Daniel sighed as the van bumped along the ill-maintained road. Would it kill whatever passed for a city council to shell out some money to fix the streets? Having his caretaker dodge all the potholes threatened to put him in an even worse condition than he was already in. Though what could be worse than being paralyzed from the neck down, he struggled to imagine. If he thought about it long enough, he pondered if death might perhaps be an improvement over a life sentence trapped in a body he could not control. Nope, he thought to himself as he shook the intrusive musings from his mind. Tonight was the night to party.
At long last, he and June arrived at the bar. He'd never been to a bar. Most caretakers were a little iffy on giving their clients alcohol. Even fewer were willing to drive his van. Nursing agencies had too many restrictions. His own body was enough of a restriction. He didn't need some company telling him how much of the human experience he was allowed to have. That all changed with June. Daniel had gone through several agencies and assisted living programs in his pursuit of independence over the past several years. Most people struck out on their own at 18, but he had to spend his mid-20's just trying to find a way to get out of the house. He was on a ventilator and couldn't go without someone watching him every five minutes. It took him ages to not only find someone who would be his live-in caretaker, but also give him the freedom to be his own person. June was an angel from above and she had no idea.
The establishment, a dive he'd ridden past a dozen times in the past, but never entered, wasn't the most handicap accessible place in the world. The entry had a big step leading in that June had to push him to get over. The music hit him as he drove in. It was so loud. Some song he'd never heard before blared out over speakers in a struggle for dominance with the general chatter of the bar. The second thing he noticed was the smell. Cigarette smoke, booze, food, and a hundred other scents assailed his senses. And it was so crowded! He figured that New Year's Eve would be a hell of a time to party, but Daniel never imagined seeing so many people packed together. In an instant, Daniel was in love. Spending every day alone, outside caretakers, he was unaccustomed to all that life had to offer. The world seemed so far away, yet he was finally in it. He felt intoxicated without having swallowed a single drop of liquor.
Daniel drove his mouth-controlled wheelchair through the crowd and up to the bar. From his chair, the bar came up to his chest. He looked so small compared to everyone else sitting in higher seats. He could feel the customary stares that followed everywhere he was bound to go, but he didn't care. Daniel was here to end the year with a bang and let the momentum follow him into the next year. The bartender saw Daniel and June, who sat at his side, and rushed over to take their order.
"What can I get ya?" The man asked, skipping Daniel and addressing June.
"Oh, no. It's all him," June said, gesturing to me.
The bartender turned to Daniel, surprised that a cripple could drink. Everywhere Daniel went, he was treated like this. He couldn't move his body, but he was still human. People always acted like he was just supposed to sit there and drool. He was half a man to everybody. It pissed him off, but Daniel was determined to make this a good night.
"Jack and Coke, please. No ice."
The bartender set about mixing up the drink while June gave Daniel a sympathetic look.
"Nothing a little whiskey can't fix, right?" Daniel joked.
June giggled as the bartender returned, drink in hand. There wasn't a straw in the glass. Yeah, June could give him a drink the old-fashioned way, but that was hard. And she could spill. And alcohol was costly. Daniel immediately felt his heart sink. The bartender already thought less of him. He didn't want to ask for a straw. He just felt awkward being so demanding, even though his condition required him to be.
"Could we get a straw, please?" June asked, sensing his discomfort.
The bartender pulled one out of his apron and handed it over. It was a two second exchange. Why did he have to overthink something so simple? It was just a straw. Ask, you idiot.
June gave Daniel a drink of the concoction. Delicious to drink, but the aftertaste was killer. How much liquor was in this? Daniel knew this was going to hit him hard later, but he was excited. He didn't drink often, but he did enjoy his spirits when he got the opportunity.
"I'm going to head to the bathroom real quick. Please don't pop your vent off while I'm gone."
June dashed off and Daniel was left alone. He didn't mind being alone, but a bit more liquor in his system would have helped still his nerves a bit more. He felt awkward being in a sea of strangers. A breath later and one of those very same strangers came up to him. A woman, and a gorgeous one at that. She looked a few years older than him, but not enough to be unattractive.
"Can I give you a drink?" She offered.
Daniel fumbled over his words. "O-oh, no. That's okay. I already have a drink."
She smiled, a sight more intoxicating than the alcohol. "I meant yours."
"Oh, um, sure."
She sat in June's seat and lifted the glass. The straw reached his lips and he took a drink, looking back at this mysterious woman. It was a simple act. Caretakers gave him drinks all the time. How else would he drink anything? But something about this sexy stranger just made it feel so...intimate. Daniel took a few greedy swallows, hoping the alcohol could take effect and settle his anxiety.
"I didn't see your wife around and I hated seeing you left stranded here."
"I'm not married. That's just my caretaker. She ran off to the bathroom."
"I'm Ruby."
"Daniel," he replied in what felt like a whisper.
"I hope you don't mind my intrusion. My ex husband was a quadriplegic. I kind of understand what you're going through, so I thought I'd help out."
"Ex?" Daniel said, immediately regretting his lack of tact.
Ruby smiled. "He passed away 10 years ago."
Daniel felt like an ass. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"
"Who is your friend, Dan?"
