Back in the West
As chronicled in
The Art of Anal: Coda,
I travelled from Sydney to Perth for a family death. Leah, and old flame and stunning MILF was not able to meet me on the Wednesday of my visit. So I was free to rediscover the city.
I decided to visit the Perth Mint because I have several investments with that venerable institution and needed a piece of jewellery evaluated. After that brief excursion, I dropped into an old haunt, the Carlton Hotel. It was a shithole when I worked on Adelaide Terrance, and it remains one to this day. However, it was a short walk from my hotel, so I thought, fuck it, let's go for a trip down memory lane.
Being a Wednesday afternoon, I was not expecting much patronage, given that East Perth appears to have been devastated by real estate disasters and COVID-19. I walked into the Carlton armed with investment brochures from the Mint and my book, which was so dull that I ended up not finishing it.
Inside the hotel were two staff, three drinkers, including myself, and one woman. She was, maybe 160 centimetres, stocky, with curled black hair wrapped in a savage cue, wearing a white surfer t-shirt and blue denim shorts. While not unattractive, she would not have turned heads in a typical Sydney drinkery.
What was interesting was the shots of Fireball whiskey being consumed at regular intervals when everyone else was drinking beers and the frequent patronage of the jukebox that pumped out overused classics such as
Paradise City
,
Welcome to the Jungle
,
Living on a Prayer, Poison
and other 80s fare.
These songs were far more interesting than the book that I tried to read. Without acknowledgement, my foot began to tap to the beats of this stocky woman's jukebox choices. Before long, I found myself signing along in my usual offbeat key.
"Do you have a request?" Came a female voice that interrupted me from my reverie.
"A request?" I asked, somewhat befuddled.
"Yes, for a song," She smiled, "You seem to like my selections."
"Then keep doing them," I encouraged with an appreciable smile.
"How about Metallica?" She asked, "You like them?"
"Sure, I like them," I reassured my stocky female companion, "Some songs are overplayed, though."
"Nothing Else Matters?"
"Bingo!" And we chuckled together.
"Come and help me choose," She requested, and I was more than happy to gain an excuse to read my boring book.
"I'm Alina," She said as we browsed the song selection.
"Jason, nice to meet you," I said as we awkwardly shook hands.
After selecting another cliched rock song from the 80s, Alina invited me for a belt of Fireball, which I was initially reluctant to partake in. Over time, the cinnamon flavour grew on me but was to have a devastating effect on both of us as the day progressed.
"Where do you live?" Asked Alina, expecting me to name a local suburb.
"Sydney," I said, "But I used to live in Victoria Park. Lathlain, to be exact."
"When did you leave?"
"Fifteen or so years ago," I said, "After finishing up at Curtin University."
"Failed romance?"
"You called it."
"Sorry to hear about that," Alina said, "What brings you back here?"
"Oh, a family funeral," I replied, "No big deal."
"Again, I'm sorry to hear about that."
"Thanks. Much appreciated." And it was. The last few days had been challenging to get through.
"And I suppose you're leaving at the end of the week?"
"That's the plan."
Alina signalled the barman for two extra shots of Fireball.
"Here's to your brother, then!"
The spirit burned my insides as I swallowed it. Alina was a far stronger drinker of terrible spirits than I was and effortlessly imbibed.
The spring weather in Perth was cool for the time of year. Compared to Alina's minimalist approach, I wore full jeans and a jumper. While we drank rank liquor and selected cliched songs, I further evaluated Alina's physical beauty. Underneath a t-shirt that was three sizes too big was a massive set of tits. Her thighs were thick, and her butt was firm. More importantly, Alina had an almost encyclopedic knowledge of music and film that matched mine.
Alina and I deeply discussed numerous artists and film genres as the Fireball slowly fried my brain. We did not share much in common, but we were lively discussing why that was and enjoyed a fascinating discussion about good and bad media. At several points, the other patrons would join in for a lively conversation as they approached the bar for refills.
"Do you have a girlfriend?" Alina asked, following a brief pause discussing the Barbenheimer phenomena.
"No, do you?"
Alina laughed and confirmed that she was single. There was a stripped-down feminist beauty about Alina, but she deliberately chose to understate her looks. Plus, make-up during day drinking seemed a wasted effort. The fact that she held her liquor way better than I was also impressive.
"Where are you staying?" She asked when the next shot, my round, arrived.
I pointed my thumb behind me and said the Novotel on Adelaide Terrace, about five minutes from our current location. I expected Alina's home to be fucking miles away, but she surprised me by saying she rented an apartment down the road on Hay Street in East Perth.
"Just moved there a few months ago," She told me.
"You like it here?" I asked before telling Alina that I used to work for the local electricity retailer that used to be located opposite my hotel.
"Life is a bit quiet," Alina confessed, "Not much action."
"What action are you looking for?" I asked, expecting a facial slap.
"I'll take whatever I can get," Alina replied provocatively.
"Even a mongrel from the eastern states?"