I grabbed a seat at the bar in Billy’s Bar and Grill, my favorite restaurant,
and ordered a beer and a shot of whiskey. It was unusually empty
for a Friday night, and all of the giant plasma televisions had the
Houston Lightning vs. the Phoenix Rattlers basketball game on. The
Lightning disposed of my team, the St. Louis Wolves, in seven
games, and I couldn’t bear to watch them play because the wounds
of defeat were still fresh. I would always go to Billy’s when I arrived
back in town from college, or when I finished playing pro basketball
by summer. I haven’t taken a drink in five years, but today’s drama
gave me a good reason to drink.
“Would you like some hot wings or some other appetizer with
your drinks?” the waitress asked.
“No, thanks,” I said, still in a state of shock from what took place
hours ago. I was in a daze, and I felt no signs of snapping out of it in
the immediate future.
“Are you okay?”
“No, I’m not. I just want my drinks, please.”
“What happened, honey?” the waitress inquired. “Do you want
to talk about it?”
She was a stunningly attractive young woman who looked at me
with eyes like a nurturing and concerned mother. She also looked
familiar, but I couldn’t place her face at first. A lack of appetite coupled
with no sleep equaled a clouded brain.
and ordered a beer and a shot of whiskey. It was unusually empty
for a Friday night, and all of the giant plasma televisions had the
Houston Lightning vs. the Phoenix Rattlers basketball game on. The
Lightning disposed of my team, the St. Louis Wolves, in seven
games, and I couldn’t bear to watch them play because the wounds
of defeat were still fresh. I would always go to Billy’s when I arrived
back in town from college, or when I finished playing pro basketball
by summer. I haven’t taken a drink in five years, but today’s drama
gave me a good reason to drink.
“Would you like some hot wings or some other appetizer with
your drinks?” the waitress asked.
“No, thanks,” I said, still in a state of shock from what took place
hours ago. I was in a daze, and I felt no signs of snapping out of it in
the immediate future.
“Are you okay?”
“No, I’m not. I just want my drinks, please.”
“What happened, honey?” the waitress inquired. “Do you want
to talk about it?”
She was a stunningly attractive young woman who looked at me
with eyes like a nurturing and concerned mother. She also looked
familiar, but I couldn’t place her face at first. A lack of appetite coupled
with no sleep equaled a clouded brain.
