Another lonely night. Not that it bothers me, much. I'm used to it. I have my hobbies, and I am a sucker for a good binge watch. It's just that, sometimes, it would be nice to have someone else to just sit around and watch TV with. Another soul to sit by the fire, share a hot beverage, chat, eat crap food and just be. Fuck it! I'm going out. I need to do something.
I get dressed, nothing fancy, that's not me. I like being plain, simple, unpretentious. And I love the fall. Give me hoodies and boots over dresses and heels any day. Straight jeans tucked into my favorite biker boots, baggy hoodie over a long t-shirt. I'm also not the hair and makeup type, never have been. I've always been one of those tomboy types, one of the guy's kind of gals.
I grab my backpack and head out. There is really nothing to do in this small town and I decide to drive out to the next town over. It's a much bigger place with more bars and nightlife. I haven't been out in ages and really have no idea where I am going. Just winging it. Hoping to find a little hole-in-the-wall bar with a couple of pool tables.
A few minutes later I'm pulling into a strip mall with several businesses, all closed, and a small bar stuck in the corner, Dom's. No fancy neon signs other than the "Open" sign in the front window. Here goes nothing. I get out of my car, and step inside. It's dark and smells of stale beer and old fryer grease. The jukebox on, old rock and roll, The Eagles were playing. I notice a couple of pool tables in a dark back room. I hear muffled voices and pool balls hitting one another. There were few other people, a younger group, sitting at a table near the back and a couple of older guys, you know, more my age, sitting at the bar. The bartender was a 40's something, big breasted brunette with tattoos on both arms. She was wearing a faded "Ozzy" concert t-shirt.
She was the only one to look up when I entered the place. She gave me a little nod and went about cleaning the bar. I walked on over, feeling a little defeated, picked a stool and sat down. The bartender strolled over and ask what I was drinking. "Do you have Bailey's?" I asked.
She chuckled and said, "I wish! Sorry sweetie, all I have is bar Irish Cream, you want some?"
"You got coffee? I'd love a hot one with whipped cream, can you do that?" I say and smile. A few minutes later, she comes back with a large mug of steaming Irish cream and coffee, with a huge dollop of whipped cream.
"There ya go, hotcakes" she says with a wink. She's full of little pet names. I just laugh. I use the stirrer to sip my drink and it's pretty tasty. I twist around on my stool to check out the rest of the patrons. Everyone in their own little worlds. I guess I'll drink this and call it a night. There's nothing happening here either. I may as well have stayed home. I wander over towards the restrooms and peek inside the back room. There were two guys, I'd say in their late 50's, early 60's. They were laughing and talking, drinking beer and shooting pool. I walk on in and head to the other table. Well shit, so much for being subtle. I have no change for the table. Dipshit. One of the guys must have noticed the look on my face, quietly leaned over and laid several quarters on the table. I smiled and nodded.
I put the money in, drop the balls and rack them. I try to act as if I know what I'm doing, I don't. I'm not any good at shooting pool. I slip the rack back in its slot and go to pick out a cue. I quickly notice it's quiet in here. I'm afraid to look around. I eventually turn my head and find one of the pool player guys standing pretty close to me. He's cute, he has that construction worker build. He's tall, muscular a little rough around the edges, five o'clock shadow, dark hair a little long and wild, big brown eyes, nice smile, big nose. I have a thing for big noses. "I have a stick you can use" he grins, and his friend is trying to contain his laughter.
"Good one, how many times have you used that line?" I asked. His friend lifts his beer and nods. He's not bad looking either. Same type of build, a little taller, a little wider across the shoulders, salt and pepper hair, trimmed beard, short neatly cut hair, brown eyes and similar nose. I wonder if they're brothers.
The guy with the pool cue says, "Wanna play?" He starts to laugh, a goofy laugh. "Shit! I am full of cheesy lines tonight." He jokes. "Seriously though, I'm Duncan." he extends his hand for me to shake. I take his hand. He has nice strong hands. Hands and noses, I notice hands and noses.
"Randi," I say. "Call me Randi, nice to meet you Duncan and your friend is?"
He rushes over and shakes my hand, "Sorry, Spencer, how's it going? Randi, huh?" Another set of nice strong hands.
"Ok then, who am I taking on first?" I asked. Duncan steps up, I grab his stick and say, "I'll break."
I do suck at this game. I play anyway.
We take turns with the same cue, hitting the balls, he's kicking my ass. The bartender enters and asks if we need refills. No more coffee for me I order an Amaretto on the rocks, two cherries. The guy's order beers and a round of shots. I assume two, for the both of them.
I'm checking out the room, it's a little dark, usually a pool room has bigger, overhead lights but I don't give it much thought. There is a large, wooden cabinet, like a dartboard cabinet but much bigger, on one wall. It's gorgeous in a medieval kind of way. It has ornately carved doors, with massive iron bolts and hinges, reminiscent of a castle portcullis. It's very cool. Another wall I see a large, what looks to be a climbing wall. It has a net made from thick, rope, knotted and tied into individual squares. It hangs from two large bolts at the ceiling and comes down at an angle at the floor, held by two more large bolts. Ummm, ok? I don't really get it but, I'm thinking game room stuff. I also notice in one corner a collection of heavy iron candlesticks and candelabras of varying heights. Some are as tall as four feet. No candles just the metal holders. They look old and well used with remnants of melted wax on some of the surfaces. Two of the walls are painted red. The other walls are covered in some type of acoustic foam panels, black, much like soundproofing. I feel the tiny hairs on the back of my neck start to raise and that gives me pause. It's beginning to remind me of an odd chamber of some kind, a little creepy.
Before I can think about it the bartender returns with a tray of drinks, two bottles of beer, my drink and three shots of something. She sits the tray on their table, they whisper back and forth to each other and snicker. He pays her and she turns to leave. She lowers her gaze as she passes me and won't make eye contact. Something definitely doesn't feel right. I think I need to leave.
Suddenly Duncan and Spencer are on either side of me one of them shoving a shot glass into my hand. "What are we drinking to?" Duncan laughs. "How about new friends and playmates!" They clink their glasses to mine. I start to resist, insisting that I should get going. Duncan elbows me and says, "Oh c'mon! Just one shot and finish this game. What harm can it do?" Against my better judgment, I slam back the shot, along with the two of them. What the hell, what's one shot? They hoot and give each other high fives as we get back to the game.