Did We Drown Too Easily?
oh-three
Maybe then we'll make it right.
I remember it taking Jeph asking me four times to go on a date with him before I finally gave in and accepted his pleas. I was relatively new to Los Angeles and fairly intimidated by everything, especially the people I had come across. It was only my third night in LA and my second shift at Joe's Bar and Grill when Jeph, Bert, Quinn and Brandon walked into the bar. They looked like people I used to hang-out with back in my old hometown, something I had been trying to escape, which ended up being another reason why I declined Jeph.
It was 2004, and I had just turned twenty-three the week before I moved to LA. I wanted a fresh start, where no one knew me, and I had no drama. I dropped all contact with my friends and my family and I had never felt so light, so carefree. I had lined up a job at the bar and found an apartment both within a few days. When I had secured income and a roof over my head I packed all of my things I wanted to take, packed my car and headed to the larger city.
Some may consider what I had done as running away from my problems, being a coward, but I wasn't. Everything that was wrong, I had spent so long trying to resolve, but nothing ever changed. I was fed up with everything around me, everyone I knew, my job, my home. I was miserable. All I wanted was to be happy, and I knew what I had to do. I gathered all the courage I had and I packed up my life and moved. I think what I did was courageous, not cowardice.
It was Friday night and the bar was more than just your average packed. College and university students, business men and women, regulars and new-comers, they were all there and more. It was overwhelming, even more so then it would've been because we were short-staffed that night. I felt like I was a chicken running around with my head chopped off. The only good thing was that ninety-five percent of the customers were really patient and the students weren't too rowdy.
"Allie," I turned my head to the right and met the gaze from my boss six feet down the bar from me. I raised my eyebrow at him, curious as to why he was calling my name. "Go take a five minute break while it’s still slow." I nodded my head and walked into the back of the bar, throwing my dirty rag in the laundry basket by the washer.
I grabbed my hoodie off of the couch in the Employee's Only room and pulled it on. I checked my pockets for my cigarettes and made my way towards the back door that opened up into the alley. When I made it outside I felt my body shiver, causing me to pull my hoodie closer to my body. I quickly pulled a cigarette out of the pack and placed it between my lips before lighting the tip with my purple lighter. I took a deep drag while rubbing my hands together to warm them up.
I decided to walk around the outside of the building while I smoked my cigarette, hoping the motion would warm me up from the chilly night air. I kept my pace slower than usual as I slowly made my way towards the front of the bar, facing the busy LA streets. There was a small mob of people outside of the building, half smoking, and half accompanying their friends. Everyone had someone to talk to, laugh and smile with, everyone but me.
I finished my cigarette before I let it slip through my fingers and fall to the ground. I stomped on it so the embers were no longer red before I began towards the back of the bar again. It would be too much of a hassle to try and push through everyone inside to get back to the bar if I used the front entrance.
When I stepped back into the Employee’s Only area I pulled my hoodie off and tossed it back on the couch before I grabbed a new and clean rag. I pulled my straight, long, black hair up into a ponytail on my way back to the bar before I walked over to my boss.
“I’m back Randy,” I looked around to notice that the bar was still in the same shape as it was five minutes ago. “If you want to go take a break, I can manage up here.”
Randy took a few moments to look at me long and hard, most likely determining if I was capable of holding down the bar on my own, being a twenty-three year old female and a newbie. “Okay Alli, yell if you need me.”
I nodded my head as I wiped the bar top where someone had spilled half of their drink while I felt Randy walk behind me and to the back room. I looked up in time to see four new people walk into the bar that I hadn’t seen inside earlier or out front when I was on my break.
I watched as the four of them walked towards me, talking and laughing amongst themselves as they weaved in-between everyone else in the bar. They all sat down in a row on the bar stools in front of me and smiled. I smiled in return and looked between all of them.
“What can I get you guys?” I asked, and then tossed my rag on the counter in front of me where most of our classes were kept.
