I didn't even remember I was driving. I just kept fading in and out of consciousness. My thoughts kept pulling at me, tugging at my mind and I never wanted to get home faster.
But even there, I wouldn't be safe. They would continue to haunt me, even when I left the lights on in my room. It always felt dark and stuffy. Turning to take a right on a corner street that led home I noticed a neon sign. It read, "Coded Pot". It was meant to be coded spot but the "S" had fallen off and nobody seemed to be inclined to do anything about it.
I was 10 minutes away from home but my mind was too tired to make the journey so I pulled over and parked in an open spot. For a few minutes, I sat behind the wheel wondering if I really wanted to do this. I hadn't done anything like this in years, not like there was anyone to do it with.
Opening the car door, I shook out my hair from the bun it had been in and untucked my shirt. Looking down at the heels I was wearing, I frowned. Those had to go too. Luckily, I had a spare set of sneakers in the back seat. Finally satisfied with the casual look I'd accomplished, I picked up my purse and phone and went into the bar.
Entering into the bar, the first thing I noticed was the warm air. It was thick with cigarette smoke but had a subtle hint of something sweet. The bar was arranged in an unusual fashion for Lagos bars, The entrance was right next to the bartender and the seats stretched out into the rest of the space in the room. There were a few cubicles tucked near the walls, some next to windows but a slow fan helped to circulate the warm air and kept the ventilation system working.
I sat at the far end of the table on a stool facing the bartender, I wasn't in the mood to be disturbed. Earlier, I had noticed the occupants of the place were mostly men and not all of them looked like the gentle sort.
" What will you have?" I looked up to see the bartender had moved over to me. He had an apron around his waist and a napkin hanging in his shoulder. His face was the generic sort that you forgot after a glance but his beard and a scar by his right eye kept him from looking boring.
"I really don't know, haven't been out drinking in a long time. Anything you want to recommend for a loner like me?" I gave out a soft laugh, he smiled back. "Normally..." He changed positions and rested on the counter while he threw a wink at me. "I would tell you not to be so hard on yourself, but if I did. I wouldn't have any customers now would I?" We both laughed at that.
"Tell you what, I'll start you out with a special mix and you can thank me later when you feel you buzz hitting right." I smiled and told him thank you. He left to make my drink and I was alone again. Checking the time, I saw it was 8:30pm. I wasn't about to leave this place unless I was 2 minutes away from dropping.
As he brought my first glass, I made myself more comfortable on the seat, "Enjoy" he said. I told him to keep them coming. It was going to be a long night.
****
"Errrh ehmm!" I flinched, what the hell? Looking away from my drink I noticed a man was standing next to me. He was the culprit who had cleared his throat so loudly.
Apparently, he was trying to get my attention. I wasn't honestly inclined to give it to him. He wasn't the first man to annoy me today but I figured they had already given up after the cold and markedly uninterested replies I had given the first 2 and blatantly refusing to acknowledge the existence of the third.
But this guy would not take a hint and refused to be ignored either. He poked my side twice to which I turned outraged eyes and a murderous glare on him. "What?!". Either he was extremely stupid or he was very good at playing dumb.
I figured he simply had no manners.
" Fine girl... Why are you sitting here alone ehn? That's just too bad! It shouldn't be. Are you waiting for someone? Did the person stand you up? Ehyaaaa. That's how men behave sometimes, but don't worry. I'm here for you".
At this point, I wondered what exactly the universe wanted from me. This had to be like some sort of test. Here I was fighting the urge to break a bottle of beer on his head while he continued edging into my personal space with his pot belly and bald head. I turned to answer " look, I just want to be alone tonight and I don't want to waste my time arguing with you. Either you get up and leave or I will."
As I watched him attempt to climb into the stool next to me while he ignored my warning. I tried to calm myself and arrived at the conclusion that the best option would be to leave the bar rather than be violent.
He hadn't finished sitting when a large hand slammed on the counter and shocked the both of us, sending him flailing until he fell backwards and landed heavily on the ground due to the height of the tall stool, the effect of gravity, his weight, and probably his stupidity combined.
I burst out laughing, I couldn't help it. It was the way in which he kept writhing like a worm that had encountered salt as he lay on the floor. I was a bit surprised to hear the loud roar of laughter that accompanied mine as I looked up to see that most of the seats in the bar had been filled up with men who were looking to spend the evening out.
Huffing indignantly, the man finally managed to get up and moved to leave but turned around to have the last word. "You this proud thing! Do you know wh"- another loud slam interrupted him as the bartender gently placed the glass with my drink on the table in front of me before he turned to pointedly stare at the man and then the door.
He left peacefully, The other men in the bar made ribald jokes about the poor man on the floor and it suddenly occurred to me that I might have been there for a while longer than I thought.
Turning my attention back to the gentle barman behind the counter who had been mixing my drinks all night. I smiled softly and said, "Thank you again, it seems I'll have to double up on your tip. You've taken such great care of me." He shook his head and passed me another drink. " Nah... Don't mention it, it's on the house. It's not every day I get to see a pretty face in here. I'm not gonna let some mannerless lout chase you off till you're ready to leave on your own."
As I polished of the last drink, I checked my time, it was already 1:00am, time to leave. True to his words, no other man had bothered me since then and I'd had all the time to wallow and sulk. Plus the drinks had made me feel really good and my mood was generally elevated.
I tapped the bell on the counter to get his attention and asked for my tab as I pulled out my purse and started searching for my car keys.
" It's been taken care of already, don't worry about it." I felt my mouth swing open as I asked him to repeat what he said. He started laughing at my reaction, but it wasn't funny to me! Not one bit. I mentally tried to calculate how many drinks I'd had over the course of the night and wanted the ground to swallow me. I had been pouring it back like a thirsty camel without knowing someone else had volunteered to pay for me. I gulped.
There was simply no way I was gonna owe a random stranger that much money. I wasn't comfortable with the idea at all. Nothing in this life was totally free and chilvary simply did not exist.
" Sorry, um is there anyway you can just let me pay instead?"
" No can do ma'am" the Bartender chuckled.
"First come first pay" . He was still laughing and enjoying the look of shock on my face but when he noticed the discomfort and he sighed.
"But if it really bothers you, you can just talk to the person and explain your misgivings. How's that? " he asked.
I exhaled," that would be wonderful! So who is it? Did the person leave a number?"
"Huh?" He answered, "Oh no, he didn't but he's over there ... The last seat at the back by that window. There's a guy there. He's the one. "
Picking up my things, I started towards the back to find out just who this kind stranger was. I was in for a surprise.