The night had been fairly quiet and sitting at the bar I slowly drank my drink and looked around. Considering it was a Saturday night it seemed to pretty quiet and I wondered why there weren't more people in here. It was usually one of the busiest and most popular pubs in town which is why I came here but tonight it was dead.
I had becoming here at least twice a week for a year and ever since that first night I walked in I hadn't been to any other pub in the town.
Looking at the handful of people that were in tonight I didn't recognise any of them and that in itself was strange. There was a young couple sitting in the darkened corner, a group of six sitting at a table having a rowdy discussion about the state of the country and a lone woman sat at the other end of the bar. Finishing my drink I called the barman over and ordered another, deciding that if the place didn't liven up I would make it my last drink for the night.
Slowly I sipped my drink, a double brandy, hoping that at any minute the door opened and some of the regulars came in. I hadn't spoken to anyone, other than the barman, since I had arrived and was pretty bored. The woman at the other end of the bar ordered another drink and I watched as she swiftly drank it in one swallow. I couldn't believe things had got so bad that I was watching what others were doing.
I kept glancing at the woman and saw she was wearing what looked to be a black mini-dress and boots. She had long jet black hair and looked to be in her late thirties, almost twice my age. I was surprised that I hadn't noticed just how attractive she was earlier. Still she seemed quite content to sit on her own so I turned back to my drink. Picking up my glass I drained it in one and went to get up and leave. As I turned away from the bar and went to stand up I was surprised to see the woman in black had sat down next to me and I hadn't even seen her move.
"Hello how are you my name is Jodie." She said.
"Hi Jodie I'm good thanks I'm Jon and I was just about to go."
As I said that she looked at me and I found myself going to sit down again and ordering two more drinks. Jodie watched me as I sipped my drink before she picked hers up and took a large gulp.
"So Jodie how come I haven't seen you in here before?" I asked her.
"I've just moved into the town and it's my first night out." She replied.
"Well like I said I was just about to leave it's usually a lot busier in here than this."
"I did think it was quiet but are you sure you need to leave now."
I went to tell her that I was going to look for somewhere with a bit more life but as soon as I looked into her eyes the words went completely out of my head.
"I suppose I could stay for a bit as you are new around here."
"Thanks that will be nice of you I don't know that many people." She said smiling.
"Do you fancy another drink?" I asked her.
"That's nice of you I'll have double vodka and coke if that's okay."
I called the barman over and as he poured our two drinks we emptied the glasses in front of us. For the next couple of hours Jodie and I sat there talking like we had known each other for years. I found myself telling her everything about my life right from when I had left school up until I had lost my job and girlfriend the same day a couple of months earlier.
Jodie told me she was forty-three, which surprised me as I had guessed her age completely wrong, single and that she had come to this town to escape a bad past. She just wanted a fresh start and a new town seemed like the easiest option. I tried to ask her what was so bad that she had to give up her home but she gave me a look that told me I was better off not asking. Suddenly Jodie looked at me and asked if I minded walking her home as she had too much to drink and would feel safer walking with someone.
We left the pub and walked along by the side of the canal, Jodie slightly unsteady on her feet, for about twenty minutes before she stopped and turned to look at me.
"Thanks for walking me home Jon would you like to come in?" Jodie asked.
"I'm not sure we have both had a fair bit to drink." I replied.