Two Ships

The Meeting The night started off slowly. It had been a long week. Abigale had waited all week for this. Her private bliss, bending over the table and lining up her next shot, judging the distance and the angle with the inept precision of a pro, Abigale pulled back and took her aim. The shot was good and another ball dropped into the pocket. As with all the difficult angles, she felt a tingle of pride and was careful to keep her expression masked. Abigale loved this game, she loved the smell of the pool hall, the smoke, the dim lights, the crowd. This atmosphere let her escape. She could lose herself in the game. On this table, everything was calculated, every shot, every angle. The equality of it. Athletic ability played no advantage here. This game was a passion she indulged in when the opportunity arose. And tonight was like all the others. Nothing was extraordinary about this particular evening. A typical Wednesday, her weekend. And like all other Wednesdays, here she was. Abigale always began her weekend routine sitting there with a roll of quarters, a glass of whiskey which lasted her the evening, and the table. Never choosing to play anyone but herself. She wasn't here for the competition, only for her own improvement. Like every Wednesday, she turned down offers to play and ignored the looks and advances of others to infringe upon her private moments here. This was her time. She selfishly indulged in weekly to overcome the stress of her workweek. For a woman, Abigale looked young, most assumed she was in her early twenties. She kept her frame trimmed and healthy. Perhaps it was the hourglass curves or the shortness of her body that made her look more youthful. Being five feet tall, she was normally one of the smallest people in the bar. The looks and packaging were something she became comfortable with years ago. She was at home in her skin and a bit old to be bothered by superficial insecurities. Abigale's game went on, always going for the most challenging shot, the most absurd angle, the hard lineups were what she thrived on. Sometimes she surprised herself with how the cue ball moved across the angles of the tables and the patterns of the game. Perhaps it was her concentration that kept Abigale from noticing the man at the bar. He had been watching her for over an hour now. He was sitting alone, drinking a beer, his concentration was on this woman and the expressions she made when a shot didn't pan out. This wasn't his normal scene or hang-out spot. In fact, this was completely out of his element. Today had been a rough day and he wanted to go somewhere he wasn't going to be bothered or noticed and a hole in the wall, dive pool hall seemed to be as good of a choice as any for him to get out of his world for a bit. Of all the things he indulged in, people-watching was a fine-tuned art for him. Imagining what others were thinking and feeling in their own worlds and situations became a needed skill in his line of work. Furthering his empathy only further invested in his art. Tonight he happened to be noticing her. A glance at first when he walked in. She stood out, this stranger. Her red hair unceremoniously pulled back. Her clothes were plain, jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, no cleavage showing, minimal make-up if any. The other females here were dressed to be noticed. Not this one. She seemed to go to efforts to blend in and be invisible. In the last hour, she had barely sipped her drink, turned down drinks brought to her, turned away five attempts to join her game, a few dance offers, and with few words and an eyebrow arch managed to dissuade a drunken patron from embarrassing himself. It was obvious that she was at home here, a regular. It was the tale sign as people would enter, nod at her as they walked in. An anomaly, a puzzle as there was nothing that stood out about her except that she didn't stand out or appear to try to. Perhaps that was why she had his full attention. Abigale finished her round and went to drink. She lit a cigarette and drew in the first draw slowly, savoring the moment, and exhaled. She closed her eyes, took a breath, and exhaled slowly as she finally felt the stress release. The bar had become fuller, the music was turned up. She motioned to the bartender, who nodded and began making her another drink. Abigale went over to the chalk and chalked her hands, grabbed her stick, and put in another round of quarters. She waited for the balls to drop and meticulously went about racking for her next round. Grabbing her stick she moved to the table, and once again she broke the grouping. Watching the balls scatter across the table she went back to her game, becoming lost as she planned her next shot. Completely unaware there was a man watching her every move and studying her with a focused interest. Keanu watched as she lit her cigarette, there was a ritual to it, somehow this was erotic in the way she moved, took a drag, and closed her eyes, something about the way she exhaled the smoke. Oh yes, this was a ritualistic thing for her. Then she motioned to the bartender and immediately a drink concoction was being made. A highball glass, Jamesons. She drank Irish Whiskey. They filled it, with no additives. No ice. "What are you making?" he asked the man. "It's a regular Jamesons, straight." Keanu winced, "That's straight whiskey? Do you serve that often?" The bartender laughed, "Only to her." he said. Keanu smirked, "I have to ask, how many of those does she normally drink?" The bartender bent down on the bar, and spoke softly to him in reply, "Don't ask, you wouldn't want the answer. Last year I served her eighteen shots in less than an hour. Some military guy having a bad night called her to come to drink with