Nickelback

nickelback

I didn't know where else to go, so I ended up at Doobie's. Cindy was bartending, and she talked to me a little more than I wanted her to. I really had very little to say, I was just hoping to make some good company with a bottle of whiskey.

Unfortunately, the whiskey wasn't very good company, so I ended up talking to Cindy a little more than she wanted me to. I asked her if she had seen Mary around. "No, I haven't seen her in ages, but I've been away. Why""

I shrugged, hoping it made me seem aloof. "I dunno, she hasn't called me back for a while. She's probably busy as hell."

Cindy shrugged and poured somebody a drink.

It wasn't nearly late enough when Sue walked in, sadly not wearing the leopard-skin top of which I was so fond. I tried to ignore her, but she just happened to sit exactly opposite of me. I tried to convince myself that she didn't want anything to do with me, either, but she soon proved me wrong by walking around the length of the bar to sit down next to me.

The conversation was strained at first, seeing as I adamantly refused to speak with her, but in time my lips got too loose and we almost had an enjoyable conversation. Then Devin came in and she ran off to talk to him. I didn't mind. I had my bourbon to consider. Besides, I knew the room was waiting.

In time it was Sarah's going away party. I convinced Don to come along with me, figuring I really didn't have anything to offer on my own, and besides, I needed someone there who was as drunk as I was. We set up camp on the porch of Abi's apartment, where Gayle just happened to be sitting. I spent a whole trying to convince myself that I was out there purely by coincidence. We joked around, Don and I, and I eventually got into a conversation with a blonde who might have been pretty sometimes. I neglected to listen when she told me her name.

We talked about Dashiel Hammett while Gayle threw candy at me. Sean showed up, and his girlfriend Corrinna introduced him to everyone as her Sean. "Hi," she said, "my name is Corrinna and this is my Sean." Sean
played it coy. I wanted to hit someone.

Somebody made a snide remark about my clothes. I explained that they were good for scaring children.

"Come on," Gayle countered, "we all know how much you like to torture little boys."

"Yeah," I replied, "and we all know how you like to torture big boys."

I hated myself for suffering from a complete lack of wit.

She didn't say anything.

I talked to the blonde for a little while longer. She was almost entertaining. Kind of like those magazines you find in the dentist's office. Gayle kept throwing candy at me. Sean sat in Corrinna's lap. I think Sarah was there. Then everybody was leaving.

Sarah was gone, I never really had a chance to say good-bye. Sean and Corrinna were waiting for Gayle to share a cab with them. She got up to leave, yelling "bye" to everyone. I made some comment.

"Are you calling me a bitch?" she asked.

"Yes," I answered.

"You're right," she replied, then left with Sean and Corrinna

I called a cab while Don left with the blonde. I went back to the room.