Antihero

She placed her half-finished bottle of beer down on the bar directly in front of me. “I hafta go, I’ll try to be back later. Try. I’ll see you if I can get back. Finish my beer.” I glanced at the bottle of Heineken then back at her as she stood, slipped her hand into her tiny top once again and adjusted her breasts.

“It was a pleasure meeting you,” I managed as she gave me a quick hug and then headed for the door. I hoped that she would be back. At the very least, she had insisted that I would see her again soon if I decided to return to this bar.

I watched her egress, her short skirt swaying side to side with each step. With a sigh I turned the barstool I was in to face away from the bar and I drank the rest of her beer. It would have been a shame to let it go to waste.

Placing the empty bottle behind me I determined to enjoy the show. They were performing and having fun and the show was entertaining. I was enjoying it so much I almost didn’t notice when she walked in.

A pretty blonde woman in a short multi-colored dress walked into the bar slowly and carefully, taking a seat next to me. She plopped her small black purse and a box of cigarettes on the bar in front of her. I tried to not be too obvious as I glanced over in her direction to take her in. I watched her eyes, but they were hidden by her long blonde hair. She was intently texting on her cell phone as she ordered a beer.

She eventually brushed the hair back behind her ears and I caught her eye. She smiled briefly, but her attention went immediately back to her cell phone. She seemed agitated. I wanted to ask her if she was alright.

But I wasn’t the only person that was paying attention to her. On her other side there was a guy checking her out. He kept looking like he was on the verge of saying something to her. I knew that I had to play my cards right. “Unless already doomed, fortune favors the bold” right?

So I placed my hand on her arm.

She smiled this amazingly beautiful smile.

Only to be immediately distracted by her phone again.

The guy must have seen this as his best opportunity, he walked up to her, dropped two dollars on the bar in front of her, and stammered something about being happy she was a smoker. Then he walked away awkwardly.

I am only guessing that he was a very shy, introverted person. Socially awkward. And this was his way of making a move?

It worked.

Just not for him.

She suddenly turned to face me. At first, I thought she was going to reprimand me for brazenly touching her arm as I did. But instead, almost in tears, she says “What was that all about? Well now I just feel like a cheap whore.” Her words were slurred. I realized that she had been drinking before arriving here at the bar, she was totally smashed.

Confused and momentarily taken aback I asked her why. She replied, “Some guy just drops two dollars in front of me, is he expecting something?”

“That was kinda… weird.,” I agreed, “but don’t let it worry you.” I paused trying to consider how to proceed, “are you ok? You seem upset.”

“I’m ok,” she said simply, still slurring her words. She smiled again, and I found myself admiring just how pretty her smile was. I smiled back, somewhere in my mind I comically hoped she would also find my smile pleasant as well, or at least supportive and reassuring.

Then the guy came back in and took a position slightly behind her. So I placed a hand on her arm again, intending to warn her. She looked over at me questioningly this time, and I gestured behind her. She continued to look confused. Finally, I had to lean in close and inform her that the guy was back.

She nodded in understanding. Then I heard her exclaim “Fuck you!” Surprised I looked up at her and realized she was talking to her cell phone.

“I have to go” she said. And without another word she walked out of the bar; slowly and carefully. She was quite drunk.

I thought to stop her. I thought to offer to call her a cab. Maybe even suggest she sleep it off at a nearby hotel. But instead I watched as she walked out the door.

You can’t be everyone’s hero all the time I reminded myself.

But tonight, I could have been her hero.