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Toxic Memories |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart 
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During that time of in-between, living in the world of divorce, and trying to find herself, she got a little lost. This was not uncommon back then in the 70’s for most singles or divorcees. Everyone out for themselves, free love, freedom, free to be crazy. Magazines touted feminism; she still wanted love. She wanted to be a part of someone’s life, to matter to someone, pretty much like her Mom and Dad’s wedded life; not all bliss, she knew, but they were une and deux of each other, her thoughts could move his hands, and his love could make her glow. Old fashioned one-ness? Probably, but that is all Liza wanted. To get away from the heat of the late Thursday afternoon following work, she entered The Twilight Lounge with some friends. Impervious to the inhabitants within, she looked forward to a game of pool with the company she was keeping…girlfriends of a sort. More girls, then friends, but someone to be with. Better than being alone. And lonely. She knew some of the regulars, and as her eyes became use to the dimness of the tavern, she spotted some people she knew. And she saw Jake, and his girlfriend, in another argument. Ah, well, some things never change. After putting her money in and starting a game of pool, she more or less forgot the others in the bar, and concentrated on her shots. She was not an expert, but she liked to do her best, even at a game of pool. She also liked to listen to the music over the rumblings of the regulars, and in that way, pretty much had her thoughts to herself before she was interrupted. Jake was there beside her. There was a scent about him, not manly, but different. A little annoying, but ah well, each to their own. He was interested in her game, asked if he could play against her in the next round. She nodded, saying nothing. Jake started talking, though, while the game progressed. Talking about her. Asking questions. Personal questions. She answered, although absently, because she wasn’t interested in another woman’s man. Let that game be for others to play. Suddenly he wasn’t talking about her anymore, he was talking about himself, and his girlfriend, and their breakup. Liza thought to herself “oh, sure, he’ll be back with her by tomorrow.” As that thought ran its way through her head, Jake asked her out for the next night, to dinner. She looked up at his face, he looked serious, and she said “Sure. Pick me up at 7:00.” She placed the cue on the table, turned to her friends, told them good night, and left. Liza didn’t even begin to think that Jake would be there the next night. She had seen the games played between the males and females these past few years. So juvenile. So much for feminism. Everyone on a different playing field, the rules were just reversed. Girls asking boys out. So Sadie Hawkins. She refused to play that game, and men now usually didn’t do the asking, just waited to be asked. No wonder she did not go out often. Although she had readied herself for a date, she didn’t overdress, just in case she ended up eating popcorn for supper while watching television. So she started just a bit when the doorbell rang, and she opened it up to see Jake’s face. There was a paper-wrapped gift in his hand. She let him in, and he handed her the gift. As she opened it, she could smell that curious scent again, and here it was, some cologne in a really pretty bottle. The bottle was nicer than the stink of the cologne, and she wondered why was it that he brought this to her? He didn’t know her that well, certainly not well enough to know what she liked, and this scent, she didn’t like. But she was not the sort of person to be disrespectful, so she thanked him. He asked if she would put some on, and as she had not yet anointed herself with her own choice of fragrance, she consented, hoping that her body chemistry would change the aroma to some form of tolerability for her olfactory senses. The evening progressed smoothly, dinner went well, the movie was good, and they returned to her apartment. Her head ached, though, from the cloying smell of the cologne she wore, and she couldn’t wait for him to leave so she could take a shower and soap the disgusting smell away from her shoulders and neck. He didn’t argue when she told him it was time for him to leave, and he was kind and sweet. Sweet enough to ask for yet another evening out, perhaps the next night? “What the heck” she thought, as the weekend was still before her, and acquiesced, saying to pick her up at 7:00 as he had done tonight. She quickly went in to bathe before retiring for the night. He was there promptly at 7:00 the next night, this time with no gift in his hand. But as he kissed her cheek hello, he asked her if she had put on his gift of perfume from the previous night. She replied she had not, and went to put a small dab on her wrists. Still, the smell of the obnoxious scent overcame her, and she now hoped the night would go swiftly. She quickly rubbed her wrists with some water, diluting the odor, and hoped that he would smell just enough to know it had been used, but not so much that she would gag. After dinner, he took her to The Twilight Lounge for a game of pool. The place was crowded and the usuals were there, spirits seemed to be elevated, and everyone was in a more or less friendly mood. Except for one. Jake’s girlfriend sat over the in corner, nursing a drink and looking glum. She saw Jake first, then Liza, and glared. Liza caught the look but let it slide by, as she was confident that she didn’t ask Jake out, and it had been their argument for his reason to be with her, nothing more. They began a game of pool which was hard enough to play with all of the bodies walking around, but that didn’t keep Liza from centering her concentration on the game. As she was leaning over for an easy shot, her cue was suddenly jerked backwards as Jake’s girlfriend glowered down at Liza. “He’s mine…” she snarled. Liza stood up and looked down at this blonde, pretty girl, who would have been prettier without the red-rimmed eyes. Suddenly she was choking back a gag as the scent of the woman came to her. It was the same scent as the bottle of perfume that Jake had brought to her on their first date. Liza swiftly understood what was going on. “You can have him.” She walked to the phone, called a cab, and went home. The smell of that cologne still bothers her to this day. 11 August, 1999 ©KRJ ------------------ © KRJ Sunshine Words will always express our feelings true. ~~~ KRJ Look, then, into thine heart, and write ~~~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow [This message has been edited by Sunshine (edited 01-21-2000).] |
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| © Copyright 1999 Karilea Rilling Jungel - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Nicole Senior Member
since 1999-06-23
Posts 1835Florida |
Oh WOW! I read every word, read this twice actually. Very well done!! ------------------ "Grief can take care of itself, but to get the full value of joy you must have somebody to divide it with." *Mark Twain* |
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Severn Member Rara Avis
since 1999-07-17
Posts 7704 |
This is really good. Did you intend symbolism with the cologne? I read a lot into it. Very well done. |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Satiate, thanks for the WOW! And yes, Severn, there was symbolism...the perfume was the drawing card, and Jake wanted Liza to be his girlfriend when he closed his eyes and breathed her in. ------------------ Sunshine Words will always express our feelings true. ~~~ KRJ Look, then, into thine heart, and write ~~~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow |
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