startnight handoff
While handing me the first beer of the night at our regular watering hole, SulvE starts at me with another one of his hypothetical daydreams, "Hey Anacletus, say my lady found out she was pregnant tomorrow. Man I know for sure, that if she was, I would marry her on the spot. We'd end up gettin a house in Orange or something I bet, and then I'd be livin there raisin a kid, for probably... the next twenty years, at least. And after those twenty years, I'll be like fifty man! FIFTY! What then? It'll be over, ya know?
We gotta live it up RIGHT NOW Cletus. We gotta party!"
I raise an eyebrow at him and gulp down the Heffe, knowing the first taste will be the most refreshing one of the night. And it is. It loosens and warms me right away, and I can't help but laugh at my always surprising friend.
"We've got completely different views 'bout gettin old dude. I think the older we get, the better we're gonna know how to be happy, and the better we'll get at enjoyin the time we've got left. And dude I bet when you have your kid, it'll be the best time of your life."
I flick my wrist like I'm shooing a fly, like none of that matters at all right now.
"Twenty years is a whole nother lifetime.
But you're right about one thing, we should be partyin DAMN hard tonight, fo' sure!"
SulvE throws a heavy slap across my back and turns me to look with him toward the bar, raising his chin and grinning, as if reflecting on something truly profound.
"Yeah bro! That's what I'm talkin about. That's why I got the first round and why I'm gettin the second too!"
I doubt he even listened to anything I'd just said, but there's not point in pressing.
He raises his beer to eye level, aiming it toward a lone girl in the corner. She's dressed in all black, leaning forward slightly on her stool, displaying more than enough cleavage to make eyes linger, and make thoughts wander to all the wrong places. She glances our way with feigned boredom, slowly stirring a little red cherry into a glass of something pink and sparkly.
"Anacletus the next round's gonna be shots, and I'm gettin one for her too. She's a goth girl? Man I've never been with a girl like that. Mmm doesn't she look hot, but like... CRRAZY!"
I can tell already, this is going to be another night where we end up in some sort of ridiculous mess that we'll laugh at for weeks. I just hope we can laugh at it right away, instead of something we've got to let blow over for a month or so first.
He takes his next swig, and at the same time I elbow him in the side, "dawg, you're not forgettin about your lady already are ya?"
"Man, of course not", he mumbles while covering his mouth and choking down froth, "I'll just buy this girl a drink or two and have a good time. And if things look like they might go too far, I'll tell her about my woman and then say my goodbyes. Shit, you should know that's how I roll, you're my bro."
All I can do is shake my head and smile while she stares back at us, and while SulvE's eyes look her up and down.
A few other friends stroll in from work, and we all chat about the week, chug more Heffe, and wolf down a few cheap greasy tacos. Soon SulvE leans toward me with his eyes trained on the dark girl at the end of the bar again.
"Hey she's almost done with her drink." He slams down his fist to rouse our little group, but never turns his gaze.
"Round of shots boys, on me. Lets go!"
There's a few grunts and some laughter, and a minute later we're at the bar reaching to take our pick from a line of Kamikazes.
SulvE slides the first shot down the wet countertop toward goth girl, says something in her ear that makes her give a smirk, and then he hops back to join us as we clink glasses and pound our drinks.
There's more grunts and laughter of approval, and we all watch as she raises her empty glass to us in thanks.
SulvE pushes back our empty drinks, leans toward the bartender with a quick nod, all without ever taking his eyes off of her. "Gimme two more shots and two of whatever she's been drinkin, one more pitcher for my homies, and close my tab."
We give him a deep throated cheer, someone punches him in the ribs, and he waves us off.
"Anacletus come get our next round when it looks like I might need one."
Once again, I can't help but laugh and shake my head as he turns away. "Have fun chump!"