The Gas City bar, things hadn't changed much. The same car with four cops still sat across the street. The CB's on the same side of the street as the bar still wanted to harass them. The cops were still pretending that they weren't paying attention. Hell, they probably had a camera aimed at us at that very moment. I waived at where I thought the camera might be.
I went inside. The band must have been on a break. The noise from the crowd was still up there. Everyone was still trying to have a great time. Most of them were succeeding admirably. I was glad I came. I went up to the bar and got a gas water right away. The first sip wasn't quite as good as I remembered it. As soon as the burning stopped I took another sip. The second sip was better than I remembered. I smiled--make that grinned.
I took my drink and began looking for Toni. I figured that she would be in the front section, like before, and in a booth against the wall. I made a complete circle of the front and didn't see her. I tried to remember the people she had been with. If I spotted one of them they might be able to help me locate her. There was Sid, maybe Dick, and ummm...what was that girl's name...Cindy. She had been planning on going to jail over something so she wouldn't be there.
I didn't see anyone I recognized. I sat at the bar and got a second gas water. I remembered how I had gotten drunk and puked out my guts on my last visit and decided to nurse my drink. Besides, at two bucks a pop I would soon be broke. I remembered spending thirty of dad's credits the last time. I didn't have money to blow like that now. I was a working girl. Shit!
I found an empty table and sat down at it. My feet were tired from the walk I had made from the bus stop. Well, it had only been one block but I wasn't used to wearing my tiny high-healed shoes. I had taken pains to dress about the way I had been the last time. I was even wearing Sid's Shirt. I had tied it in a knot at my waist so I would be sure to look hot enough.
"Hey bitch, you want some company?" some drunk wanted to know. He might have been nice looking--if you cleaned him up. He needed a shave and a bath. Some clean clothes would have helped.
"If I do I wouldn't tell you." I rousted him.
"Sorry, I thought you were one of those dweeb bitches down here for a thrill. You're not are you?"
"'Fraid not. I don't mean to be telling you your business but you need to try to sober up some.."
"Yeh, I know. I'm afraid I will." he complained as he began to stagger off.
"See ya'."
"Later dweeb."
I took a tiny sip of my drink. I had changed since last time. Before I would have been shaking like a leaf after some drunk had tried talking to me. I had grown. It had been painful, but I had advanced. I was tempted to see if I could pick up some guy and not even worry about Toni. There were enough dudes at the bar that night. Would I bring one home or go to his place? I liked the idea of being on my own turf, but how did I know that I wanted any of these men to know where I lived. If I went home with one of them I would be in jeopardy.
I still wasn't liberated. If I spotted a guy that I wanted to be in bed with I hoped I would be able to tell if he was going to treat me right or not. I licked my lips hungrily. Which one did I want? He had to be a good one. I had my standards.
I began looking around the room for something that appealed to me. There were a number of out and out drunks present. I saw men just one step up from being derelicts. The cool looking ones already had dates. There was one that was trying to make eye contact with me. He looked a little too smooth for me.
I suddenly realized I didn't know how to pick up a CB man. Don't laugh! I knew when you saw a dweeb how to act to get him to talk to you or even how to go up and start talking to him. I wasn't that naive or shy. The problem was the rousting. How did that fit in? What'd I do, go up call him a scum bag then ask him if he's interested? There had to be some kind of protocol involved!
"Can'cha get a man to sit with you?" I turned around to see Mr. Smoothie standing beside me.
I figured "what the hey" and decided to let him join me. He might be alright. "Why don't you sit down and keep them scared away."
He laughed. My luck was still holding on the rousting. I wondered if it was a natural thing. I doubted it. These other people were many generations a CB. I was only a first generation CB. What an honor.
Mr. Smoothie sat down. "What's your name, sweet thing?"
"Sue. What's yours?"
"Call me Rodney." he told me with a wink.
I think there was supposed to be a sexual reference there. "What can I do for you Rodney?"
"Quite a bit, I'd say."
I shrugged my shoulders. I didn't think I was going to like Rodney.
