Читать книгу Hey Dorothy You're Not in Kansas Anymore - Karen Mueller Bryson - Страница 6

With Haley back in town, things were looking up. I wasn’t that tired anymore. I felt like dancing. I wandered into Haley’s room while she was unpacking. "Hey, Haley, feel like going to Y’bor tonight?"

"Do you feel like going?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"Okay, then, let go."

I know what you’re thinking. How shallow is this girl, anyway? Didn’t her father just die like a week ago and now she wants to party? True enough. One thing I did learn in a year of therapy was that everyone deals with grief in his or her own way. Going dancing was much cheaper than going shopping and going dancing in Y'bor was its own kind of therapy. It was me trying to be normal at a very abnormal time in my life. Anyone who’s ever been to Tampa knows Y'bor City is the place to hang out. So the two of us put on our party clothes and headed downtown.

Our evening started at The JellyBelly Beach Club, one of our favorite theme bars. It was about 10:00 o'clock and the place was just starting to get packed. What I like most about The JellyBelly is the music they play, all classic rock, all the time. A little bit of Heaven on Earth. When we arrived at the club, we took in the scenery and set our sights on a couple of blond hotties. Ya-hoo!

Haley was usually the one to approach first, and I normally came in to close the deal. This is what happened:

Haley (to hottie number one): Hi. Wanna dance?

Hottie One (after a quick once-over): No.

Haley: Okay then.

And we made a hasty exit to the other side of the bar.

Once we were a safe distance away from the embarrassment of complete and utter rejection, Haley suggested that maybe we should just dance by ourselves for a while. I agreed. So we did.

The DJ played some awesome dance tracks and this T.C. (T.C.= too cute) guy approached us and started dancing. He stood about six feet tall with a great build. He was dressed in dark blue button-fly jeans and a blue and white polo shirt. His dark blond hair was cut short and he had a small hoop earring in his left ear. He wore round, wire-rimmed glasses and had the biggest smile I’d ever seen in my entire life. He put Brad Pitt to shame.

I was super-glad when he approached us but it was one of those awkward dance moments when you’re not really sure if the person, who just walked up is really dancing with you or just dancing near you. When the song stopped, he said, "Hey, thanks for the dance," and that mystery was cleared up.

When the DJ decided to take a break, the T.C. guy started talking. "So, you come here a lot?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said.

"I just moved here a few months ago from Seattle."

"How do you like it?"

"It’s a lot different but I dig the beaches."

"Me, too."

"My name’s Lahrs."

"I’m Dorothy."

"Like The Wizard of Oz."

"My mom was a big fan of the movie."

"That’s cool. You know, they call Seattle the Emerald City."

"So I've been told."

"What do you do?"

"I’m an actress."

"That’s cool. I’m an artist. A painter."

"That’s cool, too."

"Yeah."

"How’d you get to Tampa from Seattle?"

"My ex-girlfriend moved out here to be closer to her parents, but right after I moved out here she dumped me. It was just so un-cool."

"No kidding. So, now you’re stuck here."

"I spent all my money just to get out here."

"Bummer."

"Totally."

"Have you been to The Mansion yet?"

"No, where is it?"

"It’s here in Y’bor. A few blocks off the main street. It’s really cool. Goth, if you’re into that sort of thing."

"Sure."

"My friend Haley and I are probably going over there in a little while if you want to come along."

"Love to."

That’s when I noticed Haley had disappeared. I looked around the club but I didn't see her.

"Did you see where my friend went?" I asked.

He pointed over to one of the corner bars. "She’s over by that bar with some guy," he said.

My initial reaction was like, cool, Haley found a guy, too. That was until I looked over at the bar. Haley was standing there with our good friend, Ray. We’ve known Ray for years. We all went to the University together. Hanging out with Ray is like hanging out with one of the girls but he refuses to acknowledge his orientation. He insists he’s straight. Maybe it was his strict Pentecostal upbringing that has caused so much confusion.

Lahrs and I walked over to the bar to join Haley and Ray.

"Who's the new addition to our family?" asked Ray.

"This is Lahrs," I said. "Lahrs, these are my two best friends in the entire world, Haley and Ray."

"Nice to meet you," said Haley.

"Ditto," said Ray.

"Nice to meet both of you."

"Lahrs is an artist," I said, "He's from Seattle."

"Long way from home," said Ray.

"This is home now. I moved here a few months ago."

"We're all natives," said Ray. "Florida born and breed."

"So, what do you think of Florida so far?" Haley asked.

"The beaches are fabulous. The sunshine is great. It's really humid. I haven't had that much time to explore the area yet."

"Have you gotten to Busch Gardens?" Ray asked.

Lahrs shook his head.

"You must. I can get you discount passes."

"Ray works at Busch Gardens," I said.

"I don't just work at Busch Gardens. I'm a performer at Busch Gardens. You make it sound like I sell souvenirs or something."

"Well, excuse me. Ray is a performer at Busch Gardens."

"I feel much better," Ray said.

"Dorothy was telling me that The Mansion is a pretty cool place," said Lahrs.

"It's very gothic," said Haley. "If you're into that kind of thing."

"Absolutely," said Lahrs.

"We usually don't go over there until after eleven," I said.

"We've got some time," said Lahrs. "What'd'ya say we do some more dancing."

Lahrs and I went back out on the dance floor and Haley and Ray followed. The four of us danced until a little bit after eleven and then we headed over to The Mansion. From the outside, you wouldn't think too much of the place. It basically looked like an old warehouse. But on the inside, The Mansion was completely redone to look like a medieval castle. Most of the people in the place were wearing black and looked like they just stepped out of a vampire movie.

