http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1gOxmdBOMI (plays in background)
--->The hot water felt good, like it boiled and separated the crusty dirty sheen that seems to accumulate on the skin throughout the day. He always felt like a new man when he took a hot shower.
The Tiny Bathroom soon became a sweatbox, and feeling sufficiently cleansed and new he turned the tap off and snagged one of the hanging towels.
After toweling off, he hung it back on the rod and checked himself out in the mirror. Not to hairy, just groomed enough. He looked at his face. While he liked the rough texture of his 2 day shadow, he decided he should shave it again. He had a strong enough chin to wear a clean shave.
After removing the last of the foam with the razor and running his hand over his face he…
BOOM BOOM
“What!?”
“Come on Ted, I need to take a leak.”
“Hold on two more seconds”. His brother was home early. Ted slapped his cheeks and neck and corked the small bottle on the edge of the sink. He pulled the towel down and wrapped it around his waist and opened the door. A rush of cold air from the hallway met him abruptly as did the layer of steam and aftershave rendezvous with Clarence.
“Excuse me”
“What the hell are you getting gussied up for?”
But Ted had disappeared into his room and closed the door. So Clarence turned on his heels and walked into the temporary sauna his brother had created and closed the door behind him.
His shaving kit was out with its contents lined neatly on the side of the sink like set silverware. Starting from the outside going in: Tweezers, razor, nose hair clippers, and emery board. Along the other side of the sink lined up neatly was pomade, shaving gel and aftershave. And while the evidence of grooming lingered in the sink, looking at his kit you would never know.
He put down the seat and flushed the toilet. Opening the door to his brother standing in the hallway shirtless, dressed in slacks with his hair meticulously disheveled and arranged to fall down around his eyes and ears.
“You done?”
“What are you all dressed up for?”
“I am going to go out for a drink tonight.” He pushed past Clarence into the bathroom. One by one he placed the bits and pieces of his father’s old shaving kit back into their appropriate places.
“How exactly are you going to do that, 18 year old?”
Only after everything was in its place, the towel on the rack, the kit in the cupboard, and the tubes and bottles had their caps did he respond “I will figure it out.”
“Oh, okay so I guess that means you are taking the car too.”
“You bet your ass little bro.” He mussed Clarence’s hair on his way back into his room and pulled on his button-up shirt.
“Isn’t that one of Dad’s suits?”
“Well they fit me now, so why can’t I wear them?”
“I didn’t say that…”
“Besides, I look good right?”
“Sure… you look like Ted in a suit.”
Ted grabbed the suit jacket off the hanger and walked out of his room into the kitchen.
“Hey” he called back into the hallway at Clarence, “I am leaving some of the money mom left for us on the counter. I might need some tonight, so I am taking extra. There is enough here if you want to order a pizza or get a movie. No porn, mom will flip if she sees that on the bill.”
He got no response, just a guitar solo from his stereo still playing in his room. He didn’t have time for this, he needed to get to the hotel before they started carding at the entrance.
“All right I am going. See ya”
Still no response. Whatever.
He stepped out the back and got into his car. Starting the engine he was halfway down the driveway when it hit him: he was actually going to do this. It was from this moment on, all the way to the hotel that his right leg shook in anxious nervous excited neurotic exuberance.
%$&^&*&%()*(&%^
@#$%%^^&*&*&**()*_)*)*$&^%&^
!@#$%^&*()(*&^%$#@!!@#$%^&*()(*&^%$#$@!!@#$$%%^&^&*&*(*^%
#^$$^%$&^^%$&^%%^$^&$^%&**
$#%$%^%$#%$#%
The surface of the bar was aglow with white and amber lights reflected off of gold fixtures and enhanced by the soft frosty haze emanating from the bright fill light behind the all glass liquor shelf. It was the first thing he noticed when he stepped up the polished marble steps. Deep red leather chairs and couches stretch halfway around the circumference of the bar, and the music, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX07KbEdemU the music played through speakers, mixed with the television http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyccJUoufDg which filled the air crawling on the walls permeating the smoke, overriding the thoughts of the few people in this half empty room.
Ted hurried to the barren corner of the bar, away from all of the action on the opposite end, the only action in the room at the moment. And to say action might over dramatize what was actually half hearted conversations about the various muted sporting events, funny commercials, and about the various after work cocktails they were ordering themselves.
The Bartender came down.
“Can I get a water in a rocks glass?”
“Sir we usually don’t do that…”
“Why not?”
“We like to sort our alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks by glass. Besides the water glass holds mor…”
“Look, I just quit drinking, but I haven’t quit bars. When the women start to come down…” he lowered his voice, “and they are drinking their cocktails and see me with my water glass they get uneasy. They will shut me out not talk to me. Do me just that favor.”
The bartender folded his arms and smiled at him, and in his unbroken gaze said, “I don’t know why you quit, its obviously done wonders for your youthful glow.”
He set the rocks glass in front of him and walked back to the other end. An hour passed, and Ted sat in silence watching as the small group at the end of the bar dwindled and grew and then dwindled then spread; his glass every once in a while refilled, the bartender obviously relishing every smirk, nod and “your alcoholic beverage looks like it needs to be refilled”, always remembering to chase his comments with a slightly over emphasized “sir”.
Soon business started to pick up. Ted stayed rooted in his seat; he knew he might lose his vantage point if he got up. The bar wasn’t full, but there was a bouncer at the door and a three piece band had slipped in and started to play a sharp piano driven tune. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZBer-pSaLI The sunlight disappeared from the atrium and Ted drained his rocks glass.
It was now so loud in the main bar with all the talking, music and laughter antics… he stepped around the side to the couches in the corner of the lounge. It was quieter in this small crook, but now he felt even less connected to the crowds of people at the bar.
It was then…
Monday, November 3, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment