by Ward, Alice
“Thanks… for this and for dinner.” I told her as I rose from the stool.
“No problem.” Janette smiled. “I’ll see you soon… and call me as soon as you talk to Max about Saturday.”
I promised her that I would, and then set off for the sanctuary of my tub.
***
I woke up the next morning feeling much better, but my streak of bad luck continued. I arrived for my dinner shift and Orlando’s to discover that Max had called in sick; he had a stomach flu, and expected to be out for the next few days. The relief bartender was a shady, perverted type named Ron who was a cousin of Chase, one of the womanizing kitchen workers. He hit on me in the first ten minutes of my shift; I told him that I was a lesbian, but it only spurred his interest. Soon, he was suggesting incredibly inappropriate group activities. That sent me over the edge, and I stormed in to Steve’s office.
“Are you aware that by employing those Neanderthals, you’re supporting a hostile working environment?” I demanded.
“Oh come on, Kate. They aren’t that bad.” Steve insisted.
“You’re not the one they’re harassing.” I argued. “It’s unbelievable out there. If one of the female employees said to you the kinds of things they say to us, you’d fire them instantly.”
Steve rose from his desk, moved across the room, and shut the office door. He leaned over me and looked me in the eye. “Have any of them touched you inappropriately?” He asked.
“No, but that’s not…” I started but he interrupted me.
“Kate, it is not my job to teach you how to handle aggressive men. That’s something you have to figure out for yourself. The guys show up, they do a good job, and they don’t steal. They also know how to straddle the lines without crossing them. Unless they touch you, there’s nothing I can do about it.” He said firmly.
“You mean that there’s nothing you WILL do about it.” I countered.
He backed away and opened the door once more. “If you don’t like the way things are run around here, you’re welcome to leave. Otherwise, get your ass back to work.”
As I stomped back into the dining room, everything in me wanted to quit and walk out. But that wasn’t an option; if there was one thing I was certain of, it was that my audition fiasco had set my stage career back by leaps and bounds. It was not the time to quit my job; instead, I developed a plan B.
I sauntered into the other room, walked directly behind the bar, and grabbed Ron by the collar of his shirt. I pulled him down to my level and hissed into his ear.
“Listen you slimy piece of shit. I don’t care how hot you think your shit is, or what you do with your dick on your off time. But if you EVER talk to me like that, I’ll cut your balls off. I grew up in Iowa; I know how to castrate a pig.” I said firmly.
All of the color drained from his face the moment ‘castrate’ left my mouth. I released his shirt, backed away, and smiled. “So, do we have an understanding?”
Ron nodded wordlessly and I returned to work.
***
Max didn’t return to Orlando’s until Saturday afternoon. When I arrived for my dinner shift, he was already behind the bar. He smiled widely when I walked in.
“I was wondering if I’d see you today.” He smiled. “I’m sorry if this means that you didn’t get the role. But I’m glad that you’re still here.”
“Thanks,” I said sadly. “I absolutely didn’t get the role… in fact, I may never get another audition after what happened.” I sighed and told him the story of my god awful experience. He tried not to laugh when I reached the part about how I’d thrown up on the show’s lead.
“It’s not funny!” I insisted.
“It’s a little funny.” He argued. “Let some time pass and you’ll be able to see that.” He suddenly became serious. “What I’m wondering is why in the world you got drunk before such an important morning.”
“I didn’t really mean to.” I tried to explain. “Everything just kind of snowballed… first I had to stay here late, and when I got home I decided to have one glass of wine with Janette… that led to a bottle, and a bottle led to two…”
“Didn’t your friend know that you had an audition the next morning? Why didn’t she stop you?” He asked.
“She’s my friend, not my mother.” I answered defensively. “Besides, Janette was pretty drunk herself. She was two glasses in when I got there. It wasn’t her responsibility to babysit me.”
“Alright…” he conceded. “To me, she doesn’t sound like a very good friend, but I don’t know her like you do.”
I decided to take my chances and tell him about Janette’s show that night. “You could get to know her.” I suggested. “Her band, Underground Revival, is playing at Morell’s tonight. I’m meeting some friends there when I get off, why don’t you join me?”
Max blushed and started shifting uncomfortably.
“Unless you’re still not feeling well… or you already have plans.” I added quickly.
“I’m feeling alright,” he said slowly. “It’s just… well, remember when I invited you to the play? I mentioned that I might give Megan the tickets? Well… we ended up going together. We had a really good time, and we’ve been hanging out a lot lately. Then I got sick, and she really stepped up. She brought me medicine, soup, movies… we’re kind of seeing each other now.” He finished.
I was shocked and disappointed, and I tried my best to hide it. “Oh, that’s great!” I said with false sincerity. “Why don’t you bring her with you? It’s just a friendly thing, like I said before, you should both come!”
“Are you sure?” He asked with surprise.
