Friday 6 November 2009

one story 3 ways part 2

3rd person, past tense

The taxi pulled up in the City Centre, and she tumbled out of it, giggling. She had already consumed two bottles of wine before she’d even left the house. Her male companion exited the cab more sensibly and paid the driver as she straightened herself and headed impatiently for their destination.

She pushed through the glass doors of the upmarket cocktail bar and made her way into the contemporary setting, brown leather sofas and low glass tables, with the same leather on tall steel struts for stools at the highly polished granite bar.

Her companion did not follow immediately, he paused, apprehensively outside. He was not as at ease with the scenario, unaccustomed to the ambience of establishments such as this one and already wary of the level of inebriation being demonstrated by the friend who had strode on ahead.

Her shoes clack, clack, clacked on the marble flooring under foot, drawing attention to her, turning heads and disturbing conversation. These were the same scuffed plastic heels that had tripped and stumbled along the City Centre’s pavements many, many nights before.

Feeling slightly vulnerable, standing alone at the bar and not wanting to lose face; she busied herself, grasping for a menu, making a quick assessment before she set the Barman to work on two of the most expensive champagne cocktails on the list. 


The Barman hesitated very slightly. There was something brazen in her request that stirred his gut, but he could not put his finger on what.  A seductive glint in her eye put a stop to his thoughts and he was giddy for a moment with her mischief; encouraged to follow through on her order.

When her companion finally plucked up the courage to come inside, head down, trying to make himself as small and unnoticeable as possible, he was greeted with a Kir Royale and the expectant look that indicated it was his responsibility to pay for the drinks.

He searched the pockets of his ill fitting garment, his first ever suit jacket, purchased for him by his Mother, and pulled out a grubby canvas wallet that was as inappropriate as his footwear. When he was presented with the bill, folded over discreetly on a little silver platter he looked shocked and confused. He wasn’t even aware that alcoholic drinks could cost as much as this.

He needn’t have worried though as he was assisted in making the payment, in fact his debit card was liberated and placed in the till for a tab.  The barman exhaled and relaxed again, someone was now liable for what ever damage this frivolous young woman might cause.

She smiled at the barman cheekily, sensing his thoughts, crossing her legs and winding her ankles. She kicked the back of her shoe off and then on again, and off and then back on as she coaxed her paying companion up onto the bar stool next to hers.

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