought for sure he was Harry's friend too.
Oh, how wrong he was.
One day, Harry and Marv met a gang of criminals who were a lot smarter and more competent than they were. The gang only liked Harry and when they invited him to join them, they made him choose between them and Marv.
He chose them.
To say Marv was devastated was an understatement. He got down on his knees and begged Harry not to go. He desperately told him he'd do anything to change his mind. He even went as far as to say "you're my best friend and you're all I have", which was true.
What Harry did next hurt Marv more than all the pain that was ever inflicted on him.
Harry berated Marv. He told him they were never friends, that Marv was stupid and all he ever did was annoy Harry, that Harry only tolerated Marv because he was a tool to help him commit his crimes and now that he found better partners, he didn't want him anymore. He even jabbed him in the chest several times just to add injury to insult.
Marv stood there in shock after that rant. Harry turned away from him, not caring if or how he reacted to it. The gang congratulated Harry for siding with them and trash-talked Marv just to make him feel worse.
Marv weakly extended his hand and placed it on Harry's shoulder. "Harry..." Marv said with a crack in his voice and tears in his eyes.
Harry immediately slapped Marv's hand away and shot him one last glare. "Get lost, Marv! We're through!" Harry spat.
He ran off with his new partners and left his former one stranded and heartbroken.
A dam full of sadness and anger broke inside Marv that day as he stormed into the apartment that he and Harry used to share. Marv grabbed a wanted poster with pictures of the two of them on it and ripped it in half. He crushed the half with his own picture into a ball and threw it aside. Then, he took a piece of gum and chewed it and when it was sticky enough, he spat it back out and stuck the picture of Harry onto the wall.
"You jerk!" Marv screamed, throwing an empty beer can at the picture. "I never cared about the crimes or the money! I only cared about you! You were the best thing I had in my life, Harry! I'm sorry I wasn't yours!"
Marv was so overwhelmed by the pain of losing Harry that he threw himself onto his couch and cried until he was physically and emotionally drained. When he was done crying, he laid there miserably, not knowing what to do next.
Marv was alone now. Harry was gone and wasn't coming back. Marv had no other friends besides Harry or even a family. The only family he had was a cousin he hadn't seen or heard from in years.
Marv started thinking about finding his cousin. Maybe, if he found him, he could help him turn his life around. Luckily, he knew where his cousin lived and he still had the van that he and Harry used to travel around in.
Marv pulled himself off of his couch, left his apartment with a sack of money, and entered his van. He was in Chicago and his cousin was in Los Angeles. It was going to be a long drive.
It took three days for Marv to get to his cousin's house. He spent his entire trip being depressed, eating junk food he bought with the money he had, and listening to sad songs on the radio and at night, he slept in the back of his van and thought about Harry.
It was mid-afternoon when Marv arrived. Hoping his cousin was home, he left his van, walked up to the porch, knocked on the front door, and waited for an answer.
A minute passed and he didn't get one.
Growing impatient, he banged on the door and waited again for an answer.
Another minute passed and he still didn't get one.
Marv felt a chill down his spine. He went to check if there was a vehicle in the driveway or in the garage. To his horror, there wasn't one in either. He took it to mean one thing.
His cousin didn't live there anymore.
"No!" Marv yelled in despair. He groaned and slowly walked back to his van. "Damn it!" Marv cursed. He climbed into the van and slumped in his seat.
Marv was in a real pickle. First, his only friend abandoned him. Then, he traveled halfway across the country to meet his cousin, only to find out he wasn't where he thought he was. Now, he was stuck in L.A. with no idea what to do next and no one else to turn to for help. He couldn't even go back to Chicago because he was a wanted criminal there. He considered starting a new life in L.A. but he'd struggle without his cousin or Harry around and he'd have to find another apartment.
His thoughts were interrupted when he heard and saw another van pull into the driveway. Marv recognized the van and the driver who stepped out. It was the person he thought was gone.
His cousin, Erwin Sikowitz.
Marv was shocked and relieved at the same time. He climbed out of his van and rushed over to Sikowitz. “Erwin!” he exclaimed.
Sikowitz was walking down his driveway when he heard Marv yell his name and saw him running towards him. “Hello, Marv!” Sikowitz greeted in surprise as they stopped in front of each other. “I didn't know you were visiting. What brings you to L.A.?”
“Somethin' happened in Chicago,” Marv explained. “I spent the last three days drivin' up here. I woulda called ya but I ain't got no phone.”
“Fair enough,” Sikowitz replied. “I'm assuming you got here sometime after I left. Have you been waiting all day for me to come home?”
“I didn’t think you were comin’ home,” Marv admitted. “I thought you moved.”
"I was at work," Sikowitz pointed out like it was obvious.
Marv facepalmed himself. He never had a job so it didn't occur to him that Sikowitz had one. "Oh, yeah," Marv drawled. "I forgot you have a job."
Sikowitz felt annoyed, thinking Marv should've remembered he had a job like most adults his age, but he brushed it off, knowing the lanky man wasn't that smart. "It's fine. I know it's been a long time since we last met," Sikowitz said. "How're ya doin'?"
