The Ruby Room
The Ruby Room
When he was young, Jason liked to fantasize about being “that guy.” He wanted to be the mysterious new guy in town who rode in on a flashy motorcycle and shiny leather jacket. The guy who everyone’s eyes were locked on the moment he took off his helmet, which would of course be adorned with a tinted glass visor and hot rod flames on the sides. He’d enter a room and have everyone transfixed, wondering who he was and where he came from. It’d be just like the movies; a sort of modern-day western.
This was probably why, on his twenty-fifth birthday, Jason bought his first motorcycle; a sleek and sexy red Honda. And maybe that was also why Jason had bought a new leather jacket just days before he planned to ride into the city of Oakland; the place he was hoping to soon be able to call home.
Most would probably say the boy put a little too much thought into how the evening would play out, but for the first time, Jason was free of all chains that previously tied him down so quite frankly, he didn’t really care. There were no more outside opinions or judgments. The man was wiped clean and given a fresh start. He was now free to make whatever good or bad decisions he wanted, so why not make an effort to ensure that his entrance into this new life would be perfect? He was free to do whatever he damn well pleased even if it was ridiculous.
Free. Freedom. The whole experience was freeing. Jason was grinning madly behind his helmet as he ran the words over and over in his mind. He’d been waiting for this moment his entire life.
Wind whipping past him, Jason blazed down the highway at speeds he’d only pushed his bike to go a few times before. But he was fearless now, so he hit the gas and continued to speed along through the night. Out of the exotic blur of lights that seemed to envelop him, neon green signs popped out, displaying words that anxiously excited the speedy night-rider. Oakland – 20
Twenty miles to go. Twenty miles before the adventure began. If there were any regrets, it was that he had waited this long to escape. Oakland – 10
He had no doubt that this was the right thing to do. No one at home would miss him; he had made sure to sever all ties. But…then again, he hadn’t really made many in the first place. Oakland – 5
But what good would dwelling on the past do now? None. Jason vowed to never look back and he wasn’t about to change his mind now. All that mattered was what lied ahead and what potential wonders his future held. Because there was no turning back now- Exit 41 – Oakland –this was it.
A right, a left, a U-turn; Jason went down whatever streets his impulses commanded. It didn’t matter, really; he had nowhere to be. Once more, he was free. He was taking his own tour of the town and if the thunderous motor beneath him was disturbing the peace and waking the neighborhood, then so be it. They ought to know of his arrival anyway.
Once Jason finally felt like he had a feel for the atmosphere, the smell, and the sound of his new surroundings, he decided to take a closer look at what lied under the rooftops within the area. Through his many twists and turns, Jason wound up in the Lakeside neighborhood. Down Fourteenth Street he flew until he came upon a red light where something just up ahead caught his eye. It was a bar, it seemed, nestled right next to a liquor store. Jason chuckled behind his helmet. How redundant, yet somehow such fitting neighbors. But perhaps it proved useful to those still craving more even after last call. By the time the light turned green, Jason had decided that he himself could use a drink or two.
Passing through the light and just a block or two after, Jason parked his bike next to a squat little building whose bright red sign glowed above, shining down onto the doors like a spotlight. He suddenly felt even more certain that it was the place he was meant to be that night.
Jason powered off the trusty steed he rode in on and in one swift motion, dismounted the bike and pulled off his helmet, tucking it under his arm. A few people were entering the bar, and out of the corner of his eye, Jason was sure he saw them turn their heads his way. Yeah…this was going to play out perfectly.
Replacing the helmet with a fedora he had tucked away, Jason felt ready to enter his first Oakland bar. Passing through those still glowing doors, Jason found himself in a narrow and barely lit hallway. It seemed like an oddly tight fit for a bar. He didn’t know if two people could even stand next to each other and still have breathing room in the narrow passage. Still, he pressed on through the darkness that his eyes were just starting to adjust to until he came upon another set of wooden doors. He stepped through without hesitation and suddenly found himself in a completely new world.
All around him, every square inch of the bar was on fire…or so it seemed. Somewhere above him was the source of an ominous red glow that blanketed the entire room. The people, chairs, tables, bar and drinks were all encased in a beautiful red light. It was hypnotizing and Jason had to muster up all the will power he had to not stand around and gawk with his mouth hanging open like a complete and total idiot.
But could you blame him? He had never seen anything like it before. It was…so unique, so original and fresh, and it had completely transfixed him. Never mind the fact that it still reeked of smoke, sweat and booze like any other bar or that it still harbored that incessant buzz of drunken chatter and hollers just like any other pub in the world; Jason could distinctly feel the difference in the atmosphere. This place had its own aura. It wasn’t just your average bar. The place was something else entirely.
