Unexpected Pleasure

It had been a long day. We stopped at several out of the way airports in the company Learjet.

We had picked up people needed for an important meeting in a large midwestern city. It was going to take place the next day. And there was going to be a one-day layover involved. So, we could relax.

We got to the hotel late in the evening. After checking in, John, my copilot, complained "The restaurant is closed."

There were no other restaurants near the hotel.

"Let's go change and we can meet in the bar for some 'Pub Grub'."

As we walked by the entrance of the lounge on the way to our rooms, I could hear a guitar and singer inside. "Sounds like we will have entertainment," he commented.

"I guess. No problem. It's not loud and raucous so we can at least talk."

We each went to our rooms to change out of our uniforms and clean up.

After meeting in the lounge, we ordered dinner. It was normal end of the day cuisine on this type of trip, a plate of questionable components with high calorie and cholesterol content smothered in ketchup. It was filling though.

After eating, and without saying a word, he hopped up and went to the bar. There, the only other patron of the place was sitting by herself. John liked girls and he was somewhat successful with them. So, it was no surprise that he asked her to join us. Whatever his smooth talk was, she came along.

She was a cute red head, about our age and a nice figure from what I could tell in the dim light. I suppose she was enjoying the singing and playing of the musician with the guitar before we got there. She did bring her adult beverage with her.

Since we had a table sitting in front of the small stage, it was easier to see and hear the act.

They bantered back and forth as the musician played and I just sat listening to the music as odd man out. It was mostly ballads and love songs. At least the words were understandable.

I am not much into bar conversations, and John was doing all right. There was no need for me to join in.

After a short while the singer took a break and joined us at our table.

He and I started talking about where we were from.

He was from a small town near where I had lived a short while before. At least I had someone to talk with for a while. We did the "do you know" routine. There was no one either of us knew in common but it was enjoyable. I had completely forgotten about the couple across the table.

They were immersed in their own conversation and were not paying attention to what we were talking about either.

When he was through with the break, the singer asked us if there was anything we would like to hear. I did not have any preferences.

She quietly asked, "Would you please do 'Feelings'?"

John sneered, "That's just a silly sentimental song!"

The musician added, "Yeah it is..."

"No," I broke in, "Its's a pretty song. So, go ahead and play it."

The girl was looking disappointed until I made that comment.

And he did so. As far as I am concerned, he did a good rendition. Well, it sounded like it was should to me. I am not a music critic, and it was the same type of song he had been singing throughout anyway.

I doubted John knew I was trying to help. And I could care less what he thought at that point. He was just too busy working on her.

There was not anything to keep me there so, a couple of songs later, I got up to depart. John got up with me and at the same time, the young lady rose to leave too.

I concluded that it was going to be his lucky night. At least he could rest up the next day.

As we stepped out into the lobby, she left his side and hooked her arm around mine. She smiled and said the first words either of us said to each other. "Your place or mine"?

All I could do was smile back and say, "When you get tired of me in the morning, do you want to shoo me out of yours, or leave out of mine"?