The sign on Route 37 read, "Smooth Steve Shaw 2Nite!" as I turned into the parking lot. I was looking for a hot shower and clean sheets, so I barely noticed. I was beat, having driven ten straight hours from Georgia, and didn't want to push it, so I grabbed some Mickey D's, plopped on the bed, and watched the fourth quarter of some NCAA game.
Darkness pressed against the window when I realized the game was over. I had crashed for five hours, and woke in a start, not sure where I was. Oh, yeah, New Jersey on a Saturday night.
I knew I couldn't get back to sleep now, so I showered and figured I'd hit the lounge for a few Scotches, then sleep until sunrise.
As soon as I walked in, I remembered about Smooth Steve, because the place was packed. I was a captive audience, unless I wanted to go searching for another joint, so I moved through the crowd, and found the bar reasonably empty, since most folks were dancing to Steve's crazy beat!
Now, when I say Steve was old, don't say how old, because I'm not an archaeologist. He was tall, rather handsome in his day, with this patch of raccoon perched atop his head that seemed to still be alive, shifting when he turned his head. His fingers moved slowly across the keyboard, no matter the song. You want a fast song? He would just turn up the beat on the electronic drummer, but he'd stay at his pace.
The crowd reflects the performer, they say, and it held true this evening. There had to be 60 of them, none under 60 in age. most well-beyond. The men all had their Right Guard or Old Spice on, reeking of it. Many had toupees, some like Steve's, some not as good. Glasses thick enough for NASA to track the shuttle. Pants hung high, white socks or support hose. All competing for the women.
The women all dressed like the Golden Girls, with Rose, Blanche, Sophia and Dorothy. Colorful, aging, giggling like school girls if a guy asked to dance.
I was actually enjoying this, since I loved people-watching and imagining what their conversations were. Half-way through my second Scotch, Old Steve took a break. The bartender, Joe, about 40, said, "Here comes the stampede," and they did.
All those little tables around the dance floor streamed into the bar area to get refills, apparently not wanting to miss a beat from Steve's keyboard set. For ten minutes, they waved their bills, ordering this and that, occasionally you could see a hook-up working where a guy would but for a girl, or just as often, a girl for a guy.
Steve returned and a sense of normalcy took over, although the bar stools remained mostly full. Joe refilled me and I heard, "Excuse me, is this stool taken?"
I half-turned to see a woman, bright red hair piled high on her head, big green eyes, surrounded by long lashes, dark eye-shadow and red lips. "No, no one's sitting."
She smiled, "Well, now there is!" and she slid into the stool. "Joe, I'll have the usual."
"Hi Dolly, Kenny's been looking for you. He's got a new shirt on!"
"Ugh! He needs a new act, honey! A shirt ain't enough! Tell him I died."
He poured her a Vodka Martini expertly, as he said, "He's not killing himself on my watch!"
Dolly looked over at me and smiled. "Men! You can't live with them, and you can't live with them!" She had a Kelly green blouse, satin I think, button-down, top 2 open, the others holding firm, keeping her chest enclosed. Her eyes twinkled when she saw me admiring her.
She sipped her Martini. "So, what's your story?"
"Story?"
"Yeah, are you visiting your Mom? Just passing through? You're obviously new here."
"Oh, passing through I guess."
"Traveling alone?"
"Yes, going home to Vermont. Visited family in Georgia."
Joe said, "Incoming," out of the corner of his mouth, and big man stepped into the lounge. Dolly looked up, and groaned. To me, she said, "Just play along, okay?"
Before I could respond, he spotted Dolly and moved across the room. "Oh, Ken, how nice it is to see you, is that a new shirt?"
He seemed quite pleased that she noticed. "Hi, Dolly! You like it, really? I got it at Walmart!" He was my height, six foot, but heavier, about 250 to my 180. About 60 or so, bug hands, probably a laborer of some kind. He looked at me, quizzically.
Dolly said, "It looks real nice on you, good fit! Ken, this is my nephew, John, he came down to visit from New York, isn't that nice of him?"
He relaxed: a nephew he could deal with, competition was another story. He held out his big hand and forced a smile. "Hey, John, your aunt's a real lady, she talks about you all the time, really!"