Well - Part XI

Well, following the news about the declaration of war, there was a somber tone in the bar. That same tone would continue throughout the balance of the day. About an hour before my date with Cheryl, I got a phone call on my cell.

“Hi.”

Cheryl called and told me that she wasn’t really feeling like going out that evening. I asked why and she explained that her brother was stationed in Juno and she was awaiting news as to his whereabouts (and obviously his well-being).

I understood but was still pretty disappointed. We agreed to a raincheck on the date and signed off the call. Since I now had the night free, I decided to go back to the “Blind Squirrel.” It seemed like a good idea at the time.

Once I got there the mood in the bar was a bit more jovial than that afternnon after the announcement about what was going on in Alaska. There were a few “good old boys” that were enjoying some billiards in the back room. There was a lively little dart game going on in the back, I found an empty bar stool and planted myself on it. After a short time, a pretty little barmaid approached me and asked for my drink order.

“I’ll have a Sam Adams.”

She brought the beer and then curtly spun on her heels and moved onto other matters of course.

Two or three more beers later, most of the folks had called it a night within the bar area and I struck up a conversation with the barmaid, Jennifer. Seems she had been tending bar in this establishment only a few weeks. I told her that I used to live here and regaled some tales of glories past.

I managed to get her to laugh at a few of my stories which only encouraged me to stay and drink more. All too soon it seemed we were looking at “closing time” and I asked her if she wanted to get some coffee (I was a little reluctant to call my sister at this late hour and didn’t want to necessarily show up there too drunk.

Much to my surprise she agreed and we left after she was able to balance out her cashier drawer. It was about this point when I realized I had no idea where we might actually get a cup of coffee at this hour. I was gone to long to rely on my memory.

“You being the local, where would someone go to get some coffee at this hour?”

“Well, we could go over to the Triangle Diner but, I wasn thinking about just walking over to my place.” Things, indeed, were looking up.

It turned out that I was able to “get lucky” that evening. I spent the night with Jennifer and the following morning around 8:00 am, my cell started to ring. I checked the phone and saw it was my sister. Geez, I forgot to let her know where I was and she was probably understandably concerned.

I let the phone go to voice mail but took that opportunity to get out of bed, start to get ready and then returned my sister’s call. I was able to manage all of this without waking Jennifer so, I decided I’d go and get breakfast because I thought that was the least I could do.

When I returned and slipped back into the apartment, Jennifer was sitting on the edge of the bed looking kind of peeved.

“Where’d you go?”

“I went to get us some bagels and coffee.” I stammered out. I was immediately on the defensive just on the strength of her glare.

“I’d thought you shot out of here without even leaving a note.”

I should have left a note. I never was good with these “morning after” exchanges.

“Sorry. Want a bagel?”

“No, I wanted to cuddle a little…”

“Well…”