Mata Hari

Mata Hari, the Speak Easy bar in Savannah, GA, is where the quietest tragedy takes place every Saturday night.

The Doorman, with his nerdy glasses, beady eyes, small mouth and our conversations about computer games

Dim, moody Lighting

The Pool Table

Velvet Couches

The famous Elephant table

So many SCAD Students chatting around the Elephant table nursing vodka drinks, wanting to be somebody

The beautiful Staff; their stylishly cut-off tuxedos

The DJ

The Piano the DJ sits in

The Laptop, rested on the piano keys, that the DJ ironically uses to play swing music popular before the 1970s

The Doctors, Lawyers and Business Owners who are dumb enough to buy a membership key

The Mens Room, of which the lock is broken

The Stage

The silver Microphone, with its meager grille

“Marvin Gaye,” “The O’Jays,” “The Chi-Lites”

The periodic Singer, who sings too low to really hear the words she croons

The Boredom of my elbow resting on his shoulder, back straight, eyes cut, mouth casually slack

The Bourbon Ginger, which is never strong enough

The Upper-Middle Class Tourists who stare at me and who suddenly feel out of place

The Tall Glass of his Jack & Coke tilted as he pours the drink down in his worn, gunk-infested gullet, which has never explored mine (for which I’m thankful)

The Fourth Glass of Bourbon Ginger I desperately gulp down to give me courage

The Dance Floor, set in between the stage and the seats

The Dance I perform, alone, while he watches me, beaming

The furtive Glances at the Doorman, with his slicked back ponytail and strong hands, as he looks past my dancing

The Fat, Black Girl whose hand I grab and escort onto the dance floor

The loathed Walk back to him

The Chill of the sinking in the pit of my stomach as he rests his hand casually on the small of my back

“Do you want another drink?” “I want to go.”

The Doorman as he opens the door on our way out

“Have a good night, Mr. Summers.”

The Catch of my breath

“Goodnight, Lavon.”

“Goodnight, John...”

Reviews

[Sami Khalil]

Thank you for sharing...:)