Forgiving Judas

Chapter 35 (cont'd)
J.P. came up to Sam and Simmy and shook their hands with a welcoming squeeze.
"Jayne mentioned that you two went to a funeral today. It's great that you came out to enjoy something more lighthearted tonight. It is a beautiful evening."
"Thanks for honouring us, J.P.," Sam gave him a manly shoulder hug-slap as only men know how to do!
"What was the key gist of the funeral?" J.P. probed for real information to expand his new interests.
Sam looked at J.P. to test his words to see if this was an opportune time to share deeply. Seeing genuine desire, he stated, "Out-doing one another in honour bringing about humility."
J.P. sat down on a rattan chair on this painted floor veranda and pointed to seats opposite his and said, "Sit!" His words were authoritarian and yet... he was already in his mental, gears within gears, grinding of thoughts.
Sam and Simmy sank down onto the seats with a sigh of relaxation. They tuned into the spiritual within themselves to fully enjoy the hospitality.
J.P. had formulated his thoughts and was ready to ask the next question. "The funeral was for one of your mentors, right, Sam?"
"A work related mentor, yes," Sam agreed.
"Did you learn humility from him or did he example humility?"
"Well," Sam laughed a harsh sound of self-recrimination. "He demoted me on the job and I was angry with him for years, many years. He had the courage to do it, though, and that, along with another scene I remember of him, required that I take the whole man and puzzle these actions together to reach a character conclusion."
"What was the other scene?" J.P. was leaning forward, listening for his own nugget of truth.
"Well, I only have some of that story but I'll tell you what amazed me... My mentor had invested in a business deal along with a partner... when $40,000 dollars had been spent to spruce up this fishery, the bank decided to pull the loan on this business venture saying it didn't show a promise of financial return. After my mentor was left, holding the bag, so to speak, his partner somehow managed to secure a loan on the renovated fishery and my mentor had to walk away and start a business on his own."
"Unforgivable!" J.P. exploded. "A Judas! Jacked by your friends!" J.P. clenched his jaw.
Sam's eyebrows shot up into the air and he laughed in irony.
"What's so funny?" J.P. asked.
"The partners' name was Jack somebody." Sam spoke, remembering how the man had used the company many times, for quotes, but never given them any business.
"What part of this story amazed you?"
Sam recalled the memory like it was yesterday. "One day, at work, I saw the partner sitting in my boss' office and the look on my boss' face wasn't bitter or angry or vindictive. He was able to look his ex-partner in the eye and have a conversation with him. I couldn't imagine being able to do that!" Sam shook his head with many emotions washing across his face.
"Is your boss and your mentor the same man?" J.P. needed clarification.
"Yes, he was my boss for many years," Sam sat back to digest his thoughts.
J.P. looked up at the moths trying to warm themselves on the party light bulbs. "Life is complicated, yes? It is such a combination of emotional experiences. Thank you for sharing that story. Every movie I've ever produced has germinated in the hub of real conversations, woven together like a spider web." J.P. used a mans' analogy.