?Jack and Coke, hon.?
I snap out of my daydream and remember I am at work. I quickly fix the drink and slide it across the bar to Darren, a man who came to the bar every Friday night.
?What?s up, Melanie? Somethin? on your mind?? Darren asked, already slurring his words.
?Oh, nothing, Darren. Just got distracted for a minute.? I busied myself behind the bar and looked over at the band performing. It was my boyfriend Jake?s band; he is the singer and also plays lead guitar, usually acoustic. They?re kind of folksy sounding?they call themselves Demolished. I was never into that type of music until I met him.
Demolished finished their current song, and Jake announced a five minute break. He came over to the bar and hopped on a stool.
?Mel, my girl?get me a beer?you know what I like,? he said, grinning. I fulfilled his request and turned away quickly. He reached out and grabbed my arm.
?What?s your deal tonight? Everybody says something is up with you.?
?I?m fine,? I assured him. ?I?m just thinking.?
?Just think about tonight?don?t worry about anything else.? Jake grabbed my hand and gave it a quick kiss. Jeff, the bass player, slapped him on the back.
?Ready for the next song yet?? Jeff asked.
?Damn, I just got a drink?give me a second,? Jake replied, sounding a little annoyed. He brushed his longish black hair aside, giving me a peek at his ice blue eyes. I smiled.
A few minutes later, Demolished was back on the little stage in the corner. I could tell they were just about done. It was just about two in the morning, and we liked to have everybody gone by three.
After their set, Demolished hung out and had a few drinks with the few people still around. Then they packed up, and I helped Tony clean up. Tony is Jake?s best friend, and he owns the bar, which is aptly named Tony?s. I work here as a bartender, as does Jake?when he?s not performing, that is. The pay isn?t great, but Jake loves it. I love being here with him.
Jake swaggered behind the bar, stumbling a bit and catching himself on a stool. ?Ready to go, love?? he asked. He began fumbling in his shirt pocket for a cigarette.
?Yeah, hold on,? I replied. I went into the back to grab my jacket and came back out. Jake had slid down to the floor, his head leaning against the bar, fast asleep. Sighing, I grabbed his guitar and nudged him with my toe. ?Get up, I?m tired.?
Grudgingly, Jake obliged, and we walked outside to his truck, a powder blue Chevy. I forget what year it is, but it?s old. Jake insisted on lying in the truck bed so he could look up at the stars. I love it when he does that because he always sings. It?s usually songs he makes up on the spur of the moment. Too bad neither of us ever writes them down.
I pulled into our driveway and killed the engine. I hear Jake, still singing:
?Sweet Melanie?covered in roses and snow,
Sweet Melanie?I didn?t wanna see her go??
?If you don?t get out of the truck and into bed, you WILL see me go,? I said. I have to be tough with him when he?s drunk.
?Why you gotta be like that, Mel?? Jake lit a cigarette and laughed.
?I could ask you the same thing.? Annoyed, I walked to the front door and stuck my key in the lock.
?Come here,? Jake ordered.
I don?t know why, but I turned and walked over to the truck. I lowered the tailgate and climbed in. ?What??
?Just?just?come here and lie next to me?? Jake said, his pretty eyes twinkling, even in his state of drunkenness.
I laid next to him, and he slipped an arm around me. ?Look at the stars?look at all the fucking stars,? Jake laughed. ?How beautiful!?
?Honey, I?m cold. Michigan?s no place to sleep outside.? I shivered and cuddled up closer to him.
?Being cold reminds you how alive you are?how you can be so sensitive to such sensations. It?s a wonderful feeling?to be so damn alive.?
?Sometimes, I wonder if you are better when you are drunk,? I laughed. ?I kinda like you like this.?
Jake choked on some smoke, cleared his throat, and began to sing again.
?Then the moon comes out and destroys the sun,
And sometimes I feel like I?m the only one
Who even cares
But it really doesn?t matter
Because I?ve got my baby
And I?m never gonna let her go??
Jake paused and was silent. I was silent for a bit too. I really was cold though.
I got out of the truck and grabbed Jake?s ankles, pulling him off of the truck bed. ?Come on, honey?let?s go inside.? He was completely passed out. Jake?s a slender guy though, and I managed to get him into the house. Once inside, I deposited him onto the couch.
