Well…
I met him. It's an event that I shall never forget. Emblazoned in my
memory, every detail of the night. I arrived on Broadway, the Green
Lounge was a newer bar there, A two level building that sprung up
while I was in the Air force. Gentrification had started to effect my
old neighborhood. Well, Not really, My mother lived in this area,
still does really, but, the point is the neighborhood was becoming
unrecognizable. Hip people in fine clothes coming to a part of town
where just years ago they would have been afraid to tread.
We used to have an insult growing up based on the amount of
prostitutes that walked these streets at night, and now, I see none.
Corporate interests have definitely over taken the area. “I wonder
how many people were displaced by this?” I thought as I made my way
to a small line in front of the club. Music was audible through the
walls, but not trance, or dance, or any other kind of pounding base,
but, a more 70's tone. I can't quite make out the song, but, that
isn't my worry at the moment. The crowd is already making me nervous.
“It's only 7:30, how did these people even find the time or money
to be here right now?” ran through my head.
I make it to the door, the man at it looks me up and down, gives a
sniff, apparently I'm not fancy dress enough for him, I can see the
disdain in his expression, but, he lets me in with a “have fun,”
followed by a mumbled something I can't make out. I ignore him and
look at the room. My eyes are taken in with the emerald walls and
crimson booths, A band is at the far side of the small bar, The
melody of The Righteous Brothers “Lost That Loving Feeling”
coming from them and doing a fairly good job, though not perfect. The
bar was Mahogany and an aging man stands behind it with the standard
mirror and liquor. I don't see him yet, but he did say 8. So I take a
booth near the band and wait. Having a Gin and tonic to cover my
minimum.
The band had taken a break, apparently finishing one set at the end
of the dinner rush. They would probably reconvene in about an hour,
or, hour and a half for the night life rush. I used some of this time
to try and peek upstairs, Turns out it was open, a small sign let me
know there was a bistro up there. The same kind of walls were up
there, but, the tables and chairs were more fit for a calming street
side cafe. I scanned the faces of the patrons, he wasn't there. I
took a menu and turns out I can order from the bar Downstairs, so I
look it over and continue to wait.
I
didn't have much of a wait. Eight o'clock on the dot according to my
phone he wandered in. A gray suit and short quaffed blonde hair. He
looked a bit like me, Height similar, but, eyes and hair different,
as well as his body shape, More
like a football player, Broad shoulders and wide frame where as I am
thinner in the shoulders built more like a runner just much more
unfit, and, face shape, mine
is more oblong and egg shaped, his is more square,
similar but
very different. We were often mistaken for fraternal twins when
we were young. It was definitely someone with either a great plastic
Surgeon or… maybe… Someone who has the same parents. That one is
Definitely impossible though, I am the oldest of my parent's children
and the only sibling I had, well, you remember the reasons laid out
in the last post… Entry? Never mind, that's not important, what is,
is the person that claimed to be my brother was here.
He saw me, smiled and walked over to my booth. “Hey DJ, How's life
been?” He asked. He knew my name, my email, looks very similar to
an aged version of my brother and had the same eyes. It was him. My
brother was alive. “How?” I asked, low, and I must have looked
stunned. He saw my glass, “Seems like you got started early. I'll
get you another, and a whiskey sour for me.” His eyes flit to the
lime on the glass, “SoCo, or Gin?” I snapped from my stupor and
answered “Gin and Tonic, Thanks. I...” my brain couldn't decide
what to say, “I saw you die,” “I''m doing well,” “where've
you been?”
He smiled and walked over to the bar, ordered and came back with the
drinks. “G'n'T for you and Whiskey Sour for me,” he said setting
the glasses down with a clink. “What have you been up to since the
Air Force?” he asked. I drank heavily from the glass to attempt to
calm my nerves, “I have been working at an office. I answer phones
and resolve conflict.” A dumb way of saying I'm the IT guy, but,
I'm sitting next to a lawyer, and, not just any lawyer, my brother
who made himself a lawyer. He'd be a bit disappointed in me if I just
said IT.
“So you're customer service? Wow, the world is definitely on hard
times then. Need a place to stay?” “NO!” I shouted quickly
after he asked, then, realizing what I had done, finished my drink,
“No, I'm an information technology specialist. I'm doing fairly
well and have a nice place. I've been dealing with… Issues from our
past.” I say. I can't bring my self to say since you died. My life
was now thrown into shambles. “Why has it been so long? Well, aside
form you being out of state, We need to do this more often.” He
said and drank. I felt a deep hurt, and, from there we drank and
talked of old times. His broken bones, The dares he took, and I asked
after times I wasn't there for.
He told me of High school, graduating with a C average and of the
friends he made. He mentioned some times I was there for, but, I have
no recollection of. I made an excuse at about 8:30 something about
needing to be at work tomorrow and got a Lyft home. I need to do
research. Both into the events as I remember them, and the events as
he does. He shared memories with me that only he could have. He's…
He's real, I need to know what's going on. I'll keep you up to date. Hopefully I can find something.
Comments
Post a Comment