him. She walked out sober, he was plastered. There was a four hundred dollar tab and I have never seen her drunk or even tipsy. I wouldn't attempt to keep up with her on a good night." Keanu was stunned. "You can't be serious?! She's tiny!" With a deadpan face as seriously as he could, the bartender looked him square in the eyes, "I'm very serious. Although there are rumors of a wild tequila night, that was before my time." Stunned, Keanu now had to see this for himself. The waitress brought her drink, Abigale took a minute to step away from the game and with a smile thanked the waitress. She loved the smell. Taking a drink, she nodded to the man at the bar with a smile and continued her game. Keanu saw the smile, there was warmth, it lit up her eyes, like a child on Christmas day. What was it about her? He didn't even know her name but he couldn't keep his eyes off her. Keanu had met many beautiful women in his time, many were memorable but none had his curiosity so peaked by just observing them. This was new, this intrigue and mystery had him lost in the moment. Never before had he felt his body stir from watching someone smoke. There was something about her, a presence, an aura that surrounded her. Keanu couldn't sit and watch from a distance, he had to connect with her. "What's her name?" The bartender looked at him, "Abigale, her name is Abigale. And Mr. Reeves, you should know, she has been through enough. There are a number of other women here who would welcome attention from you, what could you possibly want with Abi?" Keanu took in what he said, contemplated the question, and the only answer he could give came out without a thought, "I don't know." Abigale stretched over the table lining up another shot, she refused to use the bridge just because she was vertically challenged. With one leg hiked up on the table to balance and the other on the floor she wasn't worried about looking ridiculous, she just needed the reach. That's when she noticed him approaching. His height and build, he was tall and walked with purpose. Oh man, she thought, not again. Taking in a breath she refocused and her aim was true as another ball sunk into the pocket. She straightened herself. Squared her shoulders and prepared herself to brush off another interruption. Can't she just play her game in peace? Abigale thought to herself with annoyance. "Uh oh, I know that look. I interrupted you didn't I?" Keanu spoke softly. His voice was soothing and calm. Abigale turned to face him. An instant recognition. "I suppose you did. Is there something I can help you with then Mr. Reeves?" Keanu's voice was gentle, loud enough to speak above the music, "I find myself at a disadvantage, I don't know your name." Abigale extended her right hand, proper, gracefully. "I'm Abigale. Enchanted to meet you." Keanu took her hand, her grip was firm, secure, and warm. "Hello Abigale, I'm Keanu". She took back her hand. "Yes, I believe everyone is aware of that Mr. Reeves, can I help you with something?" This was different. Of course, she knew who he was. It always humbled Keanu to realize people knew him, it wasn't how he thought of himself. She wasn't falling all over herself and that in itself was an odd encounter. "Why yes, yes I believe you can. Would I be bothering you if I sat and watched you play?" He watched her eyes waiting for her answer. "Only if you tell me you aren't carrying piano wire in your pocket with a camera." Abigale's response came with a hint of humor. Keanu didn't hesitate, "No Abigale I keep those in my other pants." Abigale arched her brow. "Well met, If you would care to share space with me, Mr. Reeves, I won't stop you. I can not promise to be the most attentive host, I'm not that entertaining." Abigale hoped he found that acceptable enough. What are you supposed to say here? She thought to herself. Keanu smiled, "On the contrary, I'm fascinated at your approach to the game. You play as if it's second nature to you." Abigale acknowledged the compliment, she smiled as she nodded, "I suppose it is, I can't deny I enjoy it." Keanu realized this wasn't the first time she had been told that. "It suits you, I'll sit now and do my best to not distract you." Keanu moved to the table where her drink sat. He motioned toward her pack of cigarettes, "May I?". Abigale looked at him, "Always happy to oblige." Then she went back to her game. He pulled out a cigarette and took her lighter. He lit up and immediately tasted the menthol. The cigarette was smaller than a standard brand name, nothing exceptional. How did she make you envious of a plain cigarette, he wondered. He wondered and watched her. From this distance, he could see the lines of her face, how her brow crinkled, and how she ran her tongue over her lips when she was thinking. She would squint her eyes when judging angles and had a certain expression when she was questioning the shot or angle. Keanu would watch her move around the table once before every shot, her eyes looking at every ball, every angle, as if she was mapping out the game, lining up three or four shots before playing out the round. Abigale was calculating. He watched her hips move when a song played that caught her fancy. Somehow, she made this game more erotic. Like she was dancing with the table. When she made difficult shots, she would light up. Like a warrior who had won a victory in battle, images of Celtic warriors came to his mind. This was no damsel in distress. It was refreshing. Abigale finished two more rounds, and they passed the time in comfortable silence. He was watching her again. Abigale had never felt so studied. Deciding she needed a break Abigale went to the table and sat opposite him. Keanu smiled. "I'm intimidated," Keanu paused," I am out of my element. I