We rent this house. It?s nothing much, but it?s our first place together. After Tony got his bar going, and we got jobs there, we were able to get a place. It?s pretty outdated?gold shag carpeting, worn out orange and pea green furniture and curtains?yellow appliances. We have a TV, but the reception isn?t very good, so we don?t watch much. There?s a show on Thursday nights?Victoria Valencia?I love to watch it. If Jake?s in a good mood, he holds the antenna in the perfect position so that I?m able to view it halfway decently. Our stereo doesn?t have a CD player, but we?ve got enough records and tapes to keep us occupied. At least it is a place to call home.
In our bedroom, we have a big air mattress on the floor. A quilt my grandmother made me a month before she died is used as our bedspread. A couple lamps sit on the floor in the corner with an old alarm clock next to one of them (Jake needs to learn how to set it one of these days). We keep things very simple. With our income, we have to.
I didn?t imagine things being this way. I?m 23 years old. I figured I would be a college graduate by now, making a lot of money and being madly in love with a newfound college sweetheart. Instead, I met Jake at a nightclub when I was 20 (he was 22 at the time). A guy had spiked my drink, and I?d gotten very sick. Jake took care of me though, and we exchanged numbers. A few months later, I dropped out of school and moved back home. I was kicked out recently though because my parents didn?t approve of my decisions I?d been making, and I also lost my job at the grocery store (I was accused of stealing from my register). Then Tony opened a bar, gave us jobs (and guaranteed gigs for Demolished), and we were able to rent this house. Jake loves playing with his band. I think that is what keeps him grounded. It?s also something we can do together, as I often help him write lyrics and sometimes sing with the band. It seems that things are finally starting to go our way.
I still wonder where I?d be now if I hadn?t met Jake though. Sometimes, I think I?d be a lot better off. I love him like crazy though. I love every imperfection, even when they hurt me. Deep down, I love them. He?s just so human?I can?t help but love him.
I guess I just sometimes dream that there is more out there for us.
I look over at Jake. His shirt is half tucked in, half hanging out. His hair is horrendously mussed, his mouth is partially open, and I can hear him faintly snoring.
God, I love him.
I snap out of my daydream and remember I am at work. I quickly fix the drink and slide it across the bar to Darren, a man who came to the bar every Friday night.
?What?s up, Melanie? Somethin? on your mind?? Darren asked, already slurring his words.
?Oh, nothing, Darren. Just got distracted for a minute.? I busied myself behind the bar and looked over at the band performing. It was my boyfriend Jake?s band; he is the singer and also plays lead guitar, usually acoustic. They?re kind of folksy sounding?they call themselves Demolished. I was never into that type of music until I met him.
Demolished finished their current song, and Jake announced a five minute break. He came over to the bar and hopped on a stool.
?Mel, my girl?get me a beer?you know what I like,? he said, grinning. I fulfilled his request and turned away quickly. He reached out and grabbed my arm.
?What?s your deal tonight? Everybody says something is up with you.?
?I?m fine,? I assured him. ?I?m just thinking.?
?Just think about tonight?don?t worry about anything else.? Jake grabbed my hand and gave it a quick kiss. Jeff, the bass player, slapped him on the back.
?Ready for the next song yet?? Jeff asked.
?Damn, I just got a drink?give me a second,? Jake replied, sounding a little annoyed. He brushed his longish black hair aside, giving me a peek at his ice blue eyes. I smiled.
A few minutes later, Demolished was back on the little stage in the corner. I could tell they were just about done. It was just about two in the morning, and we liked to have everybody gone by three.
After their set, Demolished hung out and had a few drinks with the few people still around. Then they packed up, and I helped Tony clean up. Tony is Jake?s best friend, and he owns the bar, which is aptly named Tony?s. I work here as a bartender, as does Jake?when he?s not performing, that is. The pay isn?t great, but Jake loves it. I love being here with him.
Jake swaggered behind the bar, stumbling a bit and catching himself on a stool. ?Ready to go, love?? he asked. He began fumbling in his shirt pocket for a cigarette.
?Yeah, hold on,? I replied. I went into the back to grab my jacket and came back out. Jake had slid down to the floor, his head leaning against the bar, fast asleep. Sighing, I grabbed his guitar and nudged him with my toe. ?Get up, I?m tired.?
