The Wanderer

The Bathroom

He couldn't believe it. He had found her in a club in this drab cold city. Her beauty was magnified by all the sameness in every face he saw around her. But why had he retreated into this nasty bathroom, full of piss and vomit, with the sounds of s*x in the next stall banging against the wall? Surely it was too early for the room to be in this state. The club hadn't been open that long today. Why was he letting himself get so distracted by his surroundings? He must go out there to her. Even if she didn't want to see him he had to talk to her. Hopefully, she remembered him, but she had lived longer than he, seeing many more faces, many more places. Maybe his was just a memory forgotten. But he must know.

As he stepped out of the stall, careful to avoid the puddles on the floor, he walked to the sinks where there should be a mirror. adjusting his clothes, and taking in his appearance. The mirror did not fail to show his otherness. But how those around him didn't see it, he would never know. Once he was certain he was as presentable as he could have been, he walked slowly to the door, trying to prolong this meeting. For surely he could not anticipate what was to come next. Out on the main floor of the club, he walked to the bar he had seen her at, hoping she would be too busy to notice his approach so he could stare at her for a few more moments unnoticed, in case this meeting went badly. Once he got there and was in front of her, she calmly said "What'll it be? I don't have all night". this shook him to his core, She did not remember him, he was just another face in a sea of them. "Red wine if you have it, beer if you don't" Not that he would be able to drink either, it just looked better if he had a reason to approach.

As she handed him the wine glass, he asked if he could open a tab, not that he had any money with him, but he could try to stay longer just to see. Why did it have to be this kind of establishment? He longed for the bars of old that had stools so he could sit and talk to her. As she turned to get the needed form to open a tab, a patron roughly bumped into him, giving him just the opportunity to rectify his cashless situation. As he swiftly and deftly took the man's wallet and took out all the cash, he was suddenly thankful that in his long life, he chose to learn dishonest dealings. In many past times things such as this had helped keep him from discovery. Especially now when you seem to have to prove yourself with a card at every turn. Just as he slipped the wallet back into Byron's pocket, she turned around to start the tab. "I think I will just pay by the glass, I seem to have left my wallet at home. How much will it be", he quietly asked due to the lull in the music.

"15, but how will you pay if you have no wallet?" She challenged him. "I always keep some cash in a different pocket, so if I am robbed they do not get it all" he mockingly said back to her. As he handed her the 20, their hands brushed and she had to fight to keep from showing her revulsion to him, but he was elated and the gentle but brief contact. If she had only known how distracted he was by being around her, she could have gotten away with anything.

Once she returned with his change, he said to keep it and slowly moved away from the bar, but stayed where he could keep an eye on her discreetly. He hoped she wouldn't notice and have him removed from the place. That would make his next move more difficult. He had lifted about 200 from the poor Byron, who thankfully had several credit cards so the loss of money might go unnoticed for a while, which at 15 a glass could keep him here for a while watching her. If he timed it right he could stay until closing and maybe strike up a conversation, offer to walk her to her car or home, and then maybe talk to her more. He wondered what name she went by now, he never heard it before, but Fae names were very difficult for mortals to pronounce so he was sure she had changed it.

After an hour and a few "accidental" spills and bathroom trips to pour out the wine, he made his way back to the bar, hoping she wasn't on a break. He was not disappointed. There she was in all her glory waiting on customers like she had been for the last hour. It seemed her line was always longer than the other bartender. But why wouldn't it be, surely everyone was as drawn to her as he had always been.