can't say I have experienced this before. How do you make that look so easy?" She laughed, it was a soft laugh. " I don't, and if it does look easy, then I should win an award because I'm faking it. But don't tell anyone, it would ruin my reputation." Abigale said this in all seriousness. It took him a minute to realize she was joking, it was her eyes, he laughed, and it seems aside from her pool skills she had a sense of humor. " So you aren't a pool shark then?" To that Abigale did laugh, "Oh no, more like a pool guppy. You should know I'm a stand-up comedian." Abigale arched her brow and continued, "That's also a complete lie as I'm really not that funny." She looked at him, really looked at him. This man she had only seen from a distance on the screen sitting in front of her, laughing with her. "I have to say this is surreal. I'm in a bar, discussing my pool strategy with an actor. And here I thought it was just another Wednesday." Abigale took out another cigarette, once again Keanu watched in anticipation as she went through those motions, slowly pulling the cigarette out of the box, moving it to her lips, lighting it and inhaling deeply, the close of her eyes, the closed-lipped smile, her biting that bottom lip and exhaling slowly as if this was the last wish of a dying man. Then she opened those eyes and exhaled. She took her drink and finished off the last of it. "Would you like another?" Keanu asked her. "No, I do believe I have had my fill of it for the evening." She smiled at him then, "Tell me, Mr. Reeves, are you sitting here by choice, or did you lose a bet with the bartender?" "I wasn't aware the bartender gambled." He smiled as he answered. "I'm here because I couldn't sit and keep myself away. I wanted to watch you." Abigale gave a full laugh at him then, deep and rich. "Now who's the stalker, I don't think you intended that to come out as creepy as it did, please tell me that isn't your A-game Mr. Reeves? That was cheesy and somehow enduringly flattering at the same time." She was laughing at him, and at that moment he wanted to reach out to her. Keanu stopped himself. He didn't know her, she didn't know him. What had come over him, had to be the beer. Maybe he had had one too many. "I'm sorry, that sounded so much better in my head." He laughed then. This was absurdly funny. No one had struck him this way before. The absurdity of the moment caught her unaware. Here she was, sitting with Keanu Reeves. Sharing drinks, cigarettes, and conversation in a smokey dimly lit bar Abigale was feeling a bit out of her depth. That was a bit unusual for her. Her life experiences should have her feeling in her element, but this was more personal. It was on her turf, in her private world where only the game existed. He had come into her space, she was caught unprepared. Yes, he was gorgeous, he was tall, well-spoken, impeccable mannerisms. A gentleman and an actor, what an odd combination. Maybe he was here for a role, film shoots did happen in her neck of the woods. Perhaps he was here for their film festival. She wasn't going to ask, that seemed a little too personal. "What's a guy like you doing in a bar like this?" she said so softly she didn't realize the words came out of her mouth, of all the things to say without thinking, Abigale wished she had a muzzle to filter things from coming out of her mouth. Sometimes she wished they would stay in her head. Hoping he didn't hear that, Abigale decided now was a good time to shut her mouth. "What was that?" Keanu asked her. He had watched her mouth form words but did not hear them. "Huh?" She looked up at him. "What did you say?" he asked her once again. Abigale had his full attention then, she really did wish he wasn't so observant. "Oh, I was wondering what a guy like you is doing in a bar like this?" Now it was his turn to laugh, "Is that your A-game?" Abigale looked him in the eyes, "No, Normally it's along the lines of "Nice Shoes, wanna f**k?" But I thought perhaps that was a bit forward for a first meeting. And I didn't want you taking me seriously." He tilted his head and for the first time in a long time, Keanu really laughed. It was rich, full, and drew her in. Keanu looked wonderful when he laughed. "Maybe that's the Whiskey talking?" The words came out with laughter. "No, Mr. Reeves, the whiskey is much less ladylike. And I'd never want to solicit a gentleman while drinking whiskey, those are encounters I would wish to remember." Abigale responded sarcastically. There was something about the way she said it. He had never had someone quite so bold or bluntly honest. "I'm not in the habit of taking offers from someone drinking whiskey, when I want to spend the night with someone I also want to make sure they remember it." There was no playfulness in that statement. "I suppose chivalry isn't dead after all." Abigale smiled at him, right then she knew this man was not your average guy. With that, she decided it was time to take her leave. "This has been enchanting but surreal. I think now would be a good time to call it a night. You were as I expected, and this has been a pleasure. It was nice meeting you." She stood and held out her hand to shake and say goodbye. Keanu stood and extended his hand to grab hers. There was a spark, chemistry here. Something he hadn't felt in a long time. "Abigale, somehow I tend to think, this pleasure was all mine and something that I'll remember for some time." She let go, gathered her things, and went to pay her tab. He watched her, already the bar seemed less bright, and the table seemed to lose its life. Already he felt her absence. That's odd, he thought. He watched as she walked back through the pool hall, almost to the door. She turned to him, nodded, and walked out the door.