xxxxxxxxxxDialogue: #0C5808
xxxxxxxxxxxSong: Back in Black
“Listen up, Greg. I don’t give a shit about your anger management or the Good Samaritan shtick you’ve got going. I don’t owe you or anyone a goddamn thing and if and when I decide to ‘clean up my act’ will be on my time and on my terms. You’ve skipped over annoyance entirely and jumped straight into the deep end of pissing me off. So, I suggest you get your shit and get the fuck out of my bar.”
Liz, as she had introduced herself, was livid. So much so that her anger was almost palpable. Clearly, his words had hit a nerve. Most people would steer clear of a subject that the person is sensitive to, but her outburst only made him that much more determined to help her.
Looking at her now, he saw a little bit of himself in her. Angry and defensive, lashing out at people before they have a chance to do it first. He couldn't begin to think that he understood her because he didn't. It's impossible to truly understand a person, but he could relate to her. She was holding things back, keeping things hidden, and he needed to show her that those kinds of actions led down a dark path. His past phase of self-destruction was still at the forefront mind, haunting him as a constant reminder of the person he had been. Not to say that he was a saint now, but he liked to think that he learning from his mistakes and improving himself as a person every day. And for some reason, he felt compelled to keep this girl from ruining her life.
However, he wasn't suicidal and he knew that if he kept bothering her now that she would snap. So, he stood from his seat and pulled a piece of paper out of his wallet. Without saying anything, he wrote down his number with Greg written beneath it, and laid it on the counter of the bar. She would probably throw it in the trash, but Greg wasn't anything if he wasn't persistent.
"It wasn't my intention to offend you, I was only trying to be nice. But I'll obey your wishes and call it a night." He turned and walked towards the door. Before he walked out though, he turned back at her to say,"I'm sure we'll see each other again Elizabeth Brisbane. I get the feeling that this is the beginning of a special friendship." With that, he winked at her and headed for his apartment.
*****
The next week had been as uneventful as always. Work, anger management classes, and sleep with his occasional random walks thrown in there. Though, he had added something new to his routine.
Every day, he would stop by the High Dive whenever he was free from work, and drop off a piece of paper with his number on it. Greg wouldn't talk to her, wouldn't speak a word, he would only drop of the paper and leave. If she wasn't working, then he just told whatever bartender was working to pass it on to her. It was his way of catching her attention or at least a way of saying, 'Hey, I'm still here.'
Whether it worked the way he wanted it to or not was up to her, but he would still continue to make himself known to her. Today, he had a different plan in mind. It was a Friday night, he didn't have to work tomorrow, and he planned on talking to Liz. Entering the bar that had now become familiar to him, he was pleased to see that Liz was working. It was crowded tonight, loud chatter filled the room, upbeat music playing in the background. All of the bar stools were taken by people that were hollering out order after order. She was obviously busy, so Greg did what he had been doing the past week. He sent her a note.
This one didn't have his number though, it said, "Go out with me after your shift is over?" underneath, it was signed,
"Your friend, Greg." He tapped the man sitting on the stool in front of him. "Can you pass this down to the bartender for me?" The man responded with a simple "Sure." and passed it down the line of people. He eagerly watched as the person in front of Liz reached out a hand to give her the note.
If she trashed the note, then he would simply have to wait until the bar cleared out or her shift ended, whatever one happens first. He was fiercely determined to spend time with her, get to know her a little better outside of this bar. If he had to keep bothering her for a year to get her to do something with him, he would.
Liz, as she had introduced herself, was livid. So much so that her anger was almost palpable. Clearly, his words had hit a nerve. Most people would steer clear of a subject that the person is sensitive to, but her outburst only made him that much more determined to help her.
Looking at her now, he saw a little bit of himself in her. Angry and defensive, lashing out at people before they have a chance to do it first. He couldn't begin to think that he understood her because he didn't. It's impossible to truly understand a person, but he could relate to her. She was holding things back, keeping things hidden, and he needed to show her that those kinds of actions led down a dark path. His past phase of self-destruction was still at the forefront mind, haunting him as a constant reminder of the person he had been. Not to say that he was a saint now, but he liked to think that he learning from his mistakes and improving himself as a person every day. And for some reason, he felt compelled to keep this girl from ruining her life.
However, he wasn't suicidal and he knew that if he kept bothering her now that she would snap. So, he stood from his seat and pulled a piece of paper out of his wallet. Without saying anything, he wrote down his number with Greg written beneath it, and laid it on the counter of the bar. She would probably throw it in the trash, but Greg wasn't anything if he wasn't persistent.
"It wasn't my intention to offend you, I was only trying to be nice. But I'll obey your wishes and call it a night." He turned and walked towards the door. Before he walked out though, he turned back at her to say,"I'm sure we'll see each other again Elizabeth Brisbane. I get the feeling that this is the beginning of a special friendship." With that, he winked at her and headed for his apartment.
*****
The next week had been as uneventful as always. Work, anger management classes, and sleep with his occasional random walks thrown in there. Though, he had added something new to his routine.
Every day, he would stop by the High Dive whenever he was free from work, and drop off a piece of paper with his number on it. Greg wouldn't talk to her, wouldn't speak a word, he would only drop of the paper and leave. If she wasn't working, then he just told whatever bartender was working to pass it on to her. It was his way of catching her attention or at least a way of saying, 'Hey, I'm still here.'
Whether it worked the way he wanted it to or not was up to her, but he would still continue to make himself known to her. Today, he had a different plan in mind. It was a Friday night, he didn't have to work tomorrow, and he planned on talking to Liz. Entering the bar that had now become familiar to him, he was pleased to see that Liz was working. It was crowded tonight, loud chatter filled the room, upbeat music playing in the background. All of the bar stools were taken by people that were hollering out order after order. She was obviously busy, so Greg did what he had been doing the past week. He sent her a note.
This one didn't have his number though, it said, "Go out with me after your shift is over?" underneath, it was signed,
"Your friend, Greg." He tapped the man sitting on the stool in front of him. "Can you pass this down to the bartender for me?" The man responded with a simple "Sure." and passed it down the line of people. He eagerly watched as the person in front of Liz reached out a hand to give her the note.
If she trashed the note, then he would simply have to wait until the bar cleared out or her shift ended, whatever one happens first. He was fiercely determined to spend time with her, get to know her a little better outside of this bar. If he had to keep bothering her for a year to get her to do something with him, he would.