The Lying Liars | Chapter 1 (1 of 3). Tommy and the Lies They Tell You to Get in the Door | July 2026

Chapter 1 ("Tommy 1-1: Tommy and the Lies They Tell You to Get in the Door") of The Lying Liars Who Lied When They Said They Loved You—a fictionalized, semi-autobiographical queer noir podcast and novel by B. Floore set in Jacksonville, Florida—follows the narrator after taking a hard right off the interstate into a storage lot to avoid going home. There, he encounters Tommy, a charismatic blonde panhandler holding an "ANYTHING HELPS" sign. Driven by a desire for connection and attraction, the narrator gives Tommy a ride, lends him money for dope, and ends up waiting endlessly outside a gas station. As Tommy slowly integrates himself into the narrator's apartment alongside his "street brother" David, boundaries dissolve, transactional favors become habits, and the narrator willfully ignores red flags in exchange for the illusion of romance.

Detailed SEO Chapter Breakdown

Plot Overview

• The Interstate Encounter: Avoiding his "meaningless, tasteless" home, the narrator pulls into a storage lot off the off-ramp and locks eyes with Tommy, a handsome panhandler holding an "ANYTHING HELPS" sign.

• The First Transaction: The narrator offers Tommy a ride, floating flirting and familiarity. Tommy immediately asks for $10 for "his guy". Eager to please, the narrator gives him $15 and agrees to wait around the corner at a newly built gas station while sipping a Cherry Pepsi.

• The Disappearing Act & Dual Shame: Left alone in his car for over 40 minutes, the narrator realizes Tommy isn't coming back. He remembers how another friend, Kenneth, had previously warned him about Tommy's disappearing acts.

• Digital Hunting & Reappearance: Months later, after fruitlessly searching for Tommy's identity across duplicate social media accounts, Tommy casually walks barefoot past the narrator's block. The narrator offers a cigarette and invites him inside, stepping into the role of someone to be exploited for resources.

• Moving In & Street Hierarchy: Tommy becomes a daily fixture in the apartment, acting as a reliable bridge for dope to a neighborhood plug named Georgie. Tommy brings along David, his "brother on the streets," whose presence creates a strange, chaperoned dynamic.

• The "Boyfriend" Illusion: After the narrator confronts Tommy about their lack of physical intimacy ("We haven't even kissed!"), Tommy claims they are dating. Following David's abrupt exit, Tommy orchestrates a brief, one-sided physical encounter while asserting that his behavior is completely normal, leaving the narrator clinging to the lie.