Sometime Around Midnight
one.
William Beckett stood at the bar losing himself in the scene surrounding him. He watched the band as they played some strange mix of melancholy and nostalgia. He watched the people who loitered around the stage and those just passing by on their way to a new destination or a new drink to get lost in. He took a sip of his third beer of the night. That’s when he spotted Lou Waldorf.
Lou looked just as beautiful as she always did, and the way the piano played seemed to be a melancholy soundtrack to her smile. She began to walk in William’s direction, and he began to immerse himself in the memories that only he and Lou shared.
“Hey Bill,” She said in a quiet voice “How have you been?”
William felt his mouth go dry, and searched for words to answer her with. He took another swig of beer and answered “I’ve been alright, how have you been?”
“I’ve been pretty good… How are all the guys? I haven’t heard from them in a while?” She asked. William remembered how much she detested small talk; she always had for as long as they had known each other.
“Ah well they’re all just happy to be at home, to get some down time and relaxed. I know Mike and Sisky are around here somewhere.” He said slurring slightly. Lou’s perfume was subtle but William could smell it. He remembered how she always preferred men’s cologne to women’s perfume, so she always wore a subtle amount of cologne so it wouldn’t be obvious that she was wearing it. He remembered how the sheets on his bed would smell when she was there, he loved that scent.
“Oh that’s good, that’s really good, and Courtney and your parents are doing well too? I heard that Courtney graduated from her art college.” She spoke but her lack of interest was evident.
“Yeah she actually graduated with honors; she’s coming back here pretty soon to look for a studio to sign with” He said with his interest wavering. His mind was going back to the memories of how Lou and he would lay in bed like to perfect bodies entwined. He could still picture her lying naked in his arms.
“Well tell her if she’s looking for a studio she can contact me and I can get her in down at the agency, we’re always looking for fresh talent.” Lou replied
“Oh sure thing, I’ll tell her.” He replied, staring awkwardly at his newly finished beer.
“Well, bye then” She said with a sad smile.
“See you around Lou” He replied taking a sip of his sixth beer.
His mind was in a haze as all the emotions he felt for Lou came rushing back at full force. So many things came whizzing through his brain, but the one most evident was that he missed her.
After having yet another beer he began to let his blood shot eyes roam the crowd in search of her. He knew he had to reconcile with her somehow, he knew he couldn’t be without her. He spotted her and began to make his way through the bustling crowd.
He was about two feet away when he saw her talking to some guy. She gave him a smile that she only used to give to William. He couldn’t bring himself to continue to look but he couldn’t look away.
Soon enough Lou was beginning to leave with the unknown guy, but before she left she looked directly at William. She gave the some look a child would give a parent when caught in a lie or something else wrong. Then she turned her head back to the door and bolted out of it.
William wanted to move, he wanted to leave, he wanted wallow in his embarrassment and shame, but he couldn’t. He felt like a statue made out of lead that had been bolted to the floor, in this god forsaken bar.
“Dude, are you okay? You’ve look like you’ve seen a ghost” He heard Sisky say. He turned to see the concerned face of Adam T. Siska but couldn’t bring himself to answer him. William felt his legs drag him to the bar where he swallowed three more beers.
When he dubbed himself sufficiently drunk he left the bar and began to roam the streets of downtown Chicago. He could feel the stares that people gave him as he drunkenly stumbled down the sidewalk, but he paid them no mind.
After walking several block he paused at a red door. This red door led to Lou’s apartment which was on the second floor. He stared at endlessly before turning away, to continue his drunken staggering.
Somehow he had made it all the way to his own home. As he looked around his lowly apartment he felt his eyes begin to fill with tears. Everything in the place reminded him of Lou. He went over to an old photo that showed Lou and himself at his 21st birthday party. Then he threw the picture frame as hard as he could across the room. He listened as the glass tinkled across the floor after it came in contact with the wall.
Then he walked over to a drawer in his bedroom that held old Polaroids. He began to throw each one harshly to the floor as they all were either taken by Lou or were of Lou. Tears were beginning to slide down his face as he flipped the entire drawer to the ground. His eyes blurred as he stared at the splintered wood lying lamely on the floor.
He threw the couch cushion across the living room and threw house ornaments into mirrors. He ripped the bedding off of his bed, and curtains off of rods. Until eventually he was too exhausted to destroy anything else.