"Sorry, I can see I'm offending you. Please, let me buy you a drink. We can start over again. Whatcha' drinking?"
"Gas water. I'm fine."
"No, please let me show my good intentions."
I shrugged my shoulders again. If he wanted to blow two bucks on the chance, I was willing to hear what he had to say.
He ordered then turned back to me. He was taking stock in me. He made a show of letting me know he liked what he was looking at. "I haven't seen you in here before, Sue."
"I don't come much. You sound like you're a regular."
"I am, as much as possible. I sell cars so I don't get to come in during the week as much as I'd like to. Tonight must be a special occasion for you--what's up?"
"I was just feeling...bored. I was hoping I could find a friend of mine here. Maybe you know her--her name is Toni?"
The drinks arrived. I finished my old drink and gave the waitress the glass. Rodney paid with a big bill. That upset the waitress.
"Have ya' got anything smaller than that?" she asked with her hands on her hips.
He made a big deal of finding a five credit note and giving it to her. It was obvious he was trying to impress me with his money. I wasn't impressed.
"A gal named Toni? No, doesn't ring any bells for me. What's her last name?"
"I don't know, Rodney. I've only met her a few times."
"Can't help you. You like guys don't you?"
"Yeh, she's just a friend. Someone I know."
"Oh. Well, maybe she was here earlier. This place does it's best action before midnight. It's nearly one in the morning now. Let me ask some friends of mine. I'll be right back."
I was surprised when he got up and went to ask if anyone knew Toni. Rodney didn't impress me as a man of action. I had him figured as a talker. He'd probity wonder off for awhile and if he didn't make contact with something easier than me he'd come back and say he hadn't been able to find out anything for me. What a clown!
He was gone for quite awhile. I decided to go on home and put it to bed. I was getting very tired. I finished the drink Rodney had bought for me and got up. The room swam before me. "Damn!" I swore to myself. I had gotten drunk again. That gas water tasted so good and it had snuck up on me so quietly. Someday I would learn!
The band was starting up. I decided to tour that side of the bar and give myself enough time to sober up some before I went outside and tried to make it home. I made a complete circle around the dance floor and still didn't see anyone I knew. I was staggering. I tried to think where I could get some detox so I could come down and go home.
Someone bumped me and before I knew it I was on the dance floor being pushed and shoved around. I remembered this was what qualified for dancing at the Gas City bar. I laughed. It was fun. I began doing some pushing and shoving of my own. I was working up a good sweat. The singer in the band was singing some song about castrating some dweeb. I started having fun. We were all out here on the dance floor bobbing around and pushing back and forth. I had to admit to one thing; CB's know how to have fun! Big time!
I was bouncing around and sweating when I heard something familiar about the music. It was the percussion treatment. It was Sid! I couldn't believe it! I had forgotten all about trying to find him and he had spotted me out on the dance floor. He had stopped playing the song the band was doing and was playing something wild. A percussion solo. He was looking straight at me while he played.
Everyone had stopped dancing and was standing around wondering what had happened to the percussion man. I walked to the front of the dance floor, right in front of the stage where Sid was doing his thing. I began to clap my hands to the beat. It was a great beat. Sid was doing things to that board I had never seen before. I began to shake my booty to the rhythm he was hammering out.
The rest of the band had been staring at poor Sid like he had lost his mind. When they saw me out there staring at Sid and Sid staring at me they kind of figured out what was going on and began to clap their hands to what Sid was doing. The whole crowd on the dance floor started clapping and then the whole bar joined along as Sid led us through a musical adventure. It was grand! I might have been sad when it was finally over except I held out my arms to Sid, he abandoned his board. Amid cheers from the crowd Sid jumped down onto the dance floor in front of me. I was held in big strong arms.
That was what I had wanted.
I held onto him and never wanted to let go. That is what being with a guy is really all about. Him doing something for you and you doing something for him and not caring who likes it and who doesn't. I think someone filled in for Sid at the percussion board because I can dimly remember the band playing as we left.
I remember Sid telling me that it was about time I brought his shirt back--he was right! It was a night they tell stories about and sing songs about and do dances about.
The whole book in zipfile format.
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