New Kid on the Block

City life is millions of people being lonesome together. -- Henry David Thoreau

* * * * *

I'd inherited this bar from my uncle a few years ago. He had no kids, my aunt had died before I was out of diapers. He was so crushed by her loss he never remarried. He used to tell me that she was his once-in-a-lifetime girl and there was nobody that would ever come close. It was only decades later when he was in his twilight years that someone in the family had let slip that he'd been diagnosed with a deep depression, and the only thing that had kept him going was this bar, his place.

It was quiet tonight. The after work crowd had filtered out to find some dinner and head home. It was too early in the week for date night and there were only a few regulars left.

I pulled glasses out of the washer and set them on the rack to finish drying. I'd worked here a few summers during college before I went off and did my office job. That's what an MBA was for, right? Getting a good job in a high rise, neckties, meetings and eventually you make your boss a success. So I had thought until I found myself in that soulless environment where stabbing people in the back to get ahead was far too common. When my uncle passed away and left this place to me I thought about selling it but decided to try my hand at running the bar instead. He did okay for himself though he was a man of little means, he had his third floor walk up apartment upstairs. It was only in the last few years that I found out he had owned the building for years, but sold it when things had gotten tight. He'd put in a lot of upgrades into the bar and he told me he didn't want to be a landlord any more. He got the apartment and the bar in the deal free and clear.

"Hey Ricky can I get one for the road and my tab."

"Sure thing Stan." I reached over and poured him another beer. He knew his tab, he was a regular and slid a twenty across the bar and just nodded. It was plenty to cover with a little leftover for me. I thanked him and told him to be safe on his walk home.

I went back to cleaning. When I was done with what I could do before closing I stepped into the backroom and brought back a case of beer. I rotated the bottles into the cooler when I noticed that the guys at the end had stopped talking rather suddenly. I'd heard the door open but I thought it was just Stan leaving but someone else had come in. I looked up and saw her I felt my mouth go dry.

Standing by the door looking up at the chalkboard display of specials and drinks was a woman with short blond hair wearing a pair of faded jeans and a black leather jacket. She turned to look around and eventually locked eyes with me and gave me a quick smile and walked towards the bar. She had a beautiful face, bright eyes, and an easy smile.

"Hi." She leaned over to look at the tap handles and gave a little squint.

I snapped out of my reverie and greeted her with a smile. "Hi, what can I get for you?" I slid a napkin in front of her. She scanned the bottles behind me.

"Hi. Can I get a Cosmo please?" She asked as if unsure if I even knew what it was.

"You sure can." I stepped away and got the ingredients, reaching for the top shelf vodka rather than the bar stock. I garnished the glass with a little twist of lime and set it on the napkin and poured her drink from the frosty shaker.

"Thanks." She lifted the glass and took a sip and looked up over the rim of the glass noticing I hadn't moved away. Her eyes opened a little wider.

"Sorry, it's been a while I just wanted to make sure I got it right for you."

I watched as she ran the tip of her tongue across her upper lip and, after a beat, nodded. "It's good, thanks." I nodded and went back to filling the cooler with bottles. The guys had started talking again but there was a charged feeling in the place like we had an alien in our presence and we were all trying to act normally.

I brought an empty box back to the store room and grabbed some other supplies and brought them out to find Eddy leaning on the bar next to the blonde. She seemed stiff, leaning back in her chair for some distance as her fingers tapped the napkin next to her drink. I could tell she wasn't in the least receptive to whatever pitch he was making.

"Hey Eddy, you want another or are you headed home to that lovely wife of yours. Penny said last night that she had enough leftover lasagna to feed the entire firehouse."

He gave me a withering look over his shoulder and settled his tab. He wasn't a bad guy but he had a little vanity problem, and it was deserved. He'd been in a couple of those hot fireman calendars they made for charity a few years earlier. Unfortunately after a few beers he tended to forget he had a wife and kid at home. Lucky enough all the regulars knew him and he never made any headway with any women from the neighborhood. If they didn't know him, they knew of him.

"Can I get you another?" I asked as she drained the last of her Cosmo.

She looked at the cellphone next to her drink and quickly set it back down. "Sure, why not?"

