2011年9月7日 Guests

I woke up slightly hungover to a tapping noise coming from the office door. At first I did my best to ignore it, and in most cases my best isn't much. Thankfully I believe in having a back up plan, or plans, so I motioned towards the 45 player. Vivo Sohando started to play and I turned up the volume until I couldn't hear anymore tapping on the door.

At my desk there was some beer left in an opened bottle, warm or not I finished it off and wondered about having another for breakfast.

"Hello? I know you're in there, open the door." The familiar and disembodied voice said over the music. Can't she take a hint? Without turning down the music I walk for the door unlocking as I pulled it open slightly.

"Rick, I was hoping..."

It's her alright.

"Just sit the hell down." I said piping over her quiet voice, opening the door just enough for her to come in. Tatige placed a tote bag next to a chair adjacent from me. She appeared to have some conscious desire to make her self as comfortable as possible, and it was even more clear as she crossed her legs. I decided to stand and I watched her lips purse in a unnatural fashion as she stared at my hands while I opened a new beer.

"It's not even after 2 o'clock yet, look at you."

"That may be so, but it is after 10 am."

"You didn't meet me at Le'Blanc so I was worried about you."

"Like that matters. What do you want?"

"If you'd give me a minute I could explain, and you can't tell me what I can and cannot feel."

"I can if you've told me."
"Things change." She said pivoting in her seat to turn off the record player.

"No they don't, they just get tolerable over time."

"Are you even-"

"Just give me the fucking file." I said almost spitting at her. I was so angry, how could she interrupt a man's breakfast, for the love of God. She motioned towards her tote and pulled out a file, there couldn't have been more than three or four pages in, and maybe a picture or two from the angle.

"Now I don't really know how to explain these things, it's all just a mess and I'm sure you'll understand when you see it." It came into my hands and just skimming over the first few paragraphs I realized why Tatige was in my office and not elsewhere. We have worked together on some assignments in the past, when things were getting out of hand with some out of towners. I didn't need to finish even the first page before my tongue took over.

"Get the fuck out of here!"

She shook nervously at my voice. 

"Get the fuck out, get out now!"

I watched her hurriedly pick up her tote and walk out. Thankfully she didn't slam the door. After a few seconds, I threw the file on the ground near the file cabinet. Then I got up and put a sign on the outside of the door. Unavailable until further notice. I walked back to my desk and started to work on the beer I had neglected from her interruption.

Glancing at the file from across the room, I had half a mind to chuck the fucking beer at the office door. Then what would you do for breakfast? I smirked slightly, sitting down behind the desk. Rubbing my head frowning, I couldn't help but realize that nothing was gained at all today. But isn't there tomorrow? Not if it doesn't have booze. You're an alcoholic. You enjoy it too. Yeah, but do we really need it? Unlike women this bottle isn't going to grow legs and walk out. Keep telling yourself that. The voice of reason, albeit hungover, countered. I didn't enjoy having dialog with myself when I felt this way. 

"There wasn't anything else that I could do." I chimed under my breath. At least we agree on something.

***

Outside the building the woman approached a neatly dressed man who was smoking by a telephone pole.

"So?" The smoking man said whistling the words as held a cigarette between his teeth.

"Well, I'm actually surprised, because before this he generally denied how he felt about it."
"Hmm?"
"I let him keep the papers, but you should have seen how he reacted! What a child."
"Can you blame him?" The smoking man said as he reached inside his jacket pocket for more cigarettes.
The woman made a sharp stare at the man, who did not seemed bothered at all.
"What I think is that it's none of your business."

"Do you really think it's okay to let him decide on this?" The man spoke raising his eyebrows towards her.
"Let's just go, I don't want to be here right now."