The cute bartender and her unimpressive boyfriend opened Abbey's Pub at just after 1PM on Saturday afternoon. She was wearing tight blue jeans and a small black top. Who cares what he was wearing? I noticed them from where I stood, at my living room. Not that I was eager for them to open the bar or anything. It was just that my VPI 16.5 record-cleaning machine was waiting for me in there.
UPS had delivered it the day before. I do not live in the bar, but above it. Abbey is my landlord, and he's a good dude, happy to collect my large packages. In any case, I was anxious to get cleaning, so I rushed downstairs. The cute bartender was preparing things behind the bar, while her boyfriend stood still in the center of the room. To announce my presence, I tried to make some noise as I entered, but it seemed they didn't notice me. At the very moment I reached the bar stools, just about to ask for my package, the bartender whipped around in some kind of teary-eyed fury, and shrieked—and I mean
shrieked: "I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO YOU!"
Apparently, I had interrupted something.
She noticed me. He walked out. Her brown eyes began to dry.
"I'm sorry," I said. "I was just wondering if a package had arrived for me."
"Oh. Is it one or two?"
"One, I think."
She reached below the bar and pulled out one smallish package.
"Stephen?" she asked.
"Yup."
"This is for you."
"Oh, these are
the records I was waiting for, but not what I was expecting. Is there another?"
Without saying a word, she ran out of the bar and met with her boyfriend who was waiting outside. A minute passed. She came back inside and went into a backroom. Another moment later, she emerged with a much larger box. She was obviously struggling with it. I felt bad for interrupting her afternoon, but what could I do? Records had to be cleaned.
"That's it," I said. "Thank you so much."
"You're welcome."
"I hope you have a very good day."
"Thank you," she faked a smile.
As I carried the VPI back up the two flights to my apartment, it occurred to me that I could stop by the bar later that evening—talk to her, see that she was alright. I knew, however, that I would do no such thing.