"We're not really into the gothic costumes and stuff," I said. "We come here because they play cool music."

"I like it," said Lahrs. "From an artist's perspective, it's very unique."

Ray saw one of his Busch Garden buddies, so he ran up to the bar to say 'hi'. Haley, Lahrs and I stood at the edge of the dance floor and watched all of the costumed dancers. Haley decided that she wanted to dance, so she walked to the middle of the dance floor and joined in.

"I see they've got some couches over in the corner. Want to sit down?" Lahrs asked.

"Yeah, okay."

Lahrs grabbed my hand and we headed over to the red velvet couch.

"Nice couch," he said.

"All of the couches are velvet."

"In a wide assortment of colors."

"My favorite is the orange velvet couch on the other side of the bar."

"I see it. You really can't miss it though. It's so—bright."

"It glows in the dark."

We sat there for a while just people-watching. I didn't notice Lahrs staring at me.

"What's on your mind?" Lahrs asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You just look, I don't know, sad, I guess."

"I do?"

"Not on the outside. On the inside. I can see it in your eyes."

"I'm dealing with a lot right now."

"Like?"

"Like I just met you in a bar and maybe I don't want to talk about it."

"When you're ready to talk about it, you can let me know."

"Okay, I will."

"Promise?"

"You really want to know?"

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want to know."

"My dad died."

"When?"

"A week ago."

"That's one tough road to walk."

"You're telling me."

"What happened?"

"It was an accident. He got hit by a sanitation truck."

"Was he the guy who got hit sitting at the Buckstar's Coffee Shop?"

"Yeah."

"I read about that in the paper. I always thought there was something weird about that place."

"Buckstar's is evil."

"It could be. I've never liked it. It's almost like a cult. I don't think there's place you can go in the whole country without seeing a Buckstar's Coffee shop. They're even opening them up inside bookstores. Would you like non-fat vanilla iced caffe' latte with that bestseller you're buying?"

"I think they have a plot to take over the world. They are methodically trying to capture the masses with their caffeinated beverages."

"I do believe we're on to something."

Haley bounced over to our couch and sat down next to me.

"What's up?" I asked her.

"See that guy over there on the dance floor? He's wearing black pants and a black button down shirt."

"Who isn't?"

"He's got a pierced eyebrow."

"That really doesn't narrow it down any."

"He's walking toward us right now."

"Okay. Now I see him."

The Pierced Eyebrow Guy walked over to us. "Hey, Haley," he said. "I was wondering where you went."

Haley introduced us to her playmate de jour. "This is my roommate, Dorothy, and her friend Lahrs. This is Ex."

"Your name is X?" I asked.

"Yeah."

"Like the letter?"

"More like the ex in ex-boyfriend, ex-husband, ex-convict."

"Oh."

"Ex wants to know if we want to go with him to Denny's," said Haley. "Are you guys hungry?"

"Not really," said Lahrs.

"What about you, Dorothy?" Ex asked.

"No."

"Mind if I go with Ex?" Haley whispered to me.

"Can you give me a ride home?" I whispered to Lahrs.

"It would be my pleasure," he whispered back.

"Have fun," I said to Haley.

"Great. See you guys later," Haley said as she trotted out the door with Ex close behind. Lahrs and I were alone once again on the red velvet couch. Lahrs moved in closer. He leaned over and gave me a soft, gentle kiss. I could feel my entire body get all shivery.

"Let's get out of here," he said.

"Let's."

I already know what you’re thinking. No, I didn’t sleep with Lahrs the first night I met him. I might have wanted to, really, really badly but I didn’t. I may be shallow, but I’m not easy. I never even went to his apartment.

We did make out in his car, though. He has a red Volkswagen Beetle. And not one of those new reproductions, either—I’m talking the original, older than we are, car. How he got the thing all the way from Seattle to Tampa I have yet to figure out.

So there we were, making out in his car, which, by the way, isn't as easy as it sounds. Have you ever tried making out in a Volkswagen Beetle? But we managed to get pretty hot and heavy, that is, until I threw up.

I don't know if it was my dad dying or the over-abundance of sleep I had gotten, but I never threw up on a date before, and certainly not while I was in the middle of making out. I was extremely embarrassed; I think Lahrs was scared.

"Are you all right?" he asked, trying to move away from the puddle of vomit that now adorned his gear shift.

"Not really," I said, "I just threw up."

"I see that."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

"No, it isn't. Your car is full of vomit."

"It isn't the first time."

"That doesn't make me feel any better."

"How much did you have to drink?"

"Nothing."

"You didn't have anything to drink?"

"No. I usually don't drink when I go dancing. It dehydrates me."

"Do you have the flu?"

"I don’t think so."

"Then it's probably stress. Maybe I'd better get you home."

"I guess so… "

"What's wrong?"

"It looks like I've made a complete mess of everything."

"You did kind of make a mess of my gear shift panel."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. This car has seen a lot worse, believe me."

"I really don't want to go home."

"I have an idea."

Lahrs drove to Wax and Stacks, an all night pancake house and car wash. We pulled his Volkswagen into the car wash area and jumped out. A young guy came over and took the keys.

"Wash and wax?" the Car Wash Guy asked.

"Yep," said Lahrs.

"Interior?"

"Definitely."

"Pancakes?"

"That's entirely up to the young woman," said Lahrs.

"Let's," I said.

As Lahrs and I walked over to the diner, I heard the Car Wash Guy yelling to someone inside the car wash, "Another puke-mobile, coming through."