"Are you new to the neighborhood?" I asked pouring her drink.

She just smiled. "Do you guys have a menu? It appears that my date ghosted me."

My eyes widened at that as she shrugged off her jacket and slipped it over the back of the bar stool. She was wearing a black long sleeve tee beneath with a vee neck showing a little cleavage.

"I hope the guy sees his shrink soon. He'd have to be crazy to pass on a date with a girl as pretty as you."

Her eyes went as wide as her smile. "If you're fishing for a big tip you're doing it right." She said with a laugh.

"No we don't have anything prepared, just the snack shelf." I turned and pointed to a shelf of packaged snacks. She asked for a bag of pretzels and I obliged, even pouring them into a little dish and set it next to her glass. Her expression changed, her cheeks coloring slightly pink. "Thanks... for everything." The soft light glowed in her eyes. "I hope Eddy enjoys his lasagna." She popped a pretzel into her mouth and looked down at her drink.

"He will, Penny is a great cook." I said laughing. "She comes in with him sometimes."

She looked around at the small bar, not lingering on the other two guys sitting watching sports highlights on the TV. "This is a real locals hangout huh?"

"Yea, not much to draw in the tourist crowd. It's a working class neighborhood, it can get pretty busy around happy hour but most people head home before ten. I usually only stay open late on holidays or if someone wants to have a get together. A few folks will come in for birthdays and such because they don't have room in their apartment. Sometimes I'll get catering in for them. A lot of times they'll cater it themselves."

"You own the place?" The end of the question dangled as she fished for my name.

I nodded and introduced myself. "Rick. I inherited it from my uncle. He passed away with no kids of his own to leave it to."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"You never answered my question. Are you new around here?"

She blushed and took a sip of her drink, nearly draining it. "I didn't." She looked around and no one else was in hearing. "I'm kind of new, I'm subletting a friend's place around the corner."

"Well, welcome to the neighborhood then." My statement left the question hanging.

"Cassie." She reached over the bar and shook my hand. "Thanks for handling Eddy. What do I owe you?"

I shook my head. "It's on me. My version of a welcome basket."

She laughed and put her phone in her little bag and slipped a folded bill under her glass. "Thanks Rick."

She stepped behind the stool, her tee pulled tight over her chest showing her terrific figure as she shrugged her jacket on and zipped it about half way.

"I hope we see more of you around here." I sounded awkward, even to my own ears, but she still smiled.

"Well I committed to renting for six months while my friend's away so unless I find a nicer place in walking distance you probably will."

"There aren't any, this is the best place." I said grinning.

"I already like it." She gave me a wink and turned for the door. I took her glass and wiped down the bar.

* * * * *

I looked up from pouring a pitcher of Bud for a couple guys at the big table to see Cassie walking through the door. It had been a few days and I'd spent a lot of idle time thinking about her. Her bright eyes, easy smile and sense of humor had really hooked me. She stopped just inside the door and looked down at her phone for a moment and looked around at the crowd, many of which returned her gaze.

I flipped the tap handle back and served the guys their pitcher, Cassie had come up to the bar and waited for me.

"Hi Cassie. I knew you couldn't keep away." I said smiling.

"Well I looked around and you were right, this is the best place. Quick question for you, have you seen this guy around?" She flipped her phone towards me and a photo of a handsome guy filled the screen. I looked a moment but shook my head.

"Doesn't look familiar. That the guy from the other night?"

She slid onto the nearby stool. "No, that idiot had the audacity to message me and tell me that my profile was fake and my photos must be stolen from the internet." She shook her head.

"Cosmo?"

"No, I'll have a beer."

"Any preference?"

"Not swill." She shrugged and laughed.

I poured her a favorite of mine set it in front of her and went and made another order. I watched her from the corner of my eye as I worked. She would shift from looking at her phone to looking around for the guy. When her beer got low I brought her another without asking and she smiled, her expression sad behind it. She leaned forward.

"Am I missing something here Rick? Do I have a caution tape stuck on me somewhere?"

"Well you did get a couple close passes but this isn't really a pick up bar." I paused to look around at nearly as many couples as singles in tonight. I turned back to find her giving me a dead-pan stare.

