Going Out, Cheating the Reaper
Posted by tomoconnor on June 27, 2008
After work tonight I stopped by the house and put the dog out and then went to a local Pub/Eatery called the Lazy Dog to have some early dinner and play some Keno.
A local couple sat next to me, in their 50’s like me, and they were talking to another patron. Name after name, family connection after family connection. They were ovviously from the same area and they knew the same people. It’s difficult for me to listen to this as I am an Air Force brat and never had a connection to a neighborhood like these guys did.
As I listened to their conversation I watched my Keno Tickets lose one after another. Not even close. If I played a 12 an 11 and 13 would come up. I didn’t win a fucking thing. Coupled with the background conversation I started to feel isolated. Alone in my despair I finished off my drink and called the bartender over and bummed a smoke off her. She had smiled, recognizing me from sitting at the bar a few other times. Her name is Sheila and she is a good looking 40 something, and while I enjoy the flicker of recognition in her eye I know she is married and unavailable. Her smile ,while friendly, is motivated more from the bar sales and tip side of things then the “Let’s get to know each other better thing.”
Too Bad ! She gave me asmoke, I quit months ago but cheat occasionally , and I went out and smoked it alone. I came back to the bar and and returned Sheila’s lighter, payed my tab.
I lost at keno, smoked a butt and felt totally alone.
What to do!!??
I drove over to my friend Paul’s house, a guy I hadn’t hung with in over a year and just walked up to the door. He welcomed me, I told it it had been a long time and I asked him what he was doing tonight….
Well he’s going to be over about 8pm with his friend Fred and we are going to a Salem Bar called the Lyceum…
Maybe it will be fun!!
