The owner recognized me right away, gave me a big hello, introduced me to the new bartender as "one of the originals," which made me feel old.
I had a few pints and ordered from the pub menu. I had walked there and would take a cab home, so I was getting comfy, hoping to see some of the old crowd.
Between innings of the baseball game, I looked over the young people, coming in late, like we did when younger. Still no one I knew. But, at the end of the bar, there was a girl, a woman, but younger than me at 50. She was smiling in my direction. Not a beauty, with big almond shaped blue eyes, blonde hair with streaks to her shoulders, and thin, very thin.
The game began again, and the next time I looked, she was gone. Too bad, there was something pleasant about her. I sipped my beer then felt a tap on my shoulder.
It was Blue-Eyes. "Hi, mind if I sit here?"
I slid over so she could get in the stool, and smiled back. Jack the bartender came over. "Hey, Maggie, the usual?"
"Hi, Jackie, no, give me a pint of what he's having, and one for him, too."
My eyes moved over her face, searching, and I said, "Maggie the waitress?"
She showed bright white teeth when she smiled. "I didn't think you recognized me. How are you, Harry?"
"Great, great, what's it been, ten years?"
"Yeah, I was here the night you met Kate. How is she, by the way?"
"Oh, the same. I keep getting older and everyone else stays the same."
She laughed again. "Not me, or you would have recognized me!"
I looked her up and down. "Well you! Yeah, you look terrific! You were a brunette, right? And you lost..."
"About 25 pounds, a while ago, yes, thanks for remembering! I must have been a real sight!"
"Oh, no, don't get me wrong! Those eyes, I don't know how I didn't recognize you, I always thought you had the deepest blue eyes!"
She smiled, shyly, looking down. "I know, you would stay here until closing, just telling me how you loved my eyes! I was 18 and had such a crush on you, then."
"Yes, I remember that, you were still in high school, otherwise I would have made a move."
She looked at me, misty-eyed. "Remember we'd all go to breakfast then? I'd always sit right next to you, and you'd put your arm around me. I'd always think that was gonna be the night you'd kiss me, but you never did. Then Kate showed up."