“Of course!” I insisted. “It will be great, I’d love to get to know Megan better.”
“Alright then… well if you’re sure, we’ll probably see you there.”
“Fantastic!” I said. “I’d better get clocked in. See you when my first table orders their drinks!” I laughed awkwardly and rushed back to the main dining room. I pulled my phone out of my back pocket and text Janette.
“I JUST FUCKED UP SO BAD. CALL ME ASAP.”
***
I spent the rest of my shift in a silent panic. The dining room emptied early and I managed to convince Steve to let me off an hour before my shift was over. I needed time to talk things out with Janette and come up with a plan for how to fix the mess I’d just made. I’d brought a change of clothes to work with me, so I changed in the restroom and set off for Morell’s. I threw a quick glance to the bar and saw that Max was busy with a customer, so I left without saying goodbye.
It took me twenty minutes to get to the club. The place was even classier than I’d imagined, and I was glad that Janette had helped me pick out an appropriate outfit. I wore silky black palazzo pants with a fitted blue blouse that matched the color of my eyes. I’d touched up my make-up when I changed, and I knew that I looked good. I still smelled like pasta sauce, but I doubted anyone would get close enough to notice.
I found Janette, Parker, and Mark sitting at a small table directly in front of the dance floor. Parker smiled and waved me over when he saw me. I joined them and took a seat.
“Hey Kate, how was work? Did you invite anyone else to join us and make the night awkward?” Janette teased.
“Ha ha.” I said with a good natured smile. “How about instead of talking shit, you help me come up with a way to handle it.”
“This is the same guy I threw you into at Syd’s, isn’t it?” Mark asked.
“Yes.” I told him.
“I can’t believe you blew him off, Kate.” Mark sighed.
Parker nodded. “I think that from now on, you should put Mark and I in charge of your personal life.”
“Consider it done.” I said quickly. “Who wants to be in charge of my career? Cause I’ve been making horrific decisions all around lately.”
Mark laughed. “It’s not as bad as you think.” He assured me.
Janette nodded. “I talked to Serena this afternoon. A producer and
a lighting tech were caught doing the nasty in a prop room at Lincoln. Everyone’s talking about that now; they’ve forgotten all about you.”
“Thank God for small favors.” I laughed. “Where is Serena, I thought she’d be here tonight.”
“She’s working.” Janette reminded me. “Bridget’s not coming either. She has an early appointment in the morning.”
“On a Sunday?” I asked.
Mark shrugged. “She works around her clients’ schedules. Don’t worry though, Parker and I have your back tonight.”
Parker nodded. “With any luck, Max and Megan won’t even show tonight. But if they do, we’ll make sure Max sees that he’s here with the wrong woman. This Megan girl may be nice, but I can’t believe that she’s hotter than you.”
“You guys are so sweet.” I beamed. “Which one of you wants to buy me my first drink?”
“I’ll do the honors.” Mark said as he rose from the table. “What’s your poison?”
“I’ll have a kamikaze shot and a Bud Light.” I told him.
“Bring me the same.” Parker smiled. “On second thought, give them the credit card, order us all a round, and tell them to keep them coming.”
“You’re feeling generous.” Janette smiled and teased him. “Are you going to send some of those drinks to the stage? I’ve got to get up there soon for sound check.”
“You know I’ll take care of you.” Parker smiled. “I just landed a big account. I figured I could spoil everyone tonight, since Kate took care of us after the show.”
“Looks like we need to tell Mark to add two more rounds to the order.” Janette said, nodding towards the entrance.
I turned just in time to watch Max and Megan walk through the door, arm in arm.
***
Max and Megan didn’t spot us immediately; I was the only one they’d recognize, and I turned my back to them so I could compose myself. Mark arrived with four shots just as I was considering darting off to the bathroom and climbing out the window.
“The waitress is coming with the beers; I told them to bring us a fresh round in twenty minutes, and to keep them coming every forty-five minutes after that.” Mark explained. I grabbed a shot out of his hand and slammed it back. The vodka sent warmth through my body but did little to relax my nerves.
“Have mine too, I’m already three ahead of you.” Janette insisted. “Hurry up and throw it back; we’ve been spotted.”
I swallowed the second shot; as I placed the glass back onto the table, I heard Max’s voice call out my name.
“Kate?”
I turned and smiled at them as they approached the table. “I’m so glad you guys could make it.” I smiled and gestured to the two empty seats. “Please, sit down. Max and Megan, this is Janette, Parker, and Mark.”
Everyone said polite hellos and then an awkward silence came over the table. Megan looked uncomfortable and Max seemed to be rethinking his decision to join us.
“So, how were things at Orlando’s after I left?” I asked, struggling to make conversation.
“It stayed pretty slow.” Max sighed. “It runs in cycles… when new shows open, business slows down. A month or so after opening night, the dinner rush will pick up again.”