"I feel like crap," Marv said in a low voice.
Sikowitz noticed Marv was a mess. He looked tired and depressed, his hair was all over the place, his clothes were dirty, and he smelled like he hadn't showered in days.
"You sure look like it," Sikowitz commented.
"Can I crash with you for a while?" Marv asked.
Sikowitz was reluctant to answer that question, knowing Marv was a burglar. "Uh..."
Marv held his hands up in defense. "I'm not gonna rob ya if that's what yer thinkin'."
"Is Harry here?" Sikowitz asked. Marv winced at the mention of his former partner/friend.
"No, it's just me," Marv replied. "I brought you a coconut if ya want it."
"Alright, you can stay in my guestroom," Sikowitz agreed. "Let's get you cleaned up."
After Marv took a nice, hot shower and changed into some clothes Sikowitz lent him, which he found more comfortable than his own, Sikowitz showed Marv his guestroom. It had a TV and a bed inside.
"Here we are. Make yourself comfortable. I'll check on you later," Sikowitz said before starting to leave the room.
Marv felt better physically but not emotionally. He appreciated Sikowitz's hospitality but he was still depressed about Harry and wanted something to take his mind off of him.
"Erwin," Marv said before Sikowitz made it out of the room. He stopped and turned to face him. "Can we hang out?"
Sikowitz scratched the back of his head. "Um...I'm busy right now, Marv. I have some work to do in my office."
"Can I join you?" Marv urged. "I don't wanna be alone."
Sikowitz wanted to say he preferred being alone while he was working in his office but the pleading look on Marv's face made him think better of it. Sikowitz figured Marv just wanted to spend time with him and considering he traveled a long way to meet him and brought him a coconut, he didn't want to turn him down.
"If that's what you mean by 'hang out', then sure," Sikowitz agreed. "Want a coconut?"
"You're givin' me the one I got you?" Marv asked, confused.
"No, I'm asking if you want one in return," Sikowitz corrected.
It took Marv a moment to get it. "Oh...sure!"
Marv and Sikowitz were now in the latter's home office. They were sitting next to each other at a long desk and they had coconuts beside them.
Marv was constantly talking to Sikowitz while he was typing on a computer. He was starting to get annoyed with it but was trying his best to be patient.
"Are you still a teacher?" Marv asked.
"Yes," Sikowitz answered.
"You teach art, right?"
"I teach Performing Arts."
"Like drawing and coloring?"
"No, like theater and acting."
"Oh. What're ya workin' on now?"
"I'm writing a script for a play I'm directing at the school I work at."
"Cool."
Marv took a break from talking, which was a relief to Sikowitz, but then he took his coconut and started slurping the milk. He did it repeatedly and each slurp was louder and longer than the last.
"Marv," Sikowitz said when he couldn't stand it anymore. "I'm trying to concentrate."
"Sorry," Marv said. He placed his coconut back on the desk. "How long are you gonna work for?"
"It may be several hours."
"Can I help?"
"If I find a way you can help, I'll let you know."
Marv sat quietly in his chair while Sikowitz continued to work. It wasn't long until he got bored.
Marv stood up and started wandering around the office, trying to entertain himself. He touched everything that interested him and asked questions about them. Then, he read whatever papers he found and asked questions about those too. Sikowitz was starting to lose his patience by that point as he wasn't getting any work done.
"Marv, you know you don't have to stay in here and watch me work, correct?" Sikowitz asked.
"Yeah," Marv replied.
"And you know if you're bored, you can leave and do something else, correct?"
"Yeah."
"So, may I suggest you do that and I'll let you know when I'm done?"
"I wanna stay in here and hang out with you."
Sikowitz groaned in annoyance. Marv just couldn't take a hint.
The last straw for Sikowitz was when Marv started spinning around in his chair with his coconut in his hand. He spun the chair so fast he ended up crashing into the desk. Marv's coconut was thrown onto the desk, knocking Sikowitz's coconut over in the process, and milk was spilled all over the desk. Both men were shocked when they saw the mess.
"Good Gandhi!" Sikowitz yelled.
"I'm sorry, Erwin!" Marv panicked. "It was an accident! I can clean it up!"
"Marv!" Sikowitz snapped, glaring at him and holding his hands up to silence him. "I know you don't want to be alone right now but I do. Unlike you, I have to work. Let me finish what I'm doing. Then, we'll hang out, alright?"
Marv stood there, taken aback. First, Harry didn't want him around and now, Sikowitz didn't either. Sikowitz wasn't as harsh about it as Harry was but it still hurt. It hurt Marv so much it brought him back to square one.
"You're just like Harry. You just wanna get rid of me," Marv growled before storming out of the office.
Marv was laying on the bed in the guestroom, feeling worse than before. Harry and Sikowitz were the only two people he had in his life and they were mad at him. Now, he wanted something to take his mind off both of them.
Marv sighed heavily as he grabbed a remote that was next to him and turned on the TV that was in front of him. He started watching a hockey game that was on and turned the volume down so it wouldn't disturb Sikowitz. After a while, Marv fell asleep and had a dream about Harry.