Jason finally took a seat at the bar and was promptly greeted by a young blonde bartender. As he ordered his drink, he could not help but stare up into the employee’s eyes; they too were on fire. It wasn’t just him of course. Jason seemed to be in a room full of red-eyed demons. Even his own baby blues seemed to be burning brightly.
The pleasantly demonic bartender soon returned with what looked more like blood in the glasses than booze. Jason suddenly wondered if maybe he had actually passed through the gates of hell rather than some barroom doors and, if he had, then he was oddly grateful for any and every sin he’d ever committed. Or hell, maybe he was just going mad.
“Down the fucking rabbit hole,” he muttered to himself before picking up the glass, cocking his head back, and graciously taking his first shot of the night.
It was smooth sailing after that. He got a few inquiries as to who he was and where he’d come from. The bartender seemed rather interested himself and chatted with Jason for a long while, stopping only occasionally to return to his wall of shining red bottles, which Jason was sure had to be encrusted with sparkling red rubies, to continue supplying bloody red cocktails to all the eager patrons.
As the night continued, Jason managed to buy drinks for at least three interested ladies, and it was starting to look as though he wouldn’t be spending his first night in Oakland alone. And why wouldn’t they all be interested anyway? Jason was “that guy,” remember? His juvenile fantasy seemed to be playing out rather nicely and hey, he had even found his new haven along the way.
“Drinks up!” the bartender suddenly shouted.
Could it be last call already? No, Jason concluded after he witnessed everyone around him grab their drinks and step away from the bar, excitedly giggling and cheering. He did the same so as not to look clueless, but what was all the fuss about? The bartender was then joined by two other employees who proceeded to masterfully pour a line of alcohol all the way across the top of the bar. After whipping out his lighter and receiving an ecstatic countdown from the crowd, the bartender lit the end of the alcohol trail and in a bold flash, the whole bar was aflame. Everyone was grinning and yelling; even from behind the flickering flames, Jason could see the workers smiling madly as though they’d never done the trick before. It was a beautiful, magical ritual and Jason knew then that he was in love.
The flames soon died down and everyone returned to their seats at the somehow still unscathed bar to happily continue their drinking. Jason ordered another round; still grinning because he knew there was no way the amazing feeling would ever end.
Having dabbled in the trials of love before, you’d think that the boy would have expected the heartbreak; because that’s when the lights came on.
The glorious crimson that had filled and fueled the night suddenly washed away; replaced by the dull colors of reality. This time, Jason could not hide the terror behind his eyes as his magical haven was sucked away by a blinding white light. Somehow, this light seemed more horrifically powerful than the red and Jason was transformed once more for the night. A sudden unpleasant slap from reality was promptly followed by a drunken bar fight with a big, burly guy over one of the girls. It turned out that Jason actually would be spending his first night alone.
Looking around, Jason came to grips with the realization that he had been completely disillusioned. Perhaps it was the booze talking, or maybe his freshly throbbing lip, but Jason now seemed to notice that not all the faces in the room were happily celebrating after all. In fact, some of them looked so pathetically and miserably drunk that Jason almost wanted to go a few more rounds on their behalf. But that wasn’t the only thing he seemed to have overlooked in all the “excitement.” The girl Jason had just lost was hardly a catch at all; surely not worth the humiliation of a vicious sucker-punch to the jaw. Even the bar itself was as hideous a dump as any other. The previously “unscathed” counter-top was chipped and cracked well on its own even without the few off-hand burn marks from the earlier stunt. The floors and walls were sticky and sopping with God knows what substances. Jason had a few ideas of his own based on the few sketchy looking couples hanging out in the corners. So many monstrosities had been cleverly masked by the ruby coating; a mere parlor trick was all it was. This was no haven; this was nothing more than your typical dingy dive-bar. There was nothing magical there…not really.
With a heavy heart, Jason dragged himself out of the building just as the bartender was finally chanting “last call.” He sat on the curbside and looked out at the rest of the surrounding buildings. Nothing had changed. The air was still smoggy and threatening, the people were still disgusting human pigs and the noise of the nightlife was just as maddening as the place from where he’d come. He hadn’t found what he was looking for and no one was looking to find him either. He hadn’t turned any heads that night, and no one was any more interested in him than any of the other drinkers there. He still wasn’t “that guy” and he wasn’t sure he ever would be. Jason was nothing more than another face in the crowd. Nothing had changed.
How silly of him to think that his entire life could turn on a dime from one simple night at a bar. This new location only meant that he was at the bottom of the pole once more; not that he had fallen far in the first place.
With a final sigh, Jason stood and readied his bike once again. He had awoken to a nasty reality from a fantastic and wonderful dream. But it was just that, a dream. Nothing more…it was time to move on.
