Over the weekend I bartended at another event at work, a college graduation party. It was 5 hours long, my feet hurt (I have to work in heels) but when it was all over the money I made was great! Afterwards, I decided to pick up a pizza at a different local bar, grab a 6 pack and head back home to my family. This next bar was PACKED, they are locally famous for their pizza (it's like pizza crack, one slice and you're addicted), and they'd just opened up their BBQ pit, another local wonder. All of the doors were open, it was a gorgeous, sunny day, there were people all over the patio outside...so busy, I almost wished I worked there instead to make even more dinero.
I was sitting at the bar, drinking a well deserved pint of lager, thinking about the wad of cash I'd just earned, when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and there stood J...unshaven, smiling, hat on, looking ever so delicious...he was a total surprise to me. "I was driving the other way and I passed you, didn't you see me?" he asked.
"No," I honestly had not noticed him.
"Well I saw you, pretty girl, and I turned around and tried to figure out where you were headed so I could catch up with you. I found you! I figured you were coming here for pizza and a beer." I'm so predictable, I guess. Plus, my bright red sports car in the parking lot was probably a dead give-a-way of my whereabouts. "...and I saw that shiny red car." Yep, a dead give-a-way.
J has got this smile, I can't quite explain it, it's like seeing the sun shine after a rain storm, it's beautiful. So he was standing there, still smiling brightly, pulling money out of his wallet, first a $100, then some more. I started to wonder how long he planned on staying!
I explained that yes, I was there waiting for a tray of pizza for my family. I was careful to note the "my family" part. Also, that it would probably be ready in a few minutes and I would be going home soon. SOON! He seemed a bit disappointed but he sat down on the stool next to me, anyway, and bought me another beer. We talked for a while, a good conversation, lots of laughter, and then my pizza showed up, and it was time for me to leave. It was all very friendly.
J stood up to hug me goodbye and he whispered in my ear, "I miss you, girl. I miss my partner, my buddy...I miss my friend. I miss our good times." This is the part where I started to get a little shaky. The part where I knew that I missed him, too, but my family. My family. "I miss you," I said softly and without wanting the situation to lead to anything more, I thanked him for the beer, said goodbye, and left.
No theatrics, no drama, no sex, nothing deceitful, just 2 friends having a beer but man, oh man, I'm not sure I can handle running into him again like that for a while. Two times in two weeks is too much!
