Sam just got over the phone with his wife. Another heated argument that was not without blames and curses. He wondered how it had come to this and if it would ever stop.
Just as he was going through this train of thought, he decided that it was too much for him to sustain after a hard day's work. It was also Friday night. He wanted to go out and just forget everything.
Sam wasn't in the best emotional state either. Difficult work conditions, a low paying job and being unable to live together with his wife all contributed to his suffering. Regardless, this is no excuse, he tried telling himself. This is no way of dealing with things, Sam. He knew that sooner or later, this would all come back to haunt him.
But he felt too dejected after the phone call to be able to focus on anything beyond just that night. He also knew he'd made some terrible mistakes in life, and one was to fall in love with the wrong person. Or was she the right choice? He didn't know. Agh, he thought, just forget about it already Sam.
He picked up his car keys, wallet, and a book that he had been reading at the time. He decided to hunt for a bar and have a few round of drinks. He remembered seeing a few in proximity of his office in Dubai Media City.
He took a cab from his residence in Discovery Gardens to the metro stop at Media City. It was approximately 10 PM, but Dubai's main Sheikh Zayed Road was still jampacked. It was Friday night after all, and everyone was out there to socialize and have fun.
He decided that a club would be too crowded and loud for his taste. So he walked from the metro stop, looking for soft-themed bars to relax instead and the Octave Bar really captured his interest. He went in and found a secluded corner to sit. A waiter approached him and he requested the strongest drink on the menu. The waiter nodded depicting that he understood what Sam meant and recommended a cocktail that was one of their most exotic. He agreed and ordered some spicy nuts to go with the drink.
He was not an avid drinker. In fact, he hadn't even developed proper taste for drinks. Back in his home country, he'd cope with such problems using cannabis as his favorite getaway. But that wasn't available in the UAE at least legally, and he wasn't one to go against the law, so he decided to settle for liquor that night.
He immersed in his reading. A short while later, the drink was served. It looked quite tasteful. He managed to thank the waiter with a half-hearted smile. He took a few sips and continued with the reading. In some time, the liquor began to show its effects. His focus slowly started drifting from the words on the book. From time to time, he'd take a look around the bar and appreciate the relaxing environment in his mind. The slow music that played in the ear coupled with impressive lighting effects all contributed to a mesmerizing experience.
Just as he took another glance at the surroundings, he noticed a woman in her late 30s sitting a couple of tables away from him. She was dressed casually. As he looked at her, she also noticed him.
At that moment, he didn't know if it was the liquor running in his blood or the earlier fight over the phone call with his wife, but something compelled him to look at her again and try to strike a conversation. He couldn't clearly remember his intentions, but he looked in her eyes, waited for her to look back and then politely asked if he may join her. She smiled and welcomed him to her table.
He requested some waiters to help him shift his drink. He shook hands with her and adjusted in the chair in front of her. They introduced one another. Her name was Ava. Ava was a production manager from South Africa. He told her that he was working in Dubai's digital media industry. They talked about their habits and hobbies and everything in between.
Sam lost sense of the fight he had had with his wife. After some exchanges of smiles and laughs, Ava asked Sam if he'd like to go to another more exciting bar. She told him that she knew one sports bar in the same enclave they were in. He nodded in anticipation of what lay ahead of him.
The sports bar was definitely loud, but Sam didn't seem to mind it too much now that he was with Ava. Some people were throwing darts. Others watched a football show on TV. Ava and Sam decided to try their billiard skills. Some friends who'd met Ava earlier in the bar approached her, but Ava found one way or another to distance herself from them and be closer to Sam. Sam, now acting more mischievous than his sobre self, made the noise in the bar as an excuse to try and whisper to Ava in the ear while replying to her conversations. Just as he was doing it, he nibbled Ava's ear lobe gently. It was in part an act of teasing her, but mostly, he just tried to convey to her that he desired greater intimacy.