Disclaimer: These characters may resemble the two individuals from XWP. This is an uber story, and it is the first one I have written. The characters I have created are from my own twisted mind. The use of song titles and lyrics are completely the sole property of the respectful artists.
Violence: There is some violence. It is a bit graphic but it is minor.
Language: Yep, nasty language ahead. Watch out.
Special thanks to my beta reader; you are much appreciated.
Comments/Feedback: would be much appreciated.
*****
I love this city. I can hardly believe that I finally made it here. Oh, god, to get away from ho-dunk nowhere's ville in Colorado. But, this, this is a city. Chicago, wow, this is great.
Dani thinks and looks out of her third story apartment window onto the gray street below surrounded by its lush green trees budding in beautifully this Spring season. Her one bedroom apartment with its small robin's egg color kitchen is not as bad as one may think now that she put a bistro adjacent to the wall horizontally by the sliding glass balcony door.
She pads her way over to the living room sofa. The cozy living room is painted in veiled light, which reflects just the slightest hint of greenish yellow when the sunlight shines through the four tall windows. She plops down and grabs the remote to turn up the volume of the piano concerto being played by Chopin on her 3 disc Panasonic stereo. She sips her vanilla soymilk from the Tweety Cartoon mug. With her legs tucked onto her right she flips through the local gay/lesbian paper laying on the small wooden coffee table. "Hmm, Outlines. Interesting name for the paper, I wonder what goes on around here." She turns the page and finds a naked muscle man staring back at her. The photo is cut off just past the tuft of pubic hair before his penis is exposed. "Whoa, talk about not leaving much of anything to the imagination." The phone rings. She picks up the cordless receiver next to the end table. "Hello."
"Hey Dani, it's Kristin. How's it going?"
"Great. I finally finished unpacking the last box of my things earlier this afternoon. I'm so grateful to have had the week available. I swear, if I started working the day I arrived, I'd be eating on the floor using paper plates for the next couple of months." Kristin's laughter echoes in her ear.
"Well, I'm glad you're all done. Let's go out and celebrate then. You haven't ventured out to one of our bars yet, have you?"
"No, I haven't. Sure, why not."
"Great. There's a place on Halsted called Girlbar. Can you meet me there in an hour?"
"Sure."
"Oh, by the way, parking is virtually non-existent on a Saturday night, you know what I mean?"
"Gotcha, I'll take a taxi. See you in an hour."
"Awesome. Bye."
"Bye." She hangs up, and finishes the last of her soymilk with a smile on her face. "Girlbar. How interesting. This should be fun."
Dani is appreciative of the new friendship she has with Kristin, and grateful that her best friend back home knew Kristin when she lived in Chicago and introduced them. Kris, as Dani likes to call her, has shown such kindness from the first day they met. Her vivaciousness for life touches everyone she meets. The auburn haired activist has updated Dani on the places to go and not to go, gay friendly establishments, activities in the city, and groups who meet regularly in a book club, softball, nature/hiking, boating, and every other event under the sun. Her androgynous nature gives off a cute quality about her. Kris' mind is like a library. It contains so much information and history on gays and lesbians throughout the centuries. Dani believes conversation could never be dull with her. And already she has received a list of must read books.
Dani pads into the kitchen, rinses her cup under the faucet and sets it inside the sink. Walking into the purple colored bedroom, she flips on the light switch. Stepping over to the closet, she ponders. "Hmm, what to wear. At least I already took my shower. Now what do I want to be saying tonight with my appearance." She pulls out a knee length black snug skirt and an emerald green silk blouse. Looking at herself in the full-length mirror with the ensemble in front of her, she says, "No, let's not say, high femme." She pulls out a pair of jeans and a polo shirt. Resuming her position in the mirror. "No. I look like a typical androgynous dyke." She then decides on a pair of black dress pants, the emerald silk blouse and her heeled black boots. "Yes, I think this'll do just fine. With some light make-up this will definitely say femme."
She got out of the taxi, and stood in front of the place. Women walking in, others are walking out. Laughing, serious, arm in arm, couples and friends. "Alright, here we go," she comments to herself. Heading straight to the bar, someone taps her on the shoulder. "Hey Kris, I'm so glad you saw me first. It's so dark in here. And this music, I can hardly hear myself."
"Don't worry about it." She responds loudly. "We'll go upstairs; it's better there. But order your drink first."
She nods and turns to the bartender. "Midori Sour please."
The bartender snickers at Dani's politeness. "You know, not many who use that word are from around here. You must be from out of town. Here you go sweetie," the woman says.
Dani hands over the money. "Thank you."
They head up the crude dimly lit steps. The music dies down as they enter the second level. Dani beholds two pool games occurring simultaneously, and a dart game. She follows Kris to a small round table available near the bathroom. Kris claims one of the barstools immediately. Dani seats herself in the other.
She leans over to Kris. "Why do I feel like I'm being stared at?"
"That's because you are being stared at. What else do you expect when you walk into a dyke bar? Not many femmes around this place."
Dani frowns. "Why not?"
"Because we don't have many of them, they're all taken." Responds Kristin.
"Really?" Feeling a little self-conscious, she takes a sip of her Midori sour.
"How can you drink that? It's so sweet and sour, I feel like I'm drinking some new funky kool aid."
"Oh, but that's what I love about it," Dani laughs.
They talk about Dani's life back in Colorado, the mountains, the people, the serenity, and the boredom she lived with for years. "Yes, it's true, there is a place called Garden of the Gods. It's really beautiful. The flowers and the trees and the wildlife, it almost makes you feel like you're in the Elysian Fields, or Eden. However you want to look at it. I think the one thing I'll miss is the serenity of hiking up in the mountains and connecting with nature. Just being up on a mountaintop and looking at the vast valley below is exhilarating."
There is a tall figure at one of the pool tables watching Dani every chance she gets. The figure is playing everyone who will take her on. So far, she still holds the table. As the hour passes, the woman decides to start making her move.
"Hey," Kristin whispers, "do you know that woman at the farther pool table has been eyeballing you the whole time we've been here?"
"Which one?" Dani asks curiously.
"Alright, don't be so obvious, but it's the real tall one with the jet black hair cut like that dyke singer you listen to. Oh, what's her name...?"
"You mean k.d. lang?"
"Yeah, that's it."
Dani couldn't help but turn around right away. Brilliant green met deep blue. Dani is captivated at the moment by those eyes the color of pacific island blues. She looks away. "Okay, I was caught."
"Yep, I noticed," answers Kristin.
"Damn."
The figure smiles.
"Hey, it's not so bad Dani. What's the worst that can happen? She asks you out? And what would be so bad?"
"But, I'm so new around here. I figured in a few months or so I'll start dating."
"Oh, come on," Kristin responds. "There is no time like the present."
"But..."
"Hi there." Another voice saunters in.
They both look up to see the tall mysterious stranger. The woman gives a friendly nod to Kristin. "I thought you might like another one of these since your glass is empty." She gracefully sets down a fresh Midori sour with four cherries in front of Dani.
"Thank you, that's very kind."
The woman then squats, holding on to her cue stick and looks Dani in the eyes. "Would you like to join me for a game?"
