Just a Girl at a Bar

Third week of January. Third week of rehersals. Thursday evening. No one had to work early the next day. We're done at 10. Drinks? Yeah, sure. Hell yeah! Where at? Kevin, you been here before, what's good?
We went to a bar I thought I had been in before. One from last year, couple of guys from the band and the come-hither hottie serving drinks. One where I heard "King of Carrot Flowers" played on the jukebox. You never hear that song in public. This wasn't the bar, but here we were. All of us. Two circle tables pushed together, half of us fast-flinging fingerspellers, the other half loud-talking others.
Didn't really wanna be there. Stopped drinking habitually. Bars are too loud for me. Conversation gets lost, drowned in the squelch or yanked by a drop-dead hook. So I arrived already comfy. Dressed a little like I was askin' for it. Christine took one look at my preppy cardigan and shook her head slowly. Oh, brother. Or so her face said. Neither table is drawing me particularly, so I start out playing waiter. Everyone else picks a side and I end up losing musical chairs. Boo-hoo. I gather orders and take to the bar. The husky-voiced bartender is a little plump, but she's catchin' me, so that's cool. People scuffle, people leave. Something opened up right next to the Lighting Designer. Don't know him. Perfect. Bring some drinks back and collect money. Gina slips me a fifty. She's got first round. I go back to Miss Smoky to pay.
And I catch her out the corner of my right eye. Redhead, purple shirt, tall, slim dancer's build. Slow reveal towards me showed distant eyes framed by sweet pointy glasses. She is perfect. Exactly what I like. I'm horrible at chatting up girls at bars. So much so I don't even try anymore. So she'll be the most visited landmark on the scenery of the evening.
I'm chatting at the tables, making small talk, nursing my Blue Moon. She's sitting at the table directly to my left. Two other friends, a stack of cups, and a pitcher of Bud. I'm listening to dude next to me, trying not to look so blatant. The girls still flinging their conversation cross the table to my right. Something about training for the Marines, rolling your own cigarettes, yeah, dude, I'm with you. Redhead gets up to move. Can't mistake her for a second. She heads over to the girls flittering away. She starts to flitter along. Holy shit, she can sign.
I'm committed now. I couldn't hide anything if I tried.
Christine is all over this, talking animatedly to the redhead. Pulling out postcards, writing down notes, explaining the whole operation.
"The whole show's done in sign language, and we'll have it captioned as well, and these three girls are Deaf, they're in the show, and Kevin over there, he's hearing but he signs very well, he plays the lead."
She's staring at me. I know she is, 'cause I'm staring right back. Everyone can see this, can't they? There's like, something going on between us, right?
Isn't there?
She comes over to introduce herself. Her name, she's from New York, recently became Deaf due to,... something something. I'm listening, I really am, but I can't put two words together to save my life. I'm so incredibly amazed that this girl is even talking to me. Her nose ring, her bright eyes, her gorgeous body. Her voice is strong, but the signing really helps in the bar. After making a complete fool out of myself and her returning to her table, I head outside for a smoke break. Lighting guy follows me too. We're not a minute into freezing our asses off when she comes outside with one of her friends, lighting a cigarette and loudly talking about placing bets on the Packers. No one can ignore that. Some more exchange of words outside. Why does it have to feel so difficult to talk to her? Why is this even happening? She's meant to be a landmark, a beautiful eye-catcher in a sea of monotony. What is she doing talking to me?
This is supposed to be happening, right?
Her party takes off before we do. She comes over to me before she leaves. Squeezes my bicep as she says goodbye.
I knew at that point that I would see her again.

To Be Continued


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Now playing: Neutral Milk Hotel - The King of Carrot Flowers Pt. One