Grudgingly, Jake obliged, and we walked outside to his truck, a powder blue Chevy. I forget what year it is, but it?s old. Jake insisted on lying in the truck bed so he could look up at the stars. I love it when he does that because he always sings. It?s usually songs he makes up on the spur of the moment. Too bad neither of us ever writes them down.
I pulled into our driveway and killed the engine. I hear Jake, still singing:
?Sweet Melanie?covered in roses and snow,
Sweet Melanie?I didn?t wanna see her go??
?If you don?t get out of the truck and into bed, you WILL see me go,? I said. I have to be tough with him when he?s drunk.
?Why you gotta be like that, Mel?? Jake lit a cigarette and laughed.
?I could ask you the same thing.? Annoyed, I walked to the front door and stuck my key in the lock.
?Come here,? Jake ordered.
I don?t know why, but I turned and walked over to the truck. I lowered the tailgate and climbed in. ?What??
?Just?just?come here and lie next to me?? Jake said, his pretty eyes twinkling, even in his state of drunkenness.
I laid next to him, and he slipped an arm around me. ?Look at the stars?look at all the fucking stars,? Jake laughed. ?How beautiful!?
?Honey, I?m cold. Michigan?s no place to sleep outside.? I shivered and cuddled up closer to him.
?Being cold reminds you how alive you are?how you can be so sensitive to such sensations. It?s a wonderful feeling?to be so damn alive.?
?Sometimes, I wonder if you are better when you are drunk,? I laughed. ?I kinda like you like this.?
Jake choked on some smoke, cleared his throat, and began to sing again.
?Then the moon comes out and destroys the sun,
And sometimes I feel like I?m the only one
Who even cares
But it really doesn?t matter
Because I?ve got my baby
And I?m never gonna let her go??
Jake paused and was silent. I was silent for a bit too. I really was cold though.
I got out of the truck and grabbed Jake?s ankles, pulling him off of the truck bed. ?Come on, honey?let?s go inside.? He was completely passed out. Jake?s a slender guy though, and I managed to get him into the house. Once inside, I deposited him onto the couch.
We rent this house. It?s nothing much, but it?s our first place together. After Tony got his bar going, and we got jobs there, we were able to get a place. It?s pretty outdated?gold shag carpeting, worn out orange and pea green furniture and curtains?yellow appliances. We have a TV, but the reception isn?t very good, so we don?t watch much. There?s a show on Thursday nights?Victoria Valencia?I love to watch it. If Jake?s in a good mood, he holds the antenna in the perfect position so that I?m able to view it halfway decently. Our stereo doesn?t have a CD player, but we?ve got enough records and tapes to keep us occupied. At least it is a place to call home.
In our bedroom, we have a big air mattress on the floor. A quilt my grandmother made me a month before she died is used as our bedspread. A couple lamps sit on the floor in the corner with an old alarm clock next to one of them (Jake needs to learn how to set it one of these days). We keep things very simple. With our income, we have to.
I didn?t imagine things being this way. I?m 23 years old. I figured I would be a college graduate by now, making a lot of money and being madly in love with a newfound college sweetheart. Instead, I met Jake at a nightclub when I was 20 (he was 22 at the time). A guy had spiked my drink, and I?d gotten very sick. Jake took care of me though, and we exchanged numbers. A few months later, I dropped out of school and moved back home. I was kicked out recently though because my parents didn?t approve of my decisions I?d been making, and I also lost my job at the grocery store (I was accused of stealing from my register). Then Tony opened a bar, gave us jobs (and guaranteed gigs for Demolished), and we were able to rent this house. Jake loves playing with his band. I think that is what keeps him grounded. It?s also something we can do together, as I often help him write lyrics and sometimes sing with the band. It seems that things are finally starting to go our way.
I still wonder where I?d be now if I hadn?t met Jake though. Sometimes, I think I?d be a lot better off. I love him like crazy though. I love every imperfection, even when they hurt me. Deep down, I love them. He?s just so human?I can?t help but love him.
I guess I just sometimes dream that there is more out there for us.
I look over at Jake. His shirt is half tucked in, half hanging out. His hair is horrendously mussed, his mouth is partially open, and I can hear him faintly snoring.
God, I love him.
