THE GAY BARTENDER

chapter seven.

I fell asleep on my way home  from work . I couldnt help it . I had to stay there until midnight just to get things finished . I spent most of the last hour just trying to keep my eyes open . Things had to change . I couldnt spend all day working and all night working too. I'd sit at my desk for hours just pushing through the exhaustion while I signed form afater form . I didnt even read them anaymore . Everytime I tried , the words would scramble themselves up, and I'd just get distracted .There was no way I was going to get any work done on two hours of sleep .

When I got home that night , It was already four , it was too late for me to get any sleep . I walked back up to my room and started getting ready for the day . This was the first time in years that I'd siriously considered not coming into work . I felt like I was contemplating murdr , but I wasn't sure I'd make it throughout the day without a nap.

Mona was waiting outside my bedroom door once I'd finished  getting dressed .''Come in .'' I told her.

''Did you get any sleep last night ?'' she asked.

''No , and I'm dying , Mona .''

''What are you going to do ?''

''No'' I told her flat out and started walking out of my bedroom.

''Okay have a good day .''

''I will.'' I thanked her and walked out to the car.

The day started quickly , with six messages already on my phone by the time I got out of the driveway . The Navy was planning on purchasing the Hawkeye, and my staff was going crazy trying to get everything together.

I drove into work right away and spent most of the day on the phone , going back and forth btween Navy big sticks and the testin department to make sure that the equipment was up to their standards . moses did most of the work , but I had to sign off on everything . At the end of the day . I decided to take a trip down to testing.

Moses was sitting in the warehouse office next to a athree- screen console going over some of the videa feed when I walked in .

''Hey .'' i leaned against the desk next to the door.

''Uh-uh,''he said , laughing . ''You can't just come walking up in here looking like that . smile/''

''No,I flat out refuse and I mean it.''

''You're backing out , aren't you?''

He wheeled his cahir back to get a good look at me .

I should . I'm running on less than seven hours sleep in two days.''

''So you're going ?''He lifted one eyebrow , as if that were a big surprise.

''Yeah.''

''How about I pick you up aroind nine ?'' Moses asked.

''Yeah, fine by me .''

''Good . You wanna see the display?''

''I've beeen staring at screenshots for the past hour . If it works , it works.''

''Good .''I starightened back up.

''I should probably get going , man ''

''Nine O'clock.''

''Yeah.''

I checked my phone when I left . It was only four- thirty , but I was too exhauseted to get back to the office, so I took the car back home and crawled into bed . If I was lucky I would get a few hours of sleep before the club. I closed my eyes , laid my head down , and tried my best to think about absolutely nothing , No Mona . No Hawkeye.

I just kept thinking of how things were going in the office , damn I need to sleep.''

''I could go to the club and act like a zombie or stay home and get the rest I so badly needed. It wasn't really a choice . There was no way I could go to  the bar feeling like this , not if I wanted to find somebody to take home .I decided to lay back and block out the world . Moses could wait.

As soon as I got comfortable , my violin ringtone started going off again. It was Moses of course  which meant that he probably wanted to make sure that I was coming I ignored the call and laid back down , but he wasnt having it . He called right back.

''Oh come on''I answered .''Do you know how exhausted Iam?''

''I'm outside ,''he said '

''You're what ? I sat up.

''I'm staring at your front window right now.''

''Jesus , give me a minute , will yo ?'' I rushed into the bathroom .

''You have five minutes .''

''Fine.'' hung up and started rinsing off . I didnt know what I was going to wear . I went to bars all the time , but this was different. This was a nightclub, where the only thing that mattered was how I looked and how much money was in my pocket . I chose a navyblue button-up and a pair of tight jeans .

It was simple, maybe a little too simple to go to the club , but it looked good and I liked the way the  jeans bunched up my crotch.

Moses was hanging out of the passenger seat when I waled out.

''You're late,'' he said

''Yeah , well you're early .''I climbed into the car .''Where are we going?''

''Oxygen.''

''You mean the hipster bar downtown ? We're gonna be the odest ones there.''

''Exactly.'' He got in and got the car srated .

I watched out the window as we weaved through traffic until we reached downtown , where the kids were out, weraring brihtly colored outfis and tight- fitting dresses , all of them ready for a night of s*x and debauchery.

We parked across the street from the bar , next to a ridiculous lime-green lowrider with spinning rims to match . I felt like an old man . This wasnt y world .It never was. The people were shallow and undisciplined , more worried about how much drugs they had then whether or not they'd find a way to wake up and go to wark in the morning . I couldnt respect people like that.

We walked inside , I felt my body swaying , back and forth , my hips swinging to the club beat .There were people everywhere , crowding the dance floor , and of course , the bathroom , where most of the magic was hapening that evening.

''I'm gonna go get some drinks ,''Mosas said .''Go find us a table .''

''I dont think I'm gonna drink tonight . It's probably not a good idea.''

''Suit yourself .''He left me standing near the front entrance.

I wases through the crowd , pushing past people as best as I could wthout disturbing anyone . Thre was a table outside on the patio, where we could sit and look at the dnce floor . Flashing red and blue lights streamed acrross the room, offereing brief glimpses of couples kissing and holding one another. I took a seat and waited for Moses to come back . The mood was infectious but I wasn't sure I could really dive into it , not wit the way that I was feeling.

Moses came back to the table with a cup of beer so dark it was almost black.''What are you doing just sitting there?" he asked .

''I dont know.''

''You should dance.''

''By myself?"I asked .

''Why not ?"

''Because it'll make me look like an idiot.''

''Well , atleast take a look around . You're not going to find somebody if you're staring into space like that.''

''f**k ot.''I got up and walked to the bar , where six bartenders were running back and forth , making one order fater another . I looked like there were trying to supress o riot . I cut through to the ege of the bar and waited.

Something shifted , and I caught the scent of wildflowers , I looked over to my right , there was agirl-no, a goddess- leanig over the bar. She noticed me , but she didnt let on. She probably wasn't interested , but at that moment . I kew I had to have her.

She was tall and blonde, with curves in all the right places . From the way she stared staright ahead , I could tell this woman felt as out of place in the club as i did . i wanted to say something , but when I turned back to her , she was gone.