twitch My Muse twitch

A Story by Jeff

OnTap1-slash-Allow Me to Set the Scene

Another crazy day at work has wiped the floor with me, dragged me up by the scruff of the neck and kicked me out the door. Not quite ready to go home, I find myself wandering the unfamiliar streets of a town that I'm not quite sure how I got to. I make to look at my watch to see just how long I've been mucking about when a stunningly attractive woman that looked an awful lot like the woman I saw at the train station a few months ago trots across the street and enters what seems to be a hole-in-the-wall pub that I hadn't noticed even though a few seconds before I was looking at the exact same spot. The hopeless romantic that I keep locked up inside of me began to rattle the bars of his cage, screaming incoherently about 'serendipity' (whatever the hell that is), seizes control of my feet and drags me inside.

I move to a table in one of the quieter corners of the pub, which seems to have an interior obscenely disproportionate to its exterior. I fully admit that I was not paying a whole lot of attention as I entered, but there is no way in hell that the outside and inside of this place are in the same building! I slide my messenger bag of of my shoulder and onto one of the empty chairs at the table, then I shake my jacket off and lay it on top of my bag. As I sit, the aerodynamically curvaceous waitress sidles up to me, puts her hand on my shoulder and smiles at me. I didn't realize how thirsty I actually was until that very moment. Before I could order, she placed a drink in front of me and sashayed back to the bar with such an enticing wiggle of her ample hips it ought not to be allowed (but I am so glad that it is).

Scanning the room, I find the woman I had followed in here. She is standing on stage and welcoming us all to the Hair of the Dog. She introduces George and Mabel and invites anyone that's brave enough to come up to the stage.

Crap! I'm in a writers' pub! I don't belong in here. Firstly, I'm nowhere near as intelligent as anyone here (most likely, including the dog); and though I do write a little, I've been in a drought for the better part of two years. I've been trying to break through it, trolling for muses, reading articles about writer's block, I even considered taking a writing course, but nothing worked. Not a day goes by that I don't want to write, but the well has seemed to run dry. However, sitting in this pub and completely surrounded by strangers I feel the beginnings of a spark. I throw my jacket to the floor and fling open my bag to grab my pen and notebook. I open to a blank page, pen in hand, my fingers aquiver in anticipation...

...and nothing...

...again...

Frustrated, I slam my pen against my notebook and, without thinking, take a long pull from the drink that Mabel brought me. I examine the half-emptied glass and look about the room as I place it back on its coaster. There she is! A flame ignites in my brain and before I realize what's happening my pen is back in my hand and I am halfway through a sort-of missed connections-type short. My pen falls from my hand as I finish and I tear the paper from my notebook. I finish my drink and catch Mabel's eye. She sauntered over with a knowing look and a seductive smile. I hand her all the money in my pocket along with the piece of paper. I thank Mabel profusely and ask her to buy a drink of whatever that beautiful woman is having and ask that she bring the note to her as well. Mabel leaves with a wink and after stopping at the bar, navigates the pub and its occupants as only someone who had been doing it a long time could over to the leader of the group.

I watch as she reads the note and looks up in the direction that Mabel points. I am no longer at my seat, however, and exit the bar with a wave of thanks to George. Outside in the cool night air, I put on my ball cap and light a cigarette. One last look inside, I see the Leader of the Group and say out loud to myself before walking away, "My God, you're beautiful."

© 2011 Jeff

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Nicole (Carpe Diem)

Love the story... fantastic details and i totally understand the frustration - and the 2 years... as i feel like that is what i have encountered - or have been in...