“Can I just have a bottle of water?” I looked to the man who spoke, sitting on my far left. He had a black bandana on his head, the bridge of his nose pierced, a hoop through his right nostril and his ears spaced. He wore a black hoodie that was zipped up all the way, and had a very kind face. He was leaning forward, his right elbow on the bar top with his chin placed in his hand and his left arm on the top of the bar, crossed in front of him, his left hand holding his right elbow in place.
“Designated driver?” I asked, with a casual tone.
He gave me a quick smile and shook his head, “permanently, I guess you could say. I don’t drink.”
I smiled in return, “well at least you can always make sure your friends get home safe.” I walked so I was in front of him and set his water down by his left arm, “there ya go.”
“Thanks,” he replied.
I looked to the next person beside him as I waited for him to decide what he wanted. He had blonde hair, almost in a shag with a clean shaven face and his left eyebrow pierced. He had a thin grey jacket pulled over a red shirt with white writing that I couldn’t exactly make out. He was tapping his fingers along the wood as he looked at the back wall and all the alcohol we had. “Could I have Heineken?”
“Bottle or tap?”
He tilted his head to the right, “um, bottle please.” I nodded and grabbed a bottle of Heineken and sat it down in front of him before I looked to the third man.
He had long, black, wavy hair that gave the impression of being out of place. It looked as if he had just woken up or stepped out of a harsh windstorm, but it suited his scruffy face and dark, crazed eyes flawlessly. He seemed like he would be a lot of fun to be around, based on appearance. “Jack Daniels, and keep them coming baby.”
I grabbed a shot glass and sat it on the bar top and a bottle of Jack Daniels. I poured a shot and slid the glass in front of him and watched as he shot it back before slamming the glass down in front of me. I filled it for a second time before I turned to face the last of the four. I had a strange feeling that the fact the scruffy man had asked for consistent shots of Jack Daniels was a bad thing. Tension seemed to grow through everyone but him, enough that I could feel it and it made me feel incredibly uncomfortable.
“Can I get you anything?” I asked, once I was able to tear my eyes away from the third man.
The last man sitting at the bar had a black zip-up hoodie on with a black shirt underneath and a green jacket over-top. He had a plain black baseball cap on, which gave off the appearance that his hair was mainly short, minus his black fringe that hung to the right side of his face. He had his ears spaced and snakebites, dark eyes and a little bit of scruff on his face, as if he sometimes grew a beard. He was unbelievably handsome.
“You wouldn’t happen to have tea, would you?”
I felt a smile make its way on my face, “not normally hun, but if you hold on one second I can grab you a bottle. Cold tea, right?”
He smiled and nodded his head, his eyes brightening by my response. For some strange reason his happiness made my heart begin to beat harder. I tried to shake off what I was feeling, as I turned to see Randy walk back towards me from outside, distracting me from the four men sitting at the bar.
I walked pass Randy and into the back and dug through my bag until I found what I was looking for. I made my way back to the four men and right pass Randy again. He was occupied by a bunch of college students that had walked up to the bar, all ordering their drinks. I stopped in front of the last man and smiled as I sat my extra bottle of cold green tea in front of him.
He laughed, “Is this yours?”
I let out a light laugh and nodded my head, “I had an extra one in my bag.”
“Are you sure? I can order something else; you don’t have to give me this.”
I smiled, “No worries, like I said, it was an extra.”
He smiled again, “well, thank-you.”
“No problem.”
“Sorry to interrupt your discussion over tea, but can I get another shot?” the man who had ordered shots of Jack Daniels asked.
I watched to see the last man’s smile fall and his eyes dull. His body seemed to tense and his grip on the bottle seemed to tighten. I noticed out of my peripheral vision that first two men were reacting similar to the way their friend was.
I grabbed the bottle of Jack and slowly poured another shot. I felt like I was betraying them, and it put me in a really tough position. This was my job, but it felt so wrong to be giving this random man consistent shots of alcohol.
He shot down his third shot before jumping off the stool and heading towards the bathrooms, leaving me with his friends. I bit my lip, “is he not supposed to be drinking this?” I held up the bottle of alcohol and looked between the remaining men.
The first man spoke up, “he’s kind of an alcoholic and we can’t get him to stop.”