Jason revved up his bike twice before driving off, leaving the enchanting mirage behind him. There was nothing left to look back at. The illusion of The Ruby Room had been destroyed.
This was probably why, on his twenty-fifth birthday, Jason bought his first motorcycle; a sleek and sexy red Honda. And maybe that was also why Jason had bought a new leather jacket just days before he planned to ride into the city of Oakland; the place he was hoping to soon be able to call home.
Most would probably say the boy put a little too much thought into how the evening would play out, but for the first time, Jason was free of all chains that previously tied him down so quite frankly, he didn’t really care. There were no more outside opinions or judgments. The man was wiped clean and given a fresh start. He was now free to make whatever good or bad decisions he wanted, so why not make an effort to ensure that his entrance into this new life would be perfect? He was free to do whatever he damn well pleased even if it was ridiculous.
Free. Freedom. The whole experience was freeing. Jason was grinning madly behind his helmet as he ran the words over and over in his mind. He’d been waiting for this moment his entire life.
Wind whipping past him, Jason blazed down the highway at speeds he’d only pushed his bike to go a few times before. But he was fearless now, so he hit the gas and continued to speed along through the night. Out of the exotic blur of lights that seemed to envelop him, neon green signs popped out, displaying words that anxiously excited the speedy night-rider. Oakland – 20
Twenty miles to go. Twenty miles before the adventure began. If there were any regrets, it was that he had waited this long to escape. Oakland – 10
He had no doubt that this was the right thing to do. No one at home would miss him; he had made sure to sever all ties. But…then again, he hadn’t really made many in the first place. Oakland – 5
But what good would dwelling on the past do now? None. Jason vowed to never look back and he wasn’t about to change his mind now. All that mattered was what lied ahead and what potential wonders his future held. Because there was no turning back now- Exit 41 – Oakland –this was it.
A right, a left, a U-turn; Jason went down whatever streets his impulses commanded. It didn’t matter, really; he had nowhere to be. Once more, he was free. He was taking his own tour of the town and if the thunderous motor beneath him was disturbing the peace and waking the neighborhood, then so be it. They ought to know of his arrival anyway.
Once Jason finally felt like he had a feel for the atmosphere, the smell, and the sound of his new surroundings, he decided to take a closer look at what lied under the rooftops within the area. Through his many twists and turns, Jason wound up in the Lakeside neighborhood. Down Fourteenth Street he flew until he came upon a red light where something just up ahead caught his eye. It was a bar, it seemed, nestled right next to a liquor store. Jason chuckled behind his helmet. How redundant, yet somehow such fitting neighbors. But perhaps it proved useful to those still craving more even after last call. By the time the light turned green, Jason had decided that he himself could use a drink or two.
Passing through the light and just a block or two after, Jason parked his bike next to a squat little building whose bright red sign glowed above, shining down onto the doors like a spotlight. He suddenly felt even more certain that it was the place he was meant to be that night.
Jason powered off the trusty steed he rode in on and in one swift motion, dismounted the bike and pulled off his helmet, tucking it under his arm. A few people were entering the bar, and out of the corner of his eye, Jason was sure he saw them turn their heads his way. Yeah…this was going to play out perfectly.
Replacing the helmet with a fedora he had tucked away, Jason felt ready to enter his first Oakland bar. Passing through those still glowing doors, Jason found himself in a narrow and barely lit hallway. It seemed like an oddly tight fit for a bar. He didn’t know if two people could even stand next to each other and still have breathing room in the narrow passage. Still, he pressed on through the darkness that his eyes were just starting to adjust to until he came upon another set of wooden doors. He stepped through without hesitation and suddenly found himself in a completely new world.
All around him, every square inch of the bar was on fire…or so it seemed. Somewhere above him was the source of an ominous red glow that blanketed the entire room. The people, chairs, tables, bar and drinks were all encased in a beautiful red light. It was hypnotizing and Jason had to muster up all the will power he had to not stand around and gawk with his mouth hanging open like a complete and total idiot.
But could you blame him? He had never seen anything like it before. It was…so unique, so original and fresh, and it had completely transfixed him. Never mind the fact that it still reeked of smoke, sweat and booze like any other bar or that it still harbored that incessant buzz of drunken chatter and hollers just like any other pub in the world; Jason could distinctly feel the difference in the atmosphere. This place had its own aura. It wasn’t just your average bar. The place was something else entirely.
Jason finally took a seat at the bar and was promptly greeted by a young blonde bartender. As he ordered his drink, he could not help but stare up into the employee’s eyes; they too were on fire. It wasn’t just him of course. Jason seemed to be in a room full of red-eyed demons. Even his own baby blues seemed to be burning brightly.
