it could sometimes get. The room filled up with the usual assortment of people: groups of two, three, four guys out together looking to pick up someone to spend the night with; groups of two, three, four women looking for the same thing; couples wandering in meeting up with other couples; single guys leering in the corners as they got drunk hoping they would score, but in reality, knowing it wasn’t going to happen. There were always one or two dealers wandering around the bar peddling their dime bags, and any number of other mind-altering substances – whatever you wanted, it could be found here.
The leftover joint Rick gave me had done its job, and I floated through the night serving drinks without a care in the world until Kevin, one of the Saturday night regulars, came up behind me, and without warning snapped a popper in my nose. “You motherfucker! Why the hell did you do that?” I bellowed whirling around and stumbling – the beers I was carrying went crashing to the floor as I was overcome by an instantaneous head rush. “You motherfuckin’ son of a bitch – Goddamn it!”
Kevin was looking pretty pleased with himself until he saw Rick motion to the bouncer, Dave, who, at the sound of breaking glass, had already started making his way to where I was standing. Rick was yelling, “He’s wasted, get him out of here.” Then turning to face Kevin he said, “See ya tomorrow man.”
Kevin was trying to apologize, “Jackie… Jackie I’m sorry, I thought you’d like it” he said backing up and spreading his hands so Dave could see he wasn’t going to put up a struggle.
With Dave pulling Kevin up the stairs, and my head still swooning I yelled, “You ever do that to me again, and I’ll kick you in the balls – I hate those fuckin’ things!”
“Here Jackie, sit down for a minute then take these beers to those guys” Rick said coming around the bar with a broom in his hand. “You’ll be fine in a minute, Kevin didn’t mean to piss you off, he’s just a fucked up asshole.”
“Hmph – yeah, well he ruined my perfect buzz,” I said picking up the new tray of beers and starting through the crowd, “I hate that shit!”
Chapter Six
Sundays
Sundays had become my favorite day of the week since Michael and I started hanging out. We had a sort of routine established: he would come to the bar an hour or two before closing on Saturday night, we’d get breakfast at the Sunrise Diner on Broadway with Rick, Levi, Charlie and whoever else was around, and then make our way back to my apartment. The diner made great French toast which I always smothered in maple syrup and powdered sugar; along with my side order of link sausages and coffee it was the perfect ending to the night. Somehow French toast just tasted better at 4 am on Sunday morning before going to bed than it ever had when my mother made it for me while I was growing up. Michael’s usual breakfast consisted of two eggs, over easy, crispy bacon and white buttered toast with strawberry jam and black coffee. I doctored my coffee with as much cream and sugar as I could squeeze into the cup.
As usual, both Levi and Rick had women with them that they’d picked up earlier in the evening at the bar. Everyone was winding down; the conversation was light and meandering, revolving almost entirely around the events of the evening. “Are you going to make Kevin pay for the broken glasses Charlie,” I asked sipping my coffee.
“Nah,” he replied, “he’s an idiot – he never thinks, but he’s harmless. I’ll make sure he knows not to stick any more poppers up your nose though.”
“Yeah, that was pretty amusing, Jackie,” Levi piped in, “… for a minute I thought you were going to fall over head first into the bar.”
“It wasn’t funny, I almost did fall over,” I shot back. “God I hate those things!”
“That’s because you’re doing them at the wrong time… Mike – here catch,” Rick called tossing a foil packet across the
The leftover joint Rick gave me had done its job, and I floated through the night serving drinks without a care in the world until Kevin, one of the Saturday night regulars, came up behind me, and without warning snapped a popper in my nose. “You motherfucker! Why the hell did you do that?” I bellowed whirling around and stumbling – the beers I was carrying went crashing to the floor as I was overcome by an instantaneous head rush. “You motherfuckin’ son of a bitch – Goddamn it!”
Kevin was looking pretty pleased with himself until he saw Rick motion to the bouncer, Dave, who, at the sound of breaking glass, had already started making his way to where I was standing. Rick was yelling, “He’s wasted, get him out of here.” Then turning to face Kevin he said, “See ya tomorrow man.”
Kevin was trying to apologize, “Jackie… Jackie I’m sorry, I thought you’d like it” he said backing up and spreading his hands so Dave could see he wasn’t going to put up a struggle.
With Dave pulling Kevin up the stairs, and my head still swooning I yelled, “You ever do that to me again, and I’ll kick you in the balls – I hate those fuckin’ things!”
“Here Jackie, sit down for a minute then take these beers to those guys” Rick said coming around the bar with a broom in his hand. “You’ll be fine in a minute, Kevin didn’t mean to piss you off, he’s just a fucked up asshole.”
“Hmph – yeah, well he ruined my perfect buzz,” I said picking up the new tray of beers and starting through the crowd, “I hate that shit!”
Chapter Six
Sundays
Sundays had become my favorite day of the week since Michael and I started hanging out. We had a sort of routine established: he would come to the bar an hour or two before closing on Saturday night, we’d get breakfast at the Sunrise Diner on Broadway with Rick, Levi, Charlie and whoever else was around, and then make our way back to my apartment. The diner made great French toast which I always smothered in maple syrup and powdered sugar; along with my side order of link sausages and coffee it was the perfect ending to the night. Somehow French toast just tasted better at 4 am on Sunday morning before going to bed than it ever had when my mother made it for me while I was growing up. Michael’s usual breakfast consisted of two eggs, over easy, crispy bacon and white buttered toast with strawberry jam and black coffee. I doctored my coffee with as much cream and sugar as I could squeeze into the cup.
As usual, both Levi and Rick had women with them that they’d picked up earlier in the evening at the bar. Everyone was winding down; the conversation was light and meandering, revolving almost entirely around the events of the evening. “Are you going to make Kevin pay for the broken glasses Charlie,” I asked sipping my coffee.
“Nah,” he replied, “he’s an idiot – he never thinks, but he’s harmless. I’ll make sure he knows not to stick any more poppers up your nose though.”
“Yeah, that was pretty amusing, Jackie,” Levi piped in, “… for a minute I thought you were going to fall over head first into the bar.”
“It wasn’t funny, I almost did fall over,” I shot back. “God I hate those things!”
“That’s because you’re doing them at the wrong time… Mike – here catch,” Rick called tossing a foil packet across the
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