“Not to poke my nose in your business, but you brought him to a bar.”
The last man spoke next, “he’s persistent. He gets what he wants.”
I kept quiet, not sure how to reply to that, especially while talking about a grown man. That’s when the blonde one spoke up, “we look at it as either Bert goes to a bar alone and we take the chance of never seeing him again, or we go with him and know that he’s safe, and alive.”
I sat the bottle in its rightful place and nodded my head, knowing exactly how that felt to be in their position. “I’ll cut his shots short and keep them spaced then.”
The first two nodded their heads, and the last kept his eyes set on me. “Thanks.”
Randy appeared by my side out of nowhere, “I think we’re holding down this place pretty well for just two bartenders tonight, don’t you think Alli?”
I smiled, “We sure are, especially for a Friday night.”
Randy grabbed a few bottles and walked back down to his previous end of the bar, leaving me with the three men in front of me. I picked up my rag, so I had something to play with in my hands. I often would fidget when I felt awkward in social environments or when I found myself feeling nervous.
“So your friend’s name is Bert,” I recalled. “What are the rest of your names?”
“I’m Brandon,” the man who wore the bandana on his head introduced.
The blonde one was the next to speak, “Quinn.”
I smiled at them and turned my head to look at the last man. “I’m Jeph,” he smiled, and waved slightly which caused me to let out another light laugh.
“Well, it’s nice to meet you all. I’m Alli.”
“Pretty name, for a pretty lady,” Bert said, plopping himself down on the bar stool with a grin plastered on his face. His eyes seemed glazed over and slightly bloodshot. I slightly nodded my head once and gave him a small, fake smile before I turned and walked towards Randy.
“Do you need any help?”
He shook his head, “no, it seems to be dying down a little now. What time is it?”
I turned my head to look behind us at the clock hanging on the wall, “it’s almost three.”
“We’ll close up in a bit, so if you just want to start cleaning a little behind the bar then that will be a help, if you’re not busy.”
I nodded and turned to walk back down towards the guys. “How’re you doing for drinks, do you need anything?”
Brandon, Quinn and Jeph all shook their heads, while Bert requested another shot of Jack. “How are you holding up there, Bert?” I questioned.
“This is nothing, babe. I’m still in the game!”
I turned to look at Brandon and raised my eyebrow, “is this your first stop tonight?”
“I think it’s the third or fourth bar,” Brandon replied, before he took the last gulp of his water.
I walked over to him and took the empty bottle and then tossed it in the recycle bin under the counter. “You should get some sleep Bert, or drink some water. It’s almost three in the morning and I doubt you want a hangover when you wake up.”
He shrugged his shoulders, either not listening to me or just not caring at all. “Nah, I like this bar.”
I bit my lip, “then come back tomorrow, I’m working from eight until three again. I think you all should get some rest.”
He looked at me and then at his friends, “oh, alright. Let’s go!” He jumped up and began walking towards the door, leaving his friends in shock.
“Shit,” Quinn gasped, and then jumped up. He pulled out his wallet and slammed money down on the bar. “That’s for Bert too,” he shook his head and then took off after his friend.
Brandon was the next to get up, putting down money for his water before sending a smile my way. “Thank-you Allie, have a goodnight.”
“Not a problem, you have a good night too. Get Bert home safely.”
He smiled before taking off to catch up with his friends.
I turned to look at Jeph as he stood up and went to grab his wallet. “Don’t, Jeph.”
He looked up at me, “what do you mean?”
“Don’t pay for the tea, it was mine.”
He hesitated, “are you sure?”
I nodded, “I’m positive.”
“Alright, well thanks. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then, right?”
I smiled, “I’m sure you will.”
“Thanks for everything, and dealing with Bert like that. You’re the only person who has ever gotten through to him.” He smiled, but his tone was very sincere and you could tell how much his friend really meant to him.
I leaned on the counter, “I’ve had years of experience. I’m glad I could help, and I’ll do the same tomorrow too. You just need to focus on being there for him and breaking his daily habit, to start.”
Jeph leaned against the bar with his elbow on the bar top. “I like the sound of that. This has
been going on for too long. He’s really screwing up his life and body.”