He laid lamely on his bed as the tears burned his eyes. He felt several different emotions ravage is skinny frame. Lou had broken him in two.
Lou looked just as beautiful as she always did, and the way the piano played seemed to be a melancholy soundtrack to her smile. She began to walk in William’s direction, and he began to immerse himself in the memories that only he and Lou shared.
“Hey Bill,” She said in a quiet voice “How have you been?”
William felt his mouth go dry, and searched for words to answer her with. He took another swig of beer and answered “I’ve been alright, how have you been?”
“I’ve been pretty good… How are all the guys? I haven’t heard from them in a while?” She asked. William remembered how much she detested small talk; she always had for as long as they had known each other.
“Ah well they’re all just happy to be at home, to get some down time and relaxed. I know Mike and Sisky are around here somewhere.” He said slurring slightly. Lou’s perfume was subtle but William could smell it. He remembered how she always preferred men’s cologne to women’s perfume, so she always wore a subtle amount of cologne so it wouldn’t be obvious that she was wearing it. He remembered how the sheets on his bed would smell when she was there, he loved that scent.
“Oh that’s good, that’s really good, and Courtney and your parents are doing well too? I heard that Courtney graduated from her art college.” She spoke but her lack of interest was evident.
“Yeah she actually graduated with honors; she’s coming back here pretty soon to look for a studio to sign with” He said with his interest wavering. His mind was going back to the memories of how Lou and he would lay in bed like to perfect bodies entwined. He could still picture her lying naked in his arms.
“Well tell her if she’s looking for a studio she can contact me and I can get her in down at the agency, we’re always looking for fresh talent.” Lou replied
“Oh sure thing, I’ll tell her.” He replied, staring awkwardly at his newly finished beer.
“Well, bye then” She said with a sad smile.
“See you around Lou” He replied taking a sip of his sixth beer.
His mind was in a haze as all the emotions he felt for Lou came rushing back at full force. So many things came whizzing through his brain, but the one most evident was that he missed her.
After having yet another beer he began to let his blood shot eyes roam the crowd in search of her. He knew he had to reconcile with her somehow, he knew he couldn’t be without her. He spotted her and began to make his way through the bustling crowd.
He was about two feet away when he saw her talking to some guy. She gave him a smile that she only used to give to William. He couldn’t bring himself to continue to look but he couldn’t look away.
Soon enough Lou was beginning to leave with the unknown guy, but before she left she looked directly at William. She gave the some look a child would give a parent when caught in a lie or something else wrong. Then she turned her head back to the door and bolted out of it.
William wanted to move, he wanted to leave, he wanted wallow in his embarrassment and shame, but he couldn’t. He felt like a statue made out of lead that had been bolted to the floor, in this god forsaken bar.
“Dude, are you okay? You’ve look like you’ve seen a ghost” He heard Sisky say. He turned to see the concerned face of Adam T. Siska but couldn’t bring himself to answer him. William felt his legs drag him to the bar where he swallowed three more beers.
When he dubbed himself sufficiently drunk he left the bar and began to roam the streets of downtown Chicago. He could feel the stares that people gave him as he drunkenly stumbled down the sidewalk, but he paid them no mind.
After walking several block he paused at a red door. This red door led to Lou’s apartment which was on the second floor. He stared at endlessly before turning away, to continue his drunken staggering.
Somehow he had made it all the way to his own home. As he looked around his lowly apartment he felt his eyes begin to fill with tears. Everything in the place reminded him of Lou. He went over to an old photo that showed Lou and himself at his 21st birthday party. Then he threw the picture frame as hard as he could across the room. He listened as the glass tinkled across the floor after it came in contact with the wall.
Then he walked over to a drawer in his bedroom that held old Polaroids. He began to throw each one harshly to the floor as they all were either taken by Lou or were of Lou. Tears were beginning to slide down his face as he flipped the entire drawer to the ground. His eyes blurred as he stared at the splintered wood lying lamely on the floor.
He threw the couch cushion across the living room and threw house ornaments into mirrors. He ripped the bedding off of his bed, and curtains off of rods. Until eventually he was too exhausted to destroy anything else.
He laid lamely on his bed as the tears burned his eyes. He felt several different emotions ravage is skinny frame. Lou had broken him in two.