Sweetheart, I want to talk to you. You haven't told me anything about your trip. Did you enjoy yourself? That's good. Was your family happy to see you? That's nice. No… I'm ok. I wasn't aware I'd been distant since you returned. What did I do? Not much. I'm sorry, you're right, that was a very vague answer. Maybe we should sit down and talk. I've been meaning to tell you what occurred while you were away. This may be difficult for me, so please just listen for now. I need to get this out.
After I saw you off at the airport, I wasn't in the mood to just go home. I decided to stop and get a quick drink and a bite to eat. On my way to the pub, my cell phone rang. It was Charles. He had been trying to get a hold of you for a couple of hours, having forgotten you were headed out of town. We had a good chuckle over his having to find a new partner for golf the following day. He had inadvertently volunteered you for a charity match. It was nice chatting with him. What's that? Yes. He is a nice man. Hmmm? Yes. I do realize he's in the middle of a nasty divorce and I agree with you. He is handling himself well.
Now please, let me continue. After he named a few friends he could call and ask, he jokingly suggested I be his partner in the match. Before I could make some smart-ass comment about how he would be vying for last place if he partnered with me, he asked if he was being rude by taking up my time. I said no and told him I enjoyed the distraction as I drove downtown. Yes, Honey. I was on my way to Barney's. You know that's my favorite pub. I feel safe there alone. Actually, it's funny you make that statement. It's the very same thing he said that night. So, I told him where I was off too and he informed me his office was right around the corner from that particular pub. Out of politeness I told him to feel free to stop by after work if he felt so inclined. Again we chuckled and ended our phone call with no definite plans having been made.
I made my way to the pub and…. Oh, did I tell you? They finally finished that new building on 4th and Lincoln. Yes. It looks great. I can't wait to see the atrium I've read so much about. We should have lunch there one day next week.
As I was saying; I arrived at the pub at about a quarter till 7. It wasn't too busy, so I thought I might get a chance at a game of pool. I decided to eat first though, since I new I'd be drinking. I found a small table up front and took a seat. Before the waitress could walk across the room, I looked up to the beaming face of Jim Pearson. Yeah, I couldn't believe it either! We haven't seen him for over a year, and there he was. He said things didn't feel right in Colorado, so he came back to town and is starting his own company. Yep. He finally decided to do it! I'm very proud of him. He did apologize for not having called yet. He says he's been very busy. True, starting a business can be hectic. I have a feeling about him though. I think he will succeed, just as we have.
The waitress looked impatient….. Yes, it was the older lady. Anyway, she looked impatient so I ordered the usual and invited Jim to join me at my table. He looked back in the direction he had come from for a moment, then around the rest of the room. He said he would join me since his "other company" was nowhere to be found. I suppose his date didn't like him leaving the table to come chat with me. We talked and ate dinner. Casual conversation at first, then more serious. We discussed his divorce, his move, his uncertainty about his next step in life, blah, blah, blah. The conversation was really too serious for my mood, so I suggested a game of pool. We ordered fresh drinks and grabbed the last table.
After I won our first round, I was surprised to see Charles walking in the door. He must've worked a long day because by this point is was getting to be close to 8PM. He looked around the pub and spotted me. He walked straight up to me with a big smile on his face. I could tell he had already had a couple of drinks because as he got close to me he greeted me with a large hug and made a comment about our earlier conversation. No, I don't think he's ever greeted me hello with a hug. I did feel a little strange, and I felt I should quickly introduce him to Jim. They greeted each other warmly enough with the usual pleasantries and the uncomfortable feeling of the moment before slipped away.
The three of us played a few games of pool, had a few drinks, and shared a few laughs. Charles mentioned a pub closer to home I had never heard of. Johanssen's Place was the name. He suggested we go there for a last drink before going home. Sounded good to me. I was far from ready to go home. This place gets so empty when you aren't here, Sweetheart. I know, I could've gone with you, but you know how I feel about your sister. OK, let's please not get into that right now. We can discuss it later, alright?
So, we arrive at Johanssen's, all in our separate cars. The place was pretty nice. A little more cozy and intimate then I normally like, but perfect for "one last drink". We found a booth and ordered our drinks. The conversation had already been very comfortable between all of us, but this place made me feel like I had known these guys forever. Yeah, I know. I have know Jim forever. But Charles just seemed to fit right in. It was nice.
Charles pointed out a couple across the bar making out like teenagers. We started acting like teenagers ourselves, giggling and making silly remarks. At one point we must've gotten a little too loud, because they stopped momentarily to glare in our direction. I have to admit, the place was full of sexual energy. Our table must've been affected by it greatly, because our conversation turned sexual. It seemed so natural at the time. It felt as though I had known these guys forever and had hundreds of sexual conversations with them. We started to try to out-do each other with stories of our past sexual experiences…. I see you are getting uncomfortable, but please, I have to finish.
It was starting to get terribly late and would only be appropriate to call it a night. Jim suggested we share a cab as neither of us were really "ok" to drive. Charles said he was fine and would be driving. He also informed us he would pick up the bar tab since it was his suggestion to change locations. He got no argument from us. We all walked out together and said our goodbyes. Jim and I stood at the corner to hail a cab, when Jim said he forgot something and ran back over to Charles. By the time he came trotting back, I was waiting with a cab. We slid in and Jim gave the driver his address first. As I opened my mouth to give him ours, Jim suggested I join him at his place for an old movie and stay in the guest room. No, we haven't done that in a long time. It sounded like fun, so I agreed. He still had some of my things packed away some where. He joked about me helping him unpack while I look for them. Then, he held my hand and told me he missed hanging out with his buddy. I have to say, I had really been missing him too.
The first thing Jim did when we got to his place was show me to the guest room. Ha! One day it may aspire to be a guest room! It was more like a closet with a little window in the back. This was also where he has stored the few boxes he was slow in unpacking. He told me to dig in and headed back towards the kitchen. I heard him open a bottle of wine right about the same time I found a box marked "Julie's Crap". I know, sounds just like something Jim would do. I open the box and found a lot of books, some Tupperware I had been looking for, and that dress I spilled red wine on at his last barbeque. Nope, he hadn't dry cleaned it yet. You were right. I should've just taken it home. But that's beside the point. He was so insistent on getting it clean for me, I just had to leave it with him.