“Then we’ll get him to stop, its just a difficult process at times. But from what I’ve gathered tonight, I can tell that you three really do care enough about him to stick through everything. That’s going to mean a lot to him in the end.”
Jeph smiled, “are you really sure about doing this?”
I smiled in return, “I refuse to let him throw his life away.”
Jeph nodded his head once and then looked towards the door to see his three friends. “I should go, Bert is probably driving them nuts.”
I bit my lip, letting my gaze slip from Jeph and land on the three men at the door. “I think you’re right,” I stood up straight and fixed the hem of my shirt. “I’ll see you tomorrow night then.”
Jeph stood up straight and pulled his jacket closer to him, “you defiantly will. It was nice to meet you Alli.”
I kept my eyes locked on his, “It was nice to meet you too. Get home safely.”
“You too,” he replied, before he took a step backwards and then turned fully around and made his way towards his friends. I watched as they made their way out of the bar and then smiled to myself as I took the money from the bar top and walked to the cash register.
I finished up my shift as quickly as I could and then made my way to the back of the bar. I grabbed my hoodie and said goodnight to Randy before I left work and walked along the busy streets of LA towards my new apartment.
When I got home I locked all three locks on my fourteenth floor apartment door. I walked to my room and pulled off the clothes I had worn to work. I slipped on plaid flannel pyjama pants, a black Sonic Youth shirt and then a large, thick hoodie. I turned on my stereo in my room so that The Cure was playing quietly.
I walked to the kitchen and opened a cupboard, pulling down a glass and then a bottle that was shoved into the back corner. I filled my tall glass halfway and carefully put the bottle back. I took a quick drink as I turned around and walked back to my room. I turned off the lights and made my way to my bed. I lied down and pulled my thick blankets over me before I took a few large gulps from my class, almost emptying it. I carefully put the glass on my bedside table before I closed my eyes and focussed on Robert Smith’s voice as he sung The Perfect Boy.
All I could think about was that I couldn’t wait to see Jeph again.
I remember it taking Jeph asking me four times to go on a date with him before I finally gave in and accepted his pleas. I was relatively new to Los Angeles and fairly intimidated by everything, especially the people I had come across. It was only my third night in LA and my second shift at Joe's Bar and Grill when Jeph, Bert, Quinn and Brandon walked into the bar. They looked like people I used to hang-out with back in my old hometown, something I had been trying to escape, which ended up being another reason why I declined Jeph.
It was 2004, and I had just turned twenty-three the week before I moved to LA. I wanted a fresh start, where no one knew me, and I had no drama. I dropped all contact with my friends and my family and I had never felt so light, so carefree. I had lined up a job at the bar and found an apartment both within a few days. When I had secured income and a roof over my head I packed all of my things I wanted to take, packed my car and headed to the larger city.
Some may consider what I had done as running away from my problems, being a coward, but I wasn't. Everything that was wrong, I had spent so long trying to resolve, but nothing ever changed. I was fed up with everything around me, everyone I knew, my job, my home. I was miserable. All I wanted was to be happy, and I knew what I had to do. I gathered all the courage I had and I packed up my life and moved. I think what I did was courageous, not cowardice.
It was Friday night and the bar was more than just your average packed. College and university students, business men and women, regulars and new-comers, they were all there and more. It was overwhelming, even more so then it would've been because we were short-staffed that night. I felt like I was a chicken running around with my head chopped off. The only good thing was that ninety-five percent of the customers were really patient and the students weren't too rowdy.
"Allie," I turned my head to the right and met the gaze from my boss six feet down the bar from me. I raised my eyebrow at him, curious as to why he was calling my name. "Go take a five minute break while it’s still slow." I nodded my head and walked into the back of the bar, throwing my dirty rag in the laundry basket by the washer.
I grabbed my hoodie off of the couch in the Employee's Only room and pulled it on. I checked my pockets for my cigarettes and made my way towards the back door that opened up into the alley. When I made it outside I felt my body shiver, causing me to pull my hoodie closer to my body. I quickly pulled a cigarette out of the pack and placed it between my lips before lighting the tip with my purple lighter. I took a deep drag while rubbing my hands together to warm them up.
