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They stumbled into the bar jingling the bells on the door as they entered - and laughing. It was not an untypical scene at any typical bar.
"and then, and THEN, she told me that she was really more interested in someone who didn't fall asleep on their first date. I wasn't sleeping!" He plops onto a padded swiveling stool at a perfect bar in a perfect town.
He's really happy with his life. He says it a lot.
She is lost, but sometimes pretty enough to be an oasis.
"Wait! that doesn't make sense. How could she think you're asleep if you talked and your eyes were open."
He gave her a look and lifted those thick white eyebrows as he took a sip of the Guinness that was waiting for him.
She burst out laughing.
"Wow, I am a lucky woman. Of all the entities on this planet of earth, I'm the only one that gets to be with you now - this very moment. And your eyes are open!"
He smirked. That was too much, but he secretly hoped that he was appreciated. She was good for that.
"Want to shoot some pool."
They had been here a few times. It was his local. She had insisted he bring her here, and he had tried. Hopefully, she would get the hint and dump him so he could just c'est la vie...
She smiled. "No, I want to look into your dreamy eyes, memorize them, and talk about our future as Irish candle shop owners."
She picked up her beer too, and they headed to the table.
"It would have to be bee's wax of course."
He got down a stick and lifted his hand up adding "Pro Life for Bees! or how about naming the shop Pro Light For Bees."
She loved his clever mind. He worked as a creative director. Weirdly, for a cinematic flash, she had an image of feeding him applesauce in his doddering old age.
He indicated the table, she shook her head. He broke the balls.
"Your favorite. Solids"
"They look like M&Ms"
Leon never really asked her anything, so Narcissi reeled her automatic anecdote machine.
"Oh, my weirdest first date? I have so many, but I loved the one that was the curator of Douglas coupland's catalog and lived in Berkeley with his wife child and he - all with separate therapists. I was the first date he'd been on. I learned to filter that out."
She missed.
"Wow, that's so California."
"I thought the same."
He headed to order another beer. She loved the way he was so confident and didn't kiss her ass. She could dream of him caressing her bottom for a solid day in a room with a brass bed with room service, a river and ocean, and a huge clawfoot tub.
When he got back from the bar bathroom, he brought her a beer too.
she thought they were falling in love
just that he was slower.
Leon was many many things, but slow he was not. Alas.
The song wafts, ".. the last thing I remember, I was headed for the door. I had to find the passage back to the place I was before. 'relax' said the doorman..."
He noticed, "wow, someone put this song on."
The place had a cool juke box of course - retro.
"I did. I'm glad you got out of the loo in time to hear it. I consider it - not our song - but your song." She gave him the quickest sticking out of her tongue.
He rolled his eyes and smirked.
She continued. "I suck today. One day I'm going to beat you. I have goals." She hit and missed.
He had checked his Bumble while he'd been in the bathroom. New girl was going to go out with him tomorrow. It lit him up a little.
Narcissi thought she gave him the gift of not communicating - not smothering. Leon thought she was immature. He started the game back up by chalking his stick.
"haha. your turn."
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