History Lesson: Circa 2005
Andy spit an ice cub into his empty glass. His girl was absent and his boys were drunk. The whiskey and beer had been flowing for hours and the young Brit wasn't sure he wanted to stay out much longer. Trendy pop music and football coverage was the background noise. Slurred laughter and jokes that only sort of made sense came from all corners of the table. Andy knew he was feeling sorry for himself; Sela ditched him again, Rice had been ignoring him for his girlfriend lately, Ray had disappeared and he was just bored. Feeling alone when you're not is the worst, Andy decided. He went up to get another drink at the bar.
A kid he knew called Ralph was at one end and Rice was at the other with his girlfriend, Samantha. Andy slid next to Ralph and ordered a beer.
"They're nauseating, aren't they?" Ralph chuckled and nodded toward the couple. Sam's hands were in Rice's as they exchanged soft kisses and fed each other bar fruit. Andy nursed his drink and chuckled with his friend.
"Rice is my roommate but ever since he declared his love for that one he's barely said two words for to me, let alone kept up with our usual plans." Andy shook his head as Rice and Sam entered into a deep kiss.
"Well that's what happens when you're in a relationship, isn't it? Your allegiance goes to your significant other, yes?" Ralph gave Andy's hand a pat. "You'd think they'd come up for air now and then though."
"I suppose, yeah. Oh look they're breathing now," Andy slurped some more of his beer and watched Rice smile at Sam with pure affection. She returned the same smile and seemed to be looking through his eyes and directly at his thoughts. Rice laughed about something she said and they went back to kissing. Ralph caught Andy staring.
"Oh Andy. Did you see how they look at each other?" Ralph smiled distantly. "I'd do anything to be able to look at someone that way."
"Yeah me too. Or to have someone look at me like that. I've been wishing my whole life for that," Andy leaned on the bar. "Let's blame the beer for the sappiness, lad."
"Fine by me," Ralph laughed and ordered another pitcher. "What did you mean about that, Andy? I thought you snagged the beautiful Ms. Sela Simon. She's gorgeous. And she thinks my name is Rod."
Andy nodded and licked the head of his beer. "Yeah. But you know."
"She doesn't look at you like that does she?"
Andy shook his head. "No. And I can't say I look at her the way Rice is either. Not in the least actually."
"S'alright. We've still got the lads right? And maybe someday that look will happen." Ralph was ever the optimist. Andy admired that. He also knew it was one the man reasons the other guys didn't like hanging out with him much. Ralph was sort of out their league.
The night ended with a toast to friends, beer, and 'that look.' Just another night at the pub in London.
A kid he knew called Ralph was at one end and Rice was at the other with his girlfriend, Samantha. Andy slid next to Ralph and ordered a beer.
"They're nauseating, aren't they?" Ralph chuckled and nodded toward the couple. Sam's hands were in Rice's as they exchanged soft kisses and fed each other bar fruit. Andy nursed his drink and chuckled with his friend.
"Rice is my roommate but ever since he declared his love for that one he's barely said two words for to me, let alone kept up with our usual plans." Andy shook his head as Rice and Sam entered into a deep kiss.
"Well that's what happens when you're in a relationship, isn't it? Your allegiance goes to your significant other, yes?" Ralph gave Andy's hand a pat. "You'd think they'd come up for air now and then though."
"I suppose, yeah. Oh look they're breathing now," Andy slurped some more of his beer and watched Rice smile at Sam with pure affection. She returned the same smile and seemed to be looking through his eyes and directly at his thoughts. Rice laughed about something she said and they went back to kissing. Ralph caught Andy staring.
"Oh Andy. Did you see how they look at each other?" Ralph smiled distantly. "I'd do anything to be able to look at someone that way."
"Yeah me too. Or to have someone look at me like that. I've been wishing my whole life for that," Andy leaned on the bar. "Let's blame the beer for the sappiness, lad."
"Fine by me," Ralph laughed and ordered another pitcher. "What did you mean about that, Andy? I thought you snagged the beautiful Ms. Sela Simon. She's gorgeous. And she thinks my name is Rod."
Andy nodded and licked the head of his beer. "Yeah. But you know."
"She doesn't look at you like that does she?"
Andy shook his head. "No. And I can't say I look at her the way Rice is either. Not in the least actually."
"S'alright. We've still got the lads right? And maybe someday that look will happen." Ralph was ever the optimist. Andy admired that. He also knew it was one the man reasons the other guys didn't like hanging out with him much. Ralph was sort of out their league.
The night ended with a toast to friends, beer, and 'that look.' Just another night at the pub in London.