The pleasantly demonic bartender soon returned with what looked more like blood in the glasses than booze. Jason suddenly wondered if maybe he had actually passed through the gates of hell rather than some barroom doors and, if he had, then he was oddly grateful for any and every sin he’d ever committed. Or hell, maybe he was just going mad.
“Down the fucking rabbit hole,” he muttered to himself before picking up the glass, cocking his head back, and graciously taking his first shot of the night.
It was smooth sailing after that. He got a few inquiries as to who he was and where he’d come from. The bartender seemed rather interested himself and chatted with Jason for a long while, stopping only occasionally to return to his wall of shining red bottles, which Jason was sure had to be encrusted with sparkling red rubies, to continue supplying bloody red cocktails to all the eager patrons.
As the night continued, Jason managed to buy drinks for at least three interested ladies, and it was starting to look as though he wouldn’t be spending his first night in Oakland alone. And why wouldn’t they all be interested anyway? Jason was “that guy,” remember? His juvenile fantasy seemed to be playing out rather nicely and hey, he had even found his new haven along the way.
“Drinks up!” the bartender suddenly shouted.
Could it be last call already? No, Jason concluded after he witnessed everyone around him grab their drinks and step away from the bar, excitedly giggling and cheering. He did the same so as not to look clueless, but what was all the fuss about? The bartender was then joined by two other employees who proceeded to masterfully pour a line of alcohol all the way across the top of the bar. After whipping out his lighter and receiving an ecstatic countdown from the crowd, the bartender lit the end of the alcohol trail and in a bold flash, the whole bar was aflame. Everyone was grinning and yelling; even from behind the flickering flames, Jason could see the workers smiling madly as though they’d never done the trick before. It was a beautiful, magical ritual and Jason knew then that he was in love.
The flames soon died down and everyone returned to their seats at the somehow still unscathed bar to happily continue their drinking. Jason ordered another round; still grinning because he knew there was no way the amazing feeling would ever end.
Having dabbled in the trials of love before, you’d think that the boy would have expected the heartbreak; because that’s when the lights came on.
The glorious crimson that had filled and fueled the night suddenly washed away; replaced by the dull colors of reality. This time, Jason could not hide the terror behind his eyes as his magical haven was sucked away by a blinding white light. Somehow, this light seemed more horrifically powerful than the red and Jason was transformed once more for the night. A sudden unpleasant slap from reality was promptly followed by a drunken bar fight with a big, burly guy over one of the girls. It turned out that Jason actually would be spending his first night alone.
Looking around, Jason came to grips with the realization that he had been completely disillusioned. Perhaps it was the booze talking, or maybe his freshly throbbing lip, but Jason now seemed to notice that not all the faces in the room were happily celebrating after all. In fact, some of them looked so pathetically and miserably drunk that Jason almost wanted to go a few more rounds on their behalf. But that wasn’t the only thing he seemed to have overlooked in all the “excitement.” The girl Jason had just lost was hardly a catch at all; surely not worth the humiliation of a vicious sucker-punch to the jaw. Even the bar itself was as hideous a dump as any other. The previously “unscathed” counter-top was chipped and cracked well on its own even without the few off-hand burn marks from the earlier stunt. The floors and walls were sticky and sopping with God knows what substances. Jason had a few ideas of his own based on the few sketchy looking couples hanging out in the corners. So many monstrosities had been cleverly masked by the ruby coating; a mere parlor trick was all it was. This was no haven; this was nothing more than your typical dingy dive-bar. There was nothing magical there…not really.
With a heavy heart, Jason dragged himself out of the building just as the bartender was finally chanting “last call.” He sat on the curbside and looked out at the rest of the surrounding buildings. Nothing had changed. The air was still smoggy and threatening, the people were still disgusting human pigs and the noise of the nightlife was just as maddening as the place from where he’d come. He hadn’t found what he was looking for and no one was looking to find him either. He hadn’t turned any heads that night, and no one was any more interested in him than any of the other drinkers there. He still wasn’t “that guy” and he wasn’t sure he ever would be. Jason was nothing more than another face in the crowd. Nothing had changed.
How silly of him to think that his entire life could turn on a dime from one simple night at a bar. This new location only meant that he was at the bottom of the pole once more; not that he had fallen far in the first place.
With a final sigh, Jason stood and readied his bike once again. He had awoken to a nasty reality from a fantastic and wonderful dream. But it was just that, a dream. Nothing more…it was time to move on.
Jason revved up his bike twice before driving off, leaving the enchanting mirage behind him. There was nothing left to look back at. The illusion of The Ruby Room had been destroyed.