Touchdown Dogs5 (life and times of spa salesmen)

“I think that forgiveness is a raw deal,” said Newman.
“How do you mean?” said Trav.
“I think that it’s too easy.”
“I think it’s one of the hardest things that you can do.”
“Forgiveness is responsibility shirked.”
“That is one of the most profound things I have ever heard you say. In fact I think that it is the only profound thing that you’ve ever said.”
“Well here is the thing. If I sleep with your wife tonight and then see you in the morning and feel a little bad about it.”
“A little?”
“If I feel remorse. Or hell. Maybe I don’t feel any remorse but I still want to be friends.”
“Can you use another example?” said Trav.
“No.”
Trav tried to take a long drink of his water but the glass was full of ice only. He looked for the waitress. Newman picked up his water, drank all of it, and then continued to pursue the subject.
“Don’t you think that it puts the responsibility on you to forgive me for what I’ve done with your wife?”
“How ‘bout you stole my car or something, and then wanted to bring it back?” said Trav.
“What’s wrong?”
“I am eating my lunch. I have no water. And you are talking about sleeping with my wife.”
The waitress was standing with her back to the table that Newman and Trav were sitting at. She heard Trav say that he had no water and spun around.
“I’m sorry sir. I am by myself today. I will have that water in a second.” she said.
Trav hardly acknowledged her and Newman told her it was ok. He looked at Trav inquisitively.
“What?” said Trav.
“Well do you forgive her?”
“For not keeping my water filled up?”
“Do you?”
“I have not been wronged.”
“You can’t do it can you?”
“I hate you Newman.”
“See. She screwed up. The consequences affected you. And now you must choose to forgive or hold on.”
The waitress returned with a metal pitcher and refilled Trav’s water.
“Thanks,” said Trav, with a warm smile.
Newman waited until she was finished and out of range, “So you chose to fulfill your responsibility and forgive her for making you thirsty.”
“What's your point?”
“I just think that it is a raw deal. That waitress wasn’t doing her job for whatever reason and you went thirsty. She says sorry and is done with it. You have to make a choice to forgive her. You are the one that has to leave today choosing to forgive her for not keeping your water full and forgive me for stealing your car with your woman in it.”
“How is your patty-melt?” said Trav.
“We made out in the back seat. I’m sorry.”
“That's enough Newman. I get the point.”
“So you hypothetically forgive me for hypothetically steeling your ride and your lady?”
“Hypothetically? Yes. For real? No.”
“Well you would have to live with that for the rest of your life like a cancer. It only hurts you.”
Trav took his wallet out and put his cash on the table. Newman watched Trav leave through the bottom of his ice water.