I decided to walk around the outside of the building while I smoked my cigarette, hoping the motion would warm me up from the chilly night air. I kept my pace slower than usual as I slowly made my way towards the front of the bar, facing the busy LA streets. There was a small mob of people outside of the building, half smoking, and half accompanying their friends. Everyone had someone to talk to, laugh and smile with, everyone but me.
I finished my cigarette before I let it slip through my fingers and fall to the ground. I stomped on it so the embers were no longer red before I began towards the back of the bar again. It would be too much of a hassle to try and push through everyone inside to get back to the bar if I used the front entrance.
When I stepped back into the Employee’s Only area I pulled my hoodie off and tossed it back on the couch before I grabbed a new and clean rag. I pulled my straight, long, black hair up into a ponytail on my way back to the bar before I walked over to my boss.
“I’m back Randy,” I looked around to notice that the bar was still in the same shape as it was five minutes ago. “If you want to go take a break, I can manage up here.”
Randy took a few moments to look at me long and hard, most likely determining if I was capable of holding down the bar on my own, being a twenty-three year old female and a newbie. “Okay Alli, yell if you need me.”
I nodded my head as I wiped the bar top where someone had spilled half of their drink while I felt Randy walk behind me and to the back room. I looked up in time to see four new people walk into the bar that I hadn’t seen inside earlier or out front when I was on my break.
I watched as the four of them walked towards me, talking and laughing amongst themselves as they weaved in-between everyone else in the bar. They all sat down in a row on the bar stools in front of me and smiled. I smiled in return and looked between all of them.
“What can I get you guys?” I asked, and then tossed my rag on the counter in front of me where most of our classes were kept.
“Can I just have a bottle of water?” I looked to the man who spoke, sitting on my far left. He had a black bandana on his head, the bridge of his nose pierced, a hoop through his right nostril and his ears spaced. He wore a black hoodie that was zipped up all the way, and had a very kind face. He was leaning forward, his right elbow on the bar top with his chin placed in his hand and his left arm on the top of the bar, crossed in front of him, his left hand holding his right elbow in place.
“Designated driver?” I asked, with a casual tone.
He gave me a quick smile and shook his head, “permanently, I guess you could say. I don’t drink.”
I smiled in return, “well at least you can always make sure your friends get home safe.” I walked so I was in front of him and set his water down by his left arm, “there ya go.”
“Thanks,” he replied.
I looked to the next person beside him as I waited for him to decide what he wanted. He had blonde hair, almost in a shag with a clean shaven face and his left eyebrow pierced. He had a thin grey jacket pulled over a red shirt with white writing that I couldn’t exactly make out. He was tapping his fingers along the wood as he looked at the back wall and all the alcohol we had. “Could I have Heineken?”
“Bottle or tap?”
He tilted his head to the right, “um, bottle please.” I nodded and grabbed a bottle of Heineken and sat it down in front of him before I looked to the third man.
He had long, black, wavy hair that gave the impression of being out of place. It looked as if he had just woken up or stepped out of a harsh windstorm, but it suited his scruffy face and dark, crazed eyes flawlessly. He seemed like he would be a lot of fun to be around, based on appearance. “Jack Daniels, and keep them coming baby.”
I grabbed a shot glass and sat it on the bar top and a bottle of Jack Daniels. I poured a shot and slid the glass in front of him and watched as he shot it back before slamming the glass down in front of me. I filled it for a second time before I turned to face the last of the four. I had a strange feeling that the fact the scruffy man had asked for consistent shots of Jack Daniels was a bad thing. Tension seemed to grow through everyone but him, enough that I could feel it and it made me feel incredibly uncomfortable.
“Can I get you anything?” I asked, once I was able to tear my eyes away from the third man.
The last man sitting at the bar had a black zip-up hoodie on with a black shirt underneath and a green jacket over-top. He had a plain black baseball cap on, which gave off the appearance that his hair was mainly short, minus his black fringe that hung to the right side of his face. He had his ears spaced and snakebites, dark eyes and a little bit of scruff on his face, as if he sometimes grew a beard. He was unbelievably handsome.