"Every story I've ever heard is that online dating is full of creeps and crazies and here I am unable to get one to even show up."

"That guy, he's probably still a virgin living in his mothers basement. I bet he stole that pic from GQ or something."

She laughed, and visibly relaxed. "Thanks, Rick. Why is it bartenders always know what to say?"

"I think we're on par with some of the finest psychologists in the world. It pays to be a good listener, and we encourage drinking during therapy." I said smiling and nodded as I went and filled another order. I saw her beer getting low and I brought her an ice water with lemon.

"Thanks." Her smile warmed me.

"Still no luck? How late is he?"

She looked at her phone and pursed her lips, "Forty-seven minutes. I would have given him a half hour with traffic and finding an unfamiliar place, but now I thinking I'm just getting trolled by jerks."

"Stupid question for you, but is there a picture of you on this site? I don't get it either." I smiled and instantly wondered if I'd overstepped my bounds.

She held up a finger, set her beer down, and picked up her phone again tapping away. She turned it towards me and there she was, her beautiful face, bright green eyes and impish grin staring back at me.

"What's this site? I need to go out back real quick and sign up."

She laughed as it was obvious in the banner above. "Really? Hot guy like you isn't getting hit on every night in here?"

"Oh yeah I'm a real catch when they have their beer goggles on." I rolled my eyes and smiled.

She reached over and took a coaster off the stack and laid it across the top of her water glass and finished her beer. "Where's the ladies room?"

I pointed towards a doorway in the back and she slid off the stool and made her way through the bar.

"Rick! Who is that?" One of the guys at the bar said in an exaggerated whisper.

"Just a customer Dan."

"You two seem to be getting along. Kind of makes it hard for a guy to make a move."

I laughed. "She's waiting for her date, and last I checked you had a girl, Debbie was her name if I remember right."

"Yeah but I'm not sure we're going steady just yet. Besides what kind of guy leaves a girl that gorgeous sitting around in a bar." Dan was a middle-aged balding accountant that lived a few doors down.

"A stupid one." I looked up and saw Cassie walk past behind Dan and I moved back down the bar after checking everyone's drinks.

"Want another or are you throwing in the towel on him?"

"It's Saturday night, might as well." She said grinning.

I took her water glass and came back with a beer and a fresh glass of water for her. She thanked me. I reached under the counter and came up with a few chocolates from my personal stash and set them next to the beer bottle.

"Thank you! You really know how to lift a girl up, booze and chocolate." She unwrapped one and popped it into her mouth. Her eyes closed as she rolled it around. "The chocolate oranges you get at Christmas, those are my absolute favorite."

"Now I know what to get you when it comes around again."

I moved down the bar and cleaned glasses and filled drinks. I made a pass through and cleaned tables and pushing in chairs. A few regulars chatted as I went through. I made my way back to the bar and looked up and Cassie caught my eye and pointed down at her beer with a nod.

"Rick it's so nice of you to come and see me again." She smiled. "At least I know somebody cares." Her smile faded into a sad, frustrated stare at her empty glass.

"What do you do for work?" I asked.

Surprised she looked up. "I'm in sales and I'm a personal trainer on the side. Why?"

"That explains your great shape."

"I'm glad somebody noticed. It's not as if any of the guys I green light are showing up."

"Maybe you're choosing the wrong guys?"

"You were doing so well Rick." She shook her head and tapped the bar next to her glass. "Hit me."

I reached beneath the counter and produced a couple more chocolates.

"Redeeming, but I meant another beer."

"I know I was trying to up my game a little." I could tell she was let down by the second no-show and was just going to drown her sorrows. By the time closing time had rolled around and I had settled tabs I looked down the bar at Cassie who was just leaning on her fist staring down at her phone. I looked at it and from here it didn't even look like it was on. Folks started filtering out and I began cleaning up. After so many years I was pretty good at getting out not long after closing and I was planning the same for tonight. I locked the door after the last of the crowd had left and Cassie hadn't moved.

I went out back and cleaned the bathrooms quickly and returned to find her head down on her arms on the bar.

"Passed out cold." I said softly.

"What is wrong with me!" She yelled without picking her head up. At least she was awake.

"Nothing from what I can tell." I put up the chairs and swept the floor.