It started on the day Harry and Marv first met. Marv was alone in the world. Then, Harry showed up and they hit it off. It was the happiest day of Marv's life.
He then had flashbacks of all the things they did together like doing robberies and heists, eating at some fast food joint, and hanging out in their van or apartment. Marv enjoyed every one of those flashbacks.
Until one of them went wrong.
Harry and Marv were at McDonald's. Marv ordered their food while Harry waited at their table. Marv got the food but when he returned to the table, Harry was suddenly gone.
"Harry?" Marv called out. He didn't get an answer. Marv looked around the restaurant. Harry was nowhere to be found. Marv dropped the food onto the table and left the restaurant in a panic. "Harry?" he called out again.
Marv looked around outside and saw Harry in the far distance. He was walking down a long street, away from him. "Harry!" Marv yelled loudly. The shorter man ignored him and kept on walking.
Marv ran towards Harry as fast as he could. He ran for what felt like forever, yelling his partner's name and begging him to come back, only to still be ignored.
"Harry," Marv said when he finally caught up to Harry and grabbed his shoulder, startling him and causing him to turn around and face Marv.
"What?" Harry asked, giving Marv an annoyed glare.
"Where ya goin'?" Marv asked.
"Away from you!" Harry snapped.
Marv was taken aback. "Why?"
Harry answered that with pure venom in his voice. "I want you outta my life, Marv. I hate you."
That was when Marv woke up. "No!" he screamed in despair. "Don't hate me, Harry! I'm sorry for whatever I did to make you hate me! I'm sorry!"
Marv took several deep breaths and looked around. He realized it was just a dream and saw that he was back in Sikowitz's guestroom.
Marv slumped on the edge of the bed and replayed the dream in his mind. He remembered what Harry said to him right before it ended. He started to think it was true, that Harry actually hated him. That thought made his heart ache so much he started to cry.
Marv wondered if Sikowitz hated him too. Maybe, that was why he'd been annoyed with him since he got there. He wouldn't even let him stay there though if that was true. Thankfully, that thought didn't last long.
After finishing his work, Sikowitz looked around for Marv, feeling guilty for snapping at him. Part of him feared he might've left the house, thinking he was being kicked out, but that fear didn't last long. Sikowitz heard Marv scream and that told him where he was.
He headed to the guestroom and saw him sitting on the bed, crying and hanging his head down. Sikowitz was relieved to find Marv was still there but felt responsible for him being upset. He walked over to the bed and sat next to him.
"Marv, are you alright?" Sikowitz asked, placing a comforting hand on Marv's back. "What's with the waterworks?"
"Harry hates me," Marv whimpered.
"Did you and him have a fight?"
"He left me."
Marv explained the events of that day; him and Harry meeting the gang of professional criminals, them trying to steal Harry away from him, and Harry chewing him out and abandoning him for them.
"I'm sorry he did you that way," Sikowitz said, feeling bad for Marv.
"I didn't mean to bug ya and make ya mad at me, Erwin," Marv said.
"I'm not mad at you."
"I don't want ya to hate me like Harry does."
Sikowitz was shocked that Marv would even think that. "I don't hate you, Marv," Sikowitz said in a serious voice.
"I don't wanna lose you like I lost Harry."
"You're not gonna lose me. I'm here now if you need me."
Marv was so touched by Sikowitz's words that he broke down, unable to hold it in anymore, and pulled him into a hug while crying loudly. The bald man returned the hug and stroked his hand up and down the taller man's back, comforting him. They stayed that way until Marv was done crying and then, they broke apart.
"Thanks, Erwin," Marv said. "I needed that."
"You're most welcome," Sikowitz said. "I didn't mean to upset you earlier. My job stresses me out sometimes. You don't have one so..."
"I get it. I dunno what's it like," Marv said. "But that's why I'm here. I don't wanna be a burglar anymore. I only did it so Harry would like me. That didn't work out so I was thinkin' of gettin' me a job."
"That's good to know."
"I dunno how to get one though."
"I can help you with that," Sikowitz offered. "What kinda job do you want?"
Marv thought for a moment. "Do you think I could get a job at that school you work at?"
Sikowitz was unsure of how to answer that. "Uh...I can help you get a job. I can't promise it'll be at Hollywood Arts. I doubt they'd want someone with your criminal background around children. What would you do there?"
"I could be a janitor. Do they get paid?"
"Yes, more than teachers."
"Alright! If I get the job, we can be work buddies!"
"That would be great."
"Thanks for lettin' me stay here," Marv said. "Are we cool?"
"We sure are," Sikowitz replied. "Feel any better?"
"Now that I'm with you, yeah," Marv replied. "I still miss Harry though."
"I can be your new Harry if you want," Sikowitz offered.
Marv considered that. Sikowitz was nicer to him than Harry was. Harry would always insult Marv and beat up on him whenever he annoyed him. Sikowitz would get annoyed with Marv too sometimes but he was never rude or violent towards him.
"That would be great!" Marv agreed.
"I doubt I can act like him though," Sikowitz said.
"I don't want you to," Marv said, placing his hand on Sikowitz's back. "I like you just the way you are."