Featured image by Bruno /Germany from Pixabay
Given the chain smokers in this place I didn’t smell the food before I saw Melony moving towards me with it. That little stroll down memory lane distracted me to the point I didn’t notice her until she was three feet away. Gotta stay focused when not in a safe house. I haven’t had enough glasses to even be remotely foggy! Speaking of foggy, this place looks better when much of it is hidden by cigarette smoke. Not good by any stretch, but getter. You can forget that clean indoor air act. Health inspectors don’t come to this part of town.
Where is Henry? There wasn’t a fight. That would have snapped me back instantly. Not cool! Henry is now surrounded by the three sisters and the three others, all of which are well over his minimum requires size. He’s kind of trapped in the middle of the tables they pushed together, but has a way out. The wife that started everything isn’t here. Only a gullible man would believe she’s in the restroom. Hubby and his pool shooing crew are still drinking and still eying him. Well, two of them might just be keeping an eye on their own wives, but, unless one of those other three are unattached, there is no way he walks out of here before the pool shooters do.
“Hope you’re not allergic to MSG because this place uses a lot” stated Melony as she put the sack on the bar. Mike came over to fetch the Chardonnay along with his egg rolls. “Three liter and a half bottles?” he queried.
“He said he wasn’t putting out so I might as well get him drunk. Besides, I’ve never had Chardonnay, I might like it” responded Melony.
“Or you just might get him hammered enough to carry him back to your place” laughed Mike. “By the way, did you . . .”
“Bottom of this bag.” She fished and came up with a small cheap corkscrew.
“Good. Now I don’t have to try and find the one I brought in when I first started working here” answered Mike. “We don’t have actual glasses here” he continued, looking for my reply.
“I like it on the rocks anyway” I answered. “Especially if you have one of those big drive up window glasses. Throw a scoop of ice in it then fill her up. I can always ad more ice later.”
“We actually have a few of those back in the office” answered Mike. “Let me get a pair washed up.”
After Mike left and I started eating, I got an uneasy feeling which had nothing to do with the food. I must have let it show.
“Don’t like it?” asked Melony. “There’s an extra order of crab ragoons here.”
“Food’s fine. I just probably shouldn’t have let you get the wine.”
“Why?”
“Nothing is going to stand out more in this place than Mike pouring wine” I responded.
“Most here probably don’t know what it is” answered Melony. “Sure to get noticed unless he pours it in the back. He did take the sack with him so probably what he will do. Mike’s not an idiot.”
Mike returned with our glasses, washed them along with some of the mixing stuff then disappeared again, returning with two large Chardonnays on the rocks.
“Thanks” I said as I put more money into the small pile in front of me, slipping a fifty onto the bottom.
Dammit! What is wrong with me tonight? Henry’s “trophy bass” still hasn’t returned. A couple of the women have out small notebooks. Bigger than what fits in a man’s shirt pocket and smaller than a stenographer pad. I’ve never known a name for them, but, most women with kids tend to carry them so they can write stuff down. The rest seem to be trying to type into their phones while the men keep cruising by to make sure no phone numbers are being exchanged.
Seriously! You’re jealous? Thank the man then come over here and take Melony home! Three of her weigh less than . . . never mind. Don’t judge. Low profile, remember.
continued…
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