I walk into the bar without expectations. There's a seat open, so I take it and place my order. A long island. I have no idea what is in a long island, just that it is mostly booze, which is exactly what I need right now. I look towards the screens lined up behind the bar, but don't watch them. They're filled with sports events that would normally hold my interest, but tonight they're not on the agenda.
I open the bar menu but don't know if I'm actually hungry, or just bored. This 'night life' is new to me, so I'm not sure what to do with myself. I see through the mirrored wall, a man walking through the door. He is handsome, so I wait for his significant other to follow, but nobody comes. He must be meeting someone here. He walks over and asks the bartender for a grateful dead. I remember from somewhere long ago that a grateful dead is similar to a long island. Here's my chance, I have a random fact, and a smile. I think that's all I have to do right? Smile?
Throughout the evening, our conversation flows from current events, to movie preference, but never gets too personal. He is obviously hitting on me. I had forgotten what that was like. It feels nice. My body tells me to reciprocate his advances, but I play hard to get. Guys like the chase. So I've heard.
We get our bills and stay well after we've payed. I don't know what happens next, do I give him my number? Does he ask me to leave with him? At this point, there's no way I can drive, so it would be nice if he offered to give me a ride. Before I can say anything, he asks if I need a ride home. His hand touches my arm and a tingle shoots up my spine. Ahh, now I remember that feeling. We walk out of the bar towards his car and his hand takes mine. The memories rush through me, it feels exactly the same as it did before. The anticipation is driving me mad.
We pull into the drive way and I feel like a teenager again. We sit there for a good 15 minutes just making out until I suggest going inside.
We get through the door and go into the living room to my mother feeding the baby his bottle. I ask how her night was, how the kids did. They were great, she had fun. Grady fell asleep a few hours ago and Jack just woke up hungry. But it's late, and she is ready to go home for the night. I give her a hug and thank her for babysitting. When she leaves, Ron and I put the baby down together and peek in on Grady. Even though it's been only a few hours, we both missed them like crazy.
We brush our teeth, get into our pajamas, and get into bed. It has been a good night.
Aw, no--I don't think you can mislead your reader like this. A bored housewife and mother can fantasize about seduction, but, if she does, the writer has to put that material in italics to clue the reader in and has to end the sequence with an ellipsis (...) to segue into the next bit.
ReplyDeleteAll that aside, I like the bar scene very much, especially the protagonist's thoughts about what's going on (which are both funny and sad), and the last graf is just the sort of slap in the face we need to bring us back to reality.