"I should cash out and let you get out of here." She began fumbling with her pocketbook.

"I got it."

"No, you can't I just drank myself stupid tonight." She slurred the word stupid.

"You're not stupid yet, just a little drunk."

"I'm sorry I was such a downer tonight. Thanks for being so nice and listening to my bullshit." She pushed her wallet back into her pocketbook. She stood and turned towards the door and collapsed.

I don't remember running over to her but suddenly I was there rolling her over onto her back. Her eyes popped open but didn't seem to focus.

"Whoa."

"Are you all right?

"I think so. Why are there lights on the wall?"

"Are you going to be sick?"

She blinked a few times and her hand reached up pawing at the air towards the light on the ceiling. "I don't plan on it, but you never know." She giggled at her joke.

"Stay here for a second." I went out back and grabbed a couple clean bar towels and rolled them up and brought them out and put them behind her head. "Relax while I finish up and I'll walk you home."

I finished up quickly, skipping things I could do tomorrow. I grabbed my jacket and came back and Cassie had fallen asleep. I knelt down beside her and gave her shoulder a shake. Nothing. I gave her a little stronger shake. "Cassie, hon wake up."

She groaned. "I don't wanna, just let me sleep."

I took both her hands and sat her up right, her head lolled forward. I picked up her bar towel pillow and tossed it on the shelf behind the bar and came back and picked her up. She leaned heavily on me. I decided then that rather than carry her a couple blocks it would be easier for her to sleep it off upstairs in my place.

"C'mon let's get you out of here. We walked out the door and leaned her against the wall as I pulled the gate and locked up. I reached over and slipped my arm around her and began walking her to the front of the building. She stumbled up the steps to the door and I got her inside. After a lot of coaxing I got her up the two flights of stairs and into my kitchen. Once inside I pulled one of the chairs out from under the table and sat her down and went and got her a large glass of water and some aspirin.

"Take these, you'll feel better in the morning."

She groaned and gulped the water down. She fiddled with the bottle and just dropped it and put her head in her hands. I reached over and opened it for her.

"Come on, you'll feel better later if you take them now." I poured a couple out on the table next to the glass and prodded her to take them and she finally relented. "Do you need to use the bathroom?" She nodded. I pointed her to it and went into the bedroom turning on the bedside lamp.

She hadn't come out of the bathroom yet so I knocked on the door.

"Are you okay?"

"Huh? Yeah, just a minute." She opened the door and seemed surprised to see me standing there. "Oh hey... Rick."

I laughed. "Good memory."

She swerved past me and looked around trying to get her bearings.

"I need to get home and sleep." She swayed and reached out to steady herself.

"I don't feel comfortable with you walking home like this. Take my bed, I'll sleep on the couch."

"Nooo, I've put you out enough already." She turned to look at me and kept spinning and started to fall again. I reached out and got my hand under her arm just in time to catch her.

"Come on you'll like it, the mattress is pretty new and so are the pillows." I walked her to the bed and sat her on the edge. I slipped her leather jacket off her shoulder and she shrugged out of it. I tossed over the back of the side chair. I knelt down and removed her shoes and socks. She fell over backwards on the bed making me laugh.

"You still with me?" She wasn't. I debated removing the jeans but looking how tightly they fit I knew it would be a wrestling match so I just dragged her around so she was fully on the bed and threw the blanket over her and tucked a pillow under her head. I took a moment to look down at her before I turned off the lamp.

"There is nothing wrong with you." I turned off the lamp and closed the door behind me.

I grabbed a quick bite and watched the late show before curling up on the couch.

I heard a thump and opened my eyes looking around. There was a little light coming in the windows and I looked at the clock and saw it wasn't much after five in the morning. I got up and went over to find the bedroom door open and the bathroom door shut. I peeked into the bedroom and her jacket was still laying on the chair over her bag. Her jeans were in a puddle on the floor next to her shoes. The bathroom door opened behind me and Cassie stopped with a gasp.

"Oh, it's you." Her face flushed and I looked her up and down. She still had the tee on but only wore a pair of black lace panties below.

"Sorry I heard a noise, wanted to make sure you were all right." I backed up and went into the living room.