Mark Moves to Chastened, Florida
After winning a bid to handle the interior design of a Community College being constructed in the nearby city of Chastened, Mark moved there from Sarasota.
Several months after moving to Chastened, Mark had met several other influential people from the area, including the mayor and other leading political figures. Through them, Mark, now 27, had found an abundance of work, as the smallish coastal city was undergoing a major growth spurt; and his new office---although small by most architectural office standards---was brimming with jobs, albeit not of the larger, more profitable type, but Mark was confident they were coming.
His office was on Cudahy Circle, just off Roosevelt Avenue over Bunnies Luncheonette. It was there that he met Dennis Kazmier, a local Surveyor, and after they had worked on two jobs together, they formed a lasting friendship. Dennis even inveigled Mark into joining his softball team that played twice a week, on Wednesday nights and Saturday afternoons. What really got Mark to join was the fact that it happened to be a boys-girls softball league and he was looking for relationships with members of both sexes in his new community.
Mark was called upon to show his stuff in his first game, when the shortstop, Eddie Kazmier, Dennis's cousin, twisted his ankle so badly he was finished for the season. Mark made two sparkling plays in the field and scored the winning run in the last inning on a long fly ball by Dennis.
It was ten after seven when they all adjoined to Phillip's, a popular lounge that featured music and dancing starting around nine. Phillip's was only two doors removed from the Excelsior Gentleman's Club, and after several rounds of drinks the men invariably urged the women to go next door and dance topless, or enter the Wednesday night wet-T-Shirt contest.
Of course, the women loved the flattering comments but steadfastly refused the offers, for good reason-- Erin Lunceford, was a well developed woman of 32 married to prominent real estate firm owner and center fielder, Tim Lunceford, 47. Aimee Moreau, 27 was their second baseman and a junior high school teacher. Her spouse was right fielder and power hitter, Arnold Moreau. Jim Nowitski, the star pitcher and Nora Greeson, the strikingly beautiful green-eyed outfielder was his steady girl, and Steve Metuchka, caught while his on again, off again fiancé, 25 year old Gabby Nichols, played the short-fielder position.
That of course left, Julie Jefferson, a 27 year old dental assistant, as the only 'available female of the group. But because both the Kazmier's were eligible bachelors, the girls often arranged for some of their single friends to show up after games to see about possible hookups. That particular evening two of Julie's girlfriends dropped in, the auburn haired Madison Williams, who was a bookkeeper at Fennel's truck Terminal and her girl friend, small-chested Mary Jones, a 28 year old brunette.
It was quiet, being a Wednesday night and all, but it didn't matter. By ten o'clock the bar would be full of other patrons in their late twenties or early thirties all looking to hook up with a friend of a friend. Mark, feeling good bought a round of tequila shots for his table of 14 ball players and guests. They were all on their way to getting smashed.
"Dude! What the hell are you doing here?"
Mark looked up from his beer and tequila to see a couple sliding into the seat across from him. They each had a can of Heineken in hand and it took him a few seconds before he recognized them.
"Eddie?" he said in surprise. "What the hell are you guys doing here?" Eddie being Eddie Mekla, a local developer Mark was doing work for; his companion was also a surprise in that it was Davey Giugni, a renowned beach bum who almost never worked at anything other than chasing women and caging free drinks.
"Us? We live around the fuckin' corner! Ooop's, excuse the language, ladies and gents," Davey said, not really caring one way or the other. "We hang out here. So what brings you here?"
"Well, I just joined this softball team," Mark gestured toward his companions, and continued saying: "Played my first game—we won by the way---and I guess you could say we're celebrating."
Davey smiled and then ignored him, putting a hand on Aimee Moreau's shoulder then asking her if she'd like to dance.
"No thanks," she replied and tried to ignore him.
"But you know they're playing our song, Darling."
Arnold Moreau, glared at Davey before saying, "She's not interested, cowboy."
"I ain't no cowboy, and I didn't ask you, partner."
"Davey, this is Mr. Moreau, works for the State and he happens to be the nice ladies husband," Mark said, trying to be a peacekeeper.
"Ohhhh, married, huh? Too bad for me." He looked over the other women but a hard nudge from Mekla dissuaded him from hitting on anyone else at the table.
Mekla stood and said, "Sorry to interrupt your party. We'll be moving on now. Davey, let's try the club next door."
"Oh, sure, the beach bum said cheerfully. "Say, can you lend me a few dollars. I like to tip those nice girls a little, you know?"
A moment later they were gone.
Aimee was staring at the table and waving her hands over the scarred wood very slowly. Her eyes were glazed over, but her smile was directed at Mark when she finally looked up.
"Thank you," she said.
"You're welcome," he answered.
"Yeah, thanks, you defused that very nicely," her husband, Arnold said with a tight smile.
"Oh, don't go thanking me. It was kind of my fault. Apparently I brought them over to the table."
"They were looking for trouble," Jim Nowitski said. "I've seen him pull that crap before. Mekla was with him that time too. Didn't interfere either. It was a quick, nasty fight and Davey beat the hell out of some kid, didn't weigh more than 135 pounds.
After one more round the group began to break up; the married couples left first, and the other couples followed shortly after, leaving Mark and the Kazmier cousins' Eddie and Dennis with Julie, Madison and Mary Jones. Then Eddie's ankle appeared to worsen and Dennis decided to take him in for X-rays, leaving Mark with the girls.
He offered them a ride home and they surprised him, telling him they had two cars of their own, but they wouldn't mind if he came back to Madison's place with them.
"There's a kind of party there," Madison said off-handedly. "I don't know if it's big or small, but you're certainly welcome."
"Hey," Mary chirped, "being you're new in town you should come, never know who you'll meet there!" The other girls found that remark funny and when Mark started laughing along with them they hugged him---all three of them.
He followed them to Maddy's apartment.
After parking in what proved to be a huge parking area adjacent to a supermarket, Madison told Mark, "Shouldn't be anything stronger than weed upstairs. That all right with you?"