“You wouldn’t happen to have tea, would you?”
I felt a smile make its way on my face, “not normally hun, but if you hold on one second I can grab you a bottle. Cold tea, right?”
He smiled and nodded his head, his eyes brightening by my response. For some strange reason his happiness made my heart begin to beat harder. I tried to shake off what I was feeling, as I turned to see Randy walk back towards me from outside, distracting me from the four men sitting at the bar.
I walked pass Randy and into the back and dug through my bag until I found what I was looking for. I made my way back to the four men and right pass Randy again. He was occupied by a bunch of college students that had walked up to the bar, all ordering their drinks. I stopped in front of the last man and smiled as I sat my extra bottle of cold green tea in front of him.
He laughed, “Is this yours?”
I let out a light laugh and nodded my head, “I had an extra one in my bag.”
“Are you sure? I can order something else; you don’t have to give me this.”
I smiled, “No worries, like I said, it was an extra.”
He smiled again, “well, thank-you.”
“No problem.”
“Sorry to interrupt your discussion over tea, but can I get another shot?” the man who had ordered shots of Jack Daniels asked.
I watched to see the last man’s smile fall and his eyes dull. His body seemed to tense and his grip on the bottle seemed to tighten. I noticed out of my peripheral vision that first two men were reacting similar to the way their friend was.
I grabbed the bottle of Jack and slowly poured another shot. I felt like I was betraying them, and it put me in a really tough position. This was my job, but it felt so wrong to be giving this random man consistent shots of alcohol.
He shot down his third shot before jumping off the stool and heading towards the bathrooms, leaving me with his friends. I bit my lip, “is he not supposed to be drinking this?” I held up the bottle of alcohol and looked between the remaining men.
The first man spoke up, “he’s kind of an alcoholic and we can’t get him to stop.”
“Not to poke my nose in your business, but you brought him to a bar.”
The last man spoke next, “he’s persistent. He gets what he wants.”
I kept quiet, not sure how to reply to that, especially while talking about a grown man. That’s when the blonde one spoke up, “we look at it as either Bert goes to a bar alone and we take the chance of never seeing him again, or we go with him and know that he’s safe, and alive.”
I sat the bottle in its rightful place and nodded my head, knowing exactly how that felt to be in their position. “I’ll cut his shots short and keep them spaced then.”
The first two nodded their heads, and the last kept his eyes set on me. “Thanks.”
Randy appeared by my side out of nowhere, “I think we’re holding down this place pretty well for just two bartenders tonight, don’t you think Alli?”
I smiled, “We sure are, especially for a Friday night.”
Randy grabbed a few bottles and walked back down to his previous end of the bar, leaving me with the three men in front of me. I picked up my rag, so I had something to play with in my hands. I often would fidget when I felt awkward in social environments or when I found myself feeling nervous.
“So your friend’s name is Bert,” I recalled. “What are the rest of your names?”
“I’m Brandon,” the man who wore the bandana on his head introduced.
The blonde one was the next to speak, “Quinn.”
I smiled at them and turned my head to look at the last man. “I’m Jeph,” he smiled, and waved slightly which caused me to let out another light laugh.
“Well, it’s nice to meet you all. I’m Alli.”
“Pretty name, for a pretty lady,” Bert said, plopping himself down on the bar stool with a grin plastered on his face. His eyes seemed glazed over and slightly bloodshot. I slightly nodded my head once and gave him a small, fake smile before I turned and walked towards Randy.
“Do you need any help?”
He shook his head, “no, it seems to be dying down a little now. What time is it?”
I turned my head to look behind us at the clock hanging on the wall, “it’s almost three.”
“We’ll close up in a bit, so if you just want to start cleaning a little behind the bar then that will be a help, if you’re not busy.”
I nodded and turned to walk back down towards the guys. “How’re you doing for drinks, do you need anything?”
Brandon, Quinn and Jeph all shook their heads, while Bert requested another shot of Jack. “How are you holding up there, Bert?” I questioned.
