We were back from looking at Franās place and sat at what was fast becoming our usual table at Mocha Daze. Funny, I donāt really care for coffee, never have. Iād much rather have a beer.
At least the place is warm.
"You know," said Greg, resting his hand on my back. "If you really want to dance, again, I may be able to set you up with someone who can give you a gig."
That was the best news Iād heard in a couple of days.
"Youād owe me twice, though," he said, gently squeezing my shoulder.
I walked the streets until I hit my local watering hole. I went in and sat down on a barstool.
"Tequila."
The bartender poured me my drink.
I looked around the room. Across the bar from me sat an okay-looking blonde, a little on the heavy side, but pretty. I motioned for the bartender to get her a drink. She took it, smiled and waved me over.
"Hello," she said, holding out her hand. "Iām Brenda."
I pressed the back of her hand to my lips. "Hi, Brenda. Wanna dance?"
"Olā Mike is ready for another," I said.
We were back at her place for a "nightcap."
Brenda was on her bed, naked, stretched out on her back. On each of her breasts was a pinch of table salt, on her stomach six shot glasses of tequila and some lime wedges. Four of the glasses were empty.
I licked the salt off, felt her stomach quiver underneath me, downed a fifth shot and sucked on a lime.
"I wanna do my line, Mikey," she whined. It annoyed me.
On the night stand next to the bed was a mirror with two evenly-cut lines of coke. I picked up a twenty dollar bill from the stand, rolled it and snorted, running a finger over the mirror to catch what I missed.
Slipping my finger into my mouth, over my teeth and gums, I picked up the last shot resting on Brendaās ample stomach and drank it down.
Brenda pushed past me to get to her line, empty shot glasses and lime rinds clinking and falling onto the bed sheets.
After she finished, she climbed up on top of me and said, "Wanna dance?"
I strolled home, later, whistling to myself. The sun was starting to rise and I had Brendaās rolled-up twenty in my shirt pocket.
