I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
Authors Note: I 'borrowed' the title this time from a Bob Dylan song (my favorite version is the ska collaboration between Robert Palmer and UB40). Thanks as always to those who read and vote or comment. Thanks also go out to Eclecticwoman818 for her assistance with grammar and proper writing form.
A few months after my wife died, I decided I needed something to do at least a couple of evenings a week. Evenings always seemed lonely with just me and the dog in a big, empty house. After considering my options, I decided to volunteer at the local community concert venue. It used to be a downtown movie theater before the 10 screen cinema franchises moved in and put it out of business. Now it was the home of a small community theater group and often served as a spot where lesser known musical acts (at least lesser known to the mainstream music outlets) and "classic" rock musicians would appear. As a volunteer, I could be doing anything, selling tickets, taking tickets at the door, tending bar or a myriad of other jobs.
One Friday evening, I was collecting tickets at the door for what was going to be a very crowded show when when a voice said "Oh, hi, how are you tonight?" I looked up to see Rose, a woman who worked in the local coffee shop and who was always friendly when I stopped in for my morning cup of joe before heading in to work.
"Oh, hi, I'm doing well thanks, and yourself?" I replied with a smile.
"I'm doing well, my mom has my kids for the weekend and my girlfriends dragged me along to get me out of the house."
"Well enjoy the show" I replied before returning to my assigned duty.
Later, I moved behind the bar to give the cute young bartender a chance for a potty and nicotine break. While she was gone, Rose walked over and ordered a vodka and tonic. As I prepared her drink, she said "I notice you don't have a wedding ring on anymore, did you get divorced?"
"No", I replied, "I became a widower about 6 months ago and finally decided that if I was ever going to meet anyone, I should probably take it off."
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize" she said a bit embarrassed as I handed her her drink. I smiled and told her that she had no way of knowing.
"How long were you married?"
"Almost 40 years. I was never unfaithful, so this whole trying to meet someone I might be interested in thing is a bit foreign to me."
"Wow, I was married three years and I don't think my ex was ever faithful for even 40 days."
"Well, then he was a fool. A good looking young woman like you deserved much better." I replied, figuring a bit of flirting would make her day as well as mine.
It apparently worked, because she blushed and stammered "I'm not sure sure about good looking, but I'm definitely sure the young part doesn't apply."
"Oh, you can't be older than thirty two, which makes you young in my book."
"You'd better get those glasses checked mister, I'm 37."
"I remember 37.....vaguely" I smiled and excused myself to wait on another customer further down the bar. When I got back, Rose had returned to her friends inside.
Kelly returned from her break to take over the bar again, so I wandered around and checked out the bands' merchandise table and then went through the door to listen to a bit of the show. I saw Rose with a her girlfriends, swaying to the music, and thought to myself that her ass was even nicer than it appeared in her barista uniform.
Later as the crowd was leaving, Rose found me again and asked how long I'd have to stay to clean up. I told her my jobs were to vacuum the lobby and make sure the bar was stocked for tomorrow's show, but that it should take me only a half hour or so. She said she and her friends were going up the street to have another drink and if I wasn't busy, why didn't I stop by. I told her that being seen with a bunch of young females was always good for my ego and that unless something disastrous happened I'd see them there in a little while.
The crowd that night was a little messy and drank more than usual, so it was about forty minutes later before I arrived at the bar and looked around to find Rose. She spotted me before I spotted her and waved me over. I nodded and signaled I was going to get a drink and I'd be right there. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â After getting my drink, I went over to the table where she was seated with another woman who appeared about her age, but with not anywhere near as nice a body. Her friend introduced herself as Jeannie and I told her my name was Tom and it was nice to meet her. Rose is about 5'-4" or 5'-5" and while not skinny, was definitely not overweight. Her friend was an inch or two shorter and at least 25 pounds heavier. We all chatted for a while about the show, weekend plans, jobs, the weather, etc.
About 11:30, Jeannie said she had to go and asked Rose if she wanted a ride. Rose looked at me and asked that if she needed one, could I give her a ride. I told her certainly and Jeannie gave Rose a knowing smile before turning to leave. Rose told me about her kids, a daughter, 17, and a son who was 15, how her marriage ended in disaster (she caught him in their bed with the neighbors 18 year old daughter) and that she had had a couple of semi-serious relationships over the years, but nothing for the last three or four.
She giggled and said "I have a confession to make. I'm really glad Jeannie introduced herself to you because I didn't know your name until then. At work you're just the nice guy who is kinda cute, but I was sitting here thinking 'what am I doing? I invited a guy to have a drink and I don't even know his name. I was afraid I was going to die from embarrassment by having to ask you your name. And that you'd think I was some kind of slut for asking you to meet us and not knowing your name"
"There was no way for you to know my name, after all, you wear the name tag, I don't." I replied smiling.
She started to apologize again for her earlier faux-pas about my ring, but I stopped her as soon as she started. "My wife was sick for a year and a half before she died and I had plenty of time to prepare for the inevitable. It was tough watching her die, but I understood there was absolutely nothing either I or the doctors could do. You had no way of knowing that, so please don't keep apologizing."
She smiled and touched my hand "Well I am sorry you had to go through that."
We finished our drinks a few minutes later and Rose asked if I could give her that ride home now. I quickly agreed since it was only a bit out of my way anyhow. I figured I'd drop her off and maybe we'd make some kind of vague reference about doing it again some time and then I'd go home and jerk off thinking about what might have been. I excused myself to go to the bathroom before we left and once there, I thought that even though I was skeptical, this might lead somewhere so I reached into my pocket for the packet of Cialis I carried whenever I had a volunteer shift. Although I never had the opportunity before, I wanted to be prepared just in case. After swallowing the pill and relieving myself, I returned to Rose and we headed for my car.
As I started the car, the stereo kicked on and Marcia Ball's version of Louisiana 1927 came on. It's a beautiful version of Randy Newman's song about a hurricane. Rose listened for a few minutes while I drove before saying "I've never heard this before, but it's beautiful."
"Yeah," I replied, "She really does a soulful version of this song."
A few minutes and a couple of turns later, we pulled up in front of her house. "Would you like to come in for a few minutes?" she asked then grinned and said "If it's not too late for you."
"Watch it or I'll be forced to find another coffee spot with a hot woman in it."