“This is nothing, babe. I’m still in the game!”
I turned to look at Brandon and raised my eyebrow, “is this your first stop tonight?”
“I think it’s the third or fourth bar,” Brandon replied, before he took the last gulp of his water.
I walked over to him and took the empty bottle and then tossed it in the recycle bin under the counter. “You should get some sleep Bert, or drink some water. It’s almost three in the morning and I doubt you want a hangover when you wake up.”
He shrugged his shoulders, either not listening to me or just not caring at all. “Nah, I like this bar.”
I bit my lip, “then come back tomorrow, I’m working from eight until three again. I think you all should get some rest.”
He looked at me and then at his friends, “oh, alright. Let’s go!” He jumped up and began walking towards the door, leaving his friends in shock.
“Shit,” Quinn gasped, and then jumped up. He pulled out his wallet and slammed money down on the bar. “That’s for Bert too,” he shook his head and then took off after his friend.
Brandon was the next to get up, putting down money for his water before sending a smile my way. “Thank-you Allie, have a goodnight.”
“Not a problem, you have a good night too. Get Bert home safely.”
He smiled before taking off to catch up with his friends.
I turned to look at Jeph as he stood up and went to grab his wallet. “Don’t, Jeph.”
He looked up at me, “what do you mean?”
“Don’t pay for the tea, it was mine.”
He hesitated, “are you sure?”
I nodded, “I’m positive.”
“Alright, well thanks. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then, right?”
I smiled, “I’m sure you will.”
“Thanks for everything, and dealing with Bert like that. You’re the only person who has ever gotten through to him.” He smiled, but his tone was very sincere and you could tell how much his friend really meant to him.
I leaned on the counter, “I’ve had years of experience. I’m glad I could help, and I’ll do the same tomorrow too. You just need to focus on being there for him and breaking his daily habit, to start.”
Jeph leaned against the bar with his elbow on the bar top. “I like the sound of that. This has
been going on for too long. He’s really screwing up his life and body.”
“Then we’ll get him to stop, its just a difficult process at times. But from what I’ve gathered tonight, I can tell that you three really do care enough about him to stick through everything. That’s going to mean a lot to him in the end.”
Jeph smiled, “are you really sure about doing this?”
I smiled in return, “I refuse to let him throw his life away.”
Jeph nodded his head once and then looked towards the door to see his three friends. “I should go, Bert is probably driving them nuts.”
I bit my lip, letting my gaze slip from Jeph and land on the three men at the door. “I think you’re right,” I stood up straight and fixed the hem of my shirt. “I’ll see you tomorrow night then.”
Jeph stood up straight and pulled his jacket closer to him, “you defiantly will. It was nice to meet you Alli.”
I kept my eyes locked on his, “It was nice to meet you too. Get home safely.”
“You too,” he replied, before he took a step backwards and then turned fully around and made his way towards his friends. I watched as they made their way out of the bar and then smiled to myself as I took the money from the bar top and walked to the cash register.
I finished up my shift as quickly as I could and then made my way to the back of the bar. I grabbed my hoodie and said goodnight to Randy before I left work and walked along the busy streets of LA towards my new apartment.
When I got home I locked all three locks on my fourteenth floor apartment door. I walked to my room and pulled off the clothes I had worn to work. I slipped on plaid flannel pyjama pants, a black Sonic Youth shirt and then a large, thick hoodie. I turned on my stereo in my room so that The Cure was playing quietly.
I walked to the kitchen and opened a cupboard, pulling down a glass and then a bottle that was shoved into the back corner. I filled my tall glass halfway and carefully put the bottle back. I took a quick drink as I turned around and walked back to my room. I turned off the lights and made my way to my bed. I lied down and pulled my thick blankets over me before I took a few large gulps from my class, almost emptying it. I carefully put the glass on my bedside table before I closed my eyes and focussed on Robert Smith’s voice as he sung The Perfect Boy.
All I could think about was that I couldn’t wait to see Jeph again.
♠ ♠ ♠
5 pages.Opinions?