[I apologize about the incredibly long delay, but have only just found my inspiration again. Since I feel compelled to finish this series before beginning another, allow me to present Chapter 3 of `Drinking at Sullivan's Grill.]
FROM CHAPTER TWO:
"Look. I'm sorry. I mean, I'm glad when I see you come in. And, it makes me happy that you hang out longer if I'm working than you do if somebody else is here," he finally said, in a rush. Immediately, he took another sip of my beer and started slowly rocking a salt shaker back and forth on the table. Apparently, I wasn't the only one with a bit of nervous energy. I watched the salt shaker in his hands for another ten seconds before I decided that we'd both been on this topic far too long already. I pushed my chair back from the table and stood up beside Glenn.
"Here. Why don't you finish this one, and I'll see if I can't get two more," I said. I was still embarrassed, but Glenn had made me feel better. And, I figured, getting a few drinks myself from the bar would give me the opportunity to be extra-nice to Danielle. If I died of alcohol poisoning, I told myself, she wasn't going to fuss about me going home early tonight.
CHAPTER THREE
Three steps later, standing at the bar (Danielle was apparently fighting with the credit card machine), I had a few more moments to think. Should I drink more? That's liable to create a situation in the morning where either I don't quite remember what happened, or I'll do something that will really ruin a potentially good friendship. Should I drink less? That's going to have both Glenn and I beating around the bush all night -- plus, its never good to admit that you think a professional drinker -- i.e. a bartender -- can drink you under the table. Argh. All at once, I was really glad Danielle was behind the bar, and made a mental note to order all the drinks from now on. At the speed she served them, I could get nicely tipsy but not drunk.
"Two beers and two shots," I told her as she turned around and noticed me.
"You're drinking with Glenn tonight?", she said, as she made no effort to pour drinks. I noted the slight emphasis on the first part of her sentence. Were she and Glenn together and I hadn't realized it?
"Looks like it. I've got him hooked on boilermakers."
"I didn't think he liked the taste of those....are you sure he wants one?"
"I don't know....he said that he'd never really tried one until just now, but that he liked it......Why?"
Danielle looked over at Glenn for a few seconds. "Nothing, I suppose. I'll bring those right out."
Beer duties accomplished, it was now back to the hard part. Returning to the table, I found my previous beer empty, the bev nap shredded into pieces and nicely placed in the ashtray, and a light spread of salt all over the table. Glenn's nervous habits had been busy, it seemed....
"Where's the beer," he asked, with a somewhat puzzled look in his eye.
"Danielle is bringing them over. She seemed surprised you were drinking boilermakers for some reason, but she finally agreed to make you one. Is there a story there or something?", I asked, somewhat dreading the answer.
"Danielle is....well....we've gone out on a few dates and hung out at parties and stuff. Sometimes she says she thinks I drink too much...."
"So, ya'll are dating....", I asked?
"Well, I think she thinks so, sometimes. Me, I'm not so sure either way," he said in a low voice, looking over my shoulder. "Hey Danielle, thanks for the drinks!," he said, as I heard Danielle coming up behind me with what I assumed was our order.
"No problem, Glen," as she maneuvered directly between our seats to move the beers and shots from her tray to the table. "You gonna' be drinking very much tonight? I'd kinda' hoped you might want to come over and watch a movie at my place. Oh....and you too, Alan, if you want....but you've probably got other plans, right?"
"Yeah....I'm going to hang out here for a while, and then probably head back to my house. I'm not sure I'm up for a movie tonight -- its' been a long week." Damn Danielle. Like I was going to head over to her house to watch a movie in any situation, much less on the basis of an invitation that basically said "please find something else to do so that I don't have to invite you to my house."
"Actually, Danielle, I don't think I'm up for one either, and I really just came in for a beer or two. Working all these hours to fill in for people out for the holidays has about killed me, and I could probably fall asleep in this chair. I think I'm going to have to pass on a movie too, but we can do it pretty much any other night, if you want....?", Glenn said, in a kind of wheedling, soft voice. "I'm just too tired tonight for anything, really."
"Ok, then. But, I'm disappointed, because I haven't gotten to spend any time with you lately. Why don't you just go home now, get a nap, and then you'll be ok by the time I get off work?" Danielle was persistent, at least.
"Ok." Glenn nodded at her, and smiled. "Let me hang out with Alan for a beer so and then maybe I'll go do that. I'll call you tonight if I can come over, OK?"
"OK....I'll wait for you call then....I should be home by 1....so call me after that and tell me when you're coming over, ok? But I gotta' get back to the bar before I get behind so I'll talk to you in a few, OK?" Danielle slid her hand down the back of Glenn's head, and briefly let it rest on his neck. I felt like I was watching a dog mark a sofa, and decided that my night had gone from predictable, to potentially cool, to now, a complete bust. Shot down already, and I hadn't even had a chance to get close enough to ask him out....
Glenn took several sips from his beer as Danielle walked back toward the bar, finally looking up at me and smiling faintly. "Well, maybe she does kinda' think we're dating...."
"Unhuh. I'd say so. In fact, I'd say you've got a date tonight...." I made my mouth grin when I said it -- I'm not sure it looked all that genuine.
"Well. Maybe. But I think I'm just too tired for movies tonight. Either way, I'm going to get out of bar, I think. You about done?"
"Huh?" Again, my mind refused to cooperate with my mouth.
"Are...you...about....done?", Glenn said with a smile. "I've got to go walk around for a while to wake up, and I thought you might want to walk with me. We had some talking to do, remember?" Glenn's voice was wheedling again.
"Um, sure. I'll go walking with ya....let me pay the tab and then we'll go......"
"Actually, let me get the tab. I've been wanting to buy you drinks in here for a long time -- looks like I finally get my chance. Why don't you wait for me out by the patio as I settle up with Danielle?"
"Sounds good. I'll see you outside, then." `Unhuh, I thought. Glenn's going to ditch me, take off with Danielle, and that'll be it.', I thought. At least I'm getting free beer out of the deal, I consoled myself.
As I moved to the outside door, I glanced back at the bar, to see Glenn behind it, his head bowed deep in conversation with Danielle. Glenn was shaking his head from side to side in denial of something, but I couldn't hear what they were saying. And, didn't want to know,' I thought to myself, as I pushed open the door and walked outside into the cold. This better not take long', I thought, as I pulled my coat closer around my body.
(Continued in Chapter #4)