My first full day in South Africa headed toward its end and aware I had felt very lonely exploring the town, its shops and wandering along the beach, I questioned the wisdom of three weeks seven thousand miles from London. Shops closed and too early for dinner at my hotel, I killed time in 'Deja's' -- its owner's abbreviation of 'DΓ©jΓ vu' -- an apt name for a bar unintentionally stuck in the early nineteen fifties in England except for twin high-mounted plasma screens at the L-shaped bar's vertical stroke ends. Respectively tuned to cricket and rugby, they and several gambling machines at the far end of the bar's vertical pandered to the mostly male Afrikaans patrons' loves of sport and gambling as they gossiped in a mixture of Afrikaans and English and indulged their other evident passion, downing copious amounts of lager.
Sitting sideways on my stool at the end of the bar's horizontal gave perfect views of the rest of the bar, street below and a lone figure sitting at the corner table on my left drowning sorrows in her fourth short within half hour. Ordered from the Afrikaans sports fan section, I had been unable to hear her accent and assumed she was a local Afrikaans or from Johannesburg staying at her holiday home, more likely parents' judged by her youth. Short jet-black hair, ebony eyes, beautiful round featured face, stunning figure -- obvious charms aided by skimpy shorts and a tight, backless, halter neck top revealing her light gold tan leaving little to imagination -- made it impossible not to notice her and heavy drinking and evident sadness ensured I did. She strutted over to order her next drink in hearing distance at the far end of my part of the bar, I muttered, "English," under my breath, waited for her to settle at her table and casually wandered over to it.
"Excuse me," I began. "I'd have come to say it anyway but heard your English accent when you ordered that drink, your fifth in rapid succession, and it makes it easier. I don't know how well you know this country or want to scare you but it has a very high crime rate, first full day here and I've heard a long list of serious crimes in this small seaside town. I've only seen Xhosa in the taxis, no Afrikaans, they're all minibuses based up a side street by an off-licence and there was a crowd of drunks sitting around when I walked past less than an hour ago. It's risky for a girl to wander UK streets alone at night, far more so if she's drunk and fifty times more so here. You can't hail a cab UK-style and I hope you don't intend walking to your hotel. Do you have a safe means of getting there or is someone collecting you?"
Ebony eyes fixed on my face, widened briefly, narrowed as a lone feathery eyebrow flickered upward and made a swift return journey from my face to my feet. Slightly curled lips betrayed amusement in her otherwise blank expression. "Most original chat-up line I've ever heard, tells me I'm drunk and puts on a guardian angel act, feigned interest in my safety not body."
"Not an act or feigned," I growled. "I said I'd have come to say it anyway but you're English, alone, beautiful, scantily clad, getting plastered and I'm concerned. Most guys in here are tanked up, they've all noticed you, you've put down a few, one may try it on when you leave and there are all the risks outside. I'm a cop in the Met, know what happens in London and that far worse happens here."
"Ooh, want to wrap the long arm of the law round my bod in a wholly unofficial capacity," she teased straight-faced. "Thanks for your compliment," She flashed a smile and promptly growled, "Prove you're a cop."
I reached for my wallet and flashed my warrant card.
"Detective Chief Inspector Gregory Harrison is a high-flyer to be that rank at his age." She winked impishly. "Lousy cop at surveillance, glances weren't subtle, ogled my bod more than my drinking, haven't proved fancying me wasn't a major part of your equation in coming to my table. I'm Lisa, Lisa Adams, or do you want me to prove it, Gregory or Greg?"
"No," I confirmed. "It's 'Greg' and how will you get to where you're staying?"
"Hadn't thought about it, don't need to now, my guardian angel, DCI Greg Harrison, will be very happy to escort me on the long walk to the Bay Hotel." She flashed a smile. "Get your drink and come and sit down."
"Thanks. I'm at the Bay too, three weeks, only other five-star on offer in the UK was twice the price but it's the same here, checked this morning." I collected my drink and settled into the chair opposite her on my return.
"How much did fancying me weigh in playing guardian angel and how pleased are you that the same hotel means you can indulge your fancy if I let you?" Lisa asked. "Honest answers."
"Are you always so direct, Lisa?" I grunted disapprovingly. "I said twice I'd have come over anyway. You're beautiful, stunning, and I fancy your looks, what man wouldn't? We've just met, I don't know if I fancy your direct and feisty personality but I'd like to discover the less full on version if there is one and find out if I do."
Lisa flashed a smile. "Thanks for your compliments and honesty. Always direct, believe you were concerned, good guy not just that you're a cop, knew you fancy me, wanted to know its part in your equation."
"Thanks. You're not an inveterate boozer; dare I ask why you're hitting the bottle?"
Lisa shrugged her shoulders and sighed. "Lost my virginity to my boyfriend at sixteen, lived at eighteen, past five years, first his then mine, booked and paid for this holiday six months ago, he moved out and in with a blonde tart he'd obviously fucked for months five weeks ago. I had the tickets, decided to come alone, first night, felt sorry for myself, saw this bar and decided to get pissed but it's not easy; I can hold my drink." She looked me up and down and frowned thoughtfully. "No wife or girlfriend, I'm amazed the handsome sexy hunk hasn't been snapped up."