It’s kind of bright, but the bloodies’ are spicy and the wings are good

It was a fabulous night and her birthday. She had spent the entire afternoon getting ready for her night out. Taking the day off work-she was a secretary at a law firm- she treated herself to pedicure and a trip the hair salon. It was an up-do sort of night, she knew after 3 cosmos she wouldn’t want her hair hanging in her face. When she had turned 30 she had thought it was the end of her youth, but now she was turning 35 and still could not resist the shopping sprees at forever 21 and DSW. Sometimes the dressing room attendants would snicker as she tried on brightly colored mini skirts and tube tops to match her growing collection of wedge heels. She pretended not to over hear their comments and every now and then she would ask for their opinion on her latest outfit. Her friends were living the life she had always imagined. Married, new houses, shiny appliances, yet they didn’t seem much happier than her. She saw the lawyers at the office flirting with the younger secretaries before returning home to their wives and big houses. She wanted a man she could trust, but every month that passed without any prospects left her feeling that she would settle for anything. Tonight, she just wanted someone to notice her. She picked out her favorite hot pink strappy wedges and a pink mini-dress she had just bought the day before, perfectly matched to her toenail polish. Her neighbor told her she looked 27, tops, but he was just a lonely old man. She entered the bar with her best friend and scanned the room. There was a small group of people in suits from a nearby office, but most looked as sleazy as the lawyers she worked with. Another guy walked in the door, cool, seemingly collected, she would keep her eye on him. As she settled down at the bar with her friend, she saw two guys sitting at the bar next to them, but they weren’t her type. Too quiet.

It had been six months since they had spoken, and on Sunday he decided it was time to give his friend a call. His friend just had a baby a few months ago, and had been married for a year. After uncomfortable small talk they decided to catch up over a game of golf. His buddy didn’t work Tuesdays so he called his boss and arranged for the day off. From the first hole conversation was awkward. Talk was limited to babies and marriage, none of which he had. They still went to the bar after the 18th hole, and he was secretly hoping some beer would loosen things up. Thankfully hockey was on, and with every beer he felt more at ease. But his friend wasn’t drinking and all he could talk about was his stupid kid and wife. After the second period the two stared silently at the screen, ever so often making comments about the latest car ad or the stupidity of Budweiser commercials.

As he entered the bar he scoped out the scene, looking to his usual seat. Occupied. The bartender shrugged and pointed to a spot on the other side. Before he sat down there was a cold PBR waiting. He was a high school graduate- as far as he got and relies on his buddies around town to hook him up. He surrounds himself with the same crowd from high school, some moved away, but those who stayed are stuck in dead-end jobs, some were married, divorced, a couple had kids. He had avoided all that and was content running solo doing what it took to pay the bills. His hat was cocked to one side. He tells his friends it’s easier to live without ambitions. Elbows in, shoulders slouched, his upper body is motionless his feet are restless. As they tap on the foot rail, his body subtly shakes. He recently started working at Office Max. There’s a girl there- she’s driven. She goes to school nights and works days. He works days, drinks nights. At first she laughed at his jokes, but now she looks into his eyes as if she sees something buried there. She’s different than his friends who are good people but misguided. But last week she told him he shouldn’t drink so much, to go back to school. He can’t give up the bar- his friends expect him there- and friends are all he has. He notices a girl in a hot pink dress making eyes at him. He bows his head to avoid her gaze, but his feet keep tapping.

The company was negotiating an acquisition, and he had been working late every night since last week. Tonight, his group had decided to get some beer and food and watch the Wild game at the bar down the street. After a while, those with families and responsibilities left, leaving him with one of his closest ‘work’ friends. She scooped her pasta into the box in a way he had never seen before. Their cubicles were on the same floor and they often got coffee and lunch, but he had never really noticed her. Everything was always so cool between them, why had he never noticed. The game was drawing to a close and they were alone. He suddenly became too nervous to speak, and remained silent. He had caught her staring at a girl in a hot pink dress earlier. He wanted to tell her she was so much prettier than her, that she looked just as pretty in her cardigan and khakis. He looked up at her as she closed her take-out box, and just then the waiter came back with the bill. Time was running out, he sat on his hands and wondered if tonight was the right night to make a move. She was watching a Budweiser commercial and smiled. She even had dimples! He loved dimples! He sat back and watched her until she turned and caught him staring. She turned bright red before turning back to the tv. He muttered something about the game and looked down at the table. It was Tuesday. If he made a move and it went horribly wrong, that would mean he would have to suffer through Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at work. He picked up his drink and sipped it slowly through the straw. Perhaps she felt straws were effeminate. He quickly switched to sipping from the rim of the glass. Unfortunately there was only a small amount left. 7:30 left in the game. Another goal. It was a sign- if the Wild could win- he could go for it.