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” Janette broke in. “I’ve got to get on stage. I hope you enjoy, I’ll see you after the first set.”
“Good luck gorgeous,” Parker told her. He stood and kissed her on the top of her head. “I’ll keep drinks coming your way.”
“You’re too good to me.” She laughed and then darted to the stage.
“So, how long have you and Janette been together?” Max asked Parker. Mark and I burst into laughter.
“Janette and I aren’t a couple,” Parker with an amused grin. “I’ve actually been with Mark for almost five years.”
Max blushed. “Oh man, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it!” Parker assured him. “It’s an easy mistake to make. We’re really good friends, and I can flirt with her without Mark getting jealous.”
A waitress arrived with our next round of drinks; she took Max and Megan’s orders and disappeared back into the crowd. I’d been so focused on what was happening at the table that I hadn’t noticed the bar fill up.
“I can’t believe there are so many people here.” I observed. “I’m so glad you guys got here early and saved the table.”
“I hope you don’t think I’m going to just let you sit her all night.” Mark smiled. “As soon as the band starts, you and I are hitting the dance floor.”
“Alright, but I’ll need at least two more shots first.” I laughed. “I need to forget this past week completely before I can have any fun.”
Max leaned in close to me and whispered. “Maybe you should slow down a little… isn’t getting shitfaced what led to your awful week in the first place?”
I was drunk enough to be enraged by his words but sober enough to react appropriately. “I’m fine, Max. I can handle myself, I’m just having a little fun.” I whispered back. He didn’t seem satisfied by my answer but he didn’t push it. Max leaned back in his seat; Megan shot me a look that said she would like to punch me in the face. It was obvious that she’d never wanted to be there; I wished that I’d never opened my mouth and invited them. As I tried to think of a way to offer them an out, Underground Revival started their sound check. The band played through half of a song before they were satisfied that their equipment was set properly. The music stopped suddenly, the band members each took a long drink, and then Janette approached the microphone.
She wore an elegant, simple black dress with long sleeves and a modest neckline. Her hair fell loose around her shoulders and she reminded me of a cross between Steve Nicks and Janis Joplin.
“Good evening and thank you all for coming out to see us.” She said to the crowd. “We’re Underground Revival and tonight we’re going to perform a variety of classic covers, as well as some of our own original songs. If anyone out there has requests, we’ll be happy to try and make them happen. Right now we’re going to start with one of our favorites, so relax, order a drink, and enjoy.”
The music started and Janette launched into the lyrics of ‘Creep’ by Radiohead. Her sultry voice hit the notes perfectly; I glanced at Max and Megan and could see that they were impressed. The waitress reappeared with their drinks; they whispered back and forth for a minute and then ordered a second round.
“You’re friend is really good.” Megan said as the waitress disappeared.
“She’s fantastic.” I agreed. “Wait until you hear her sing ‘Summertime’.”
Megan gave me a confused look and I realized that she had no idea what I was talking about. “It’s an old school blues song.” I explained.
“Oh!” She replied. “I think I know what you’re talking about. They use that one a lot on American Idol, don’t they?” She asked with a proud smile. Mark tried to stifle a laugh; it came out as a snort instead.
“I’m sure they do.” I agreed kindly. Personally, I’ve never watched the singing competition, but I wanted to be friendly and agreeable.
“Well, we were thinking about leaving after the first set, but maybe we’ll stay for the whole thing. I didn’t realize the band was so good.” Megan smiled.
“Oh, you have to stay until the end.” I insisted. “Summertime is usually the encore.” ‘Damn it, I did it again.’ I realized. ‘First I invite them, now I’m giving them excuses to stay. I’ve got to get control of myself.’ I turned to Mark as the band started a faster tune.
“I believe I owe you a dance.” I said with a smile. I shot Parker a look and hoped that he’d realize it meant ‘get rid of them’. He nodded at me with a grin; Mark took me by the hand and led me onto the dance floor.
“I have to tell you Kate, when you fuck something up you do it all the way.” Mark teased me as we moved against each other. “You realize that you basically just begged them to stay?”
“Yes, that’s why we’re out her
e. I had to get away before I made it even worse. Do you think that Parker will be able to get rid of then?” I asked hopefully.
“Sure, he’ll just bore them to death.” Mark laughed. “He’s so excited about the new account he just landed. By the time we get back to the table, Max and Megan will know more than they ever wanted to about the world of advertising.”
“Could we dance towards the bar and get another drink?” I asked.
“Your wish is my command.” He smiled and spun me towards the bar. He ordered us each two shots. We did them back to back and then made our way back to the dance floor.
“We should find a new guy for you to spin me into.” I suggested as we swayed to a slow song. “That worked pretty well last time.”
Mark laughed. “I’m not spinning you into another man until you learn what to do with one.” He teased. “I still can’t believe you blew him off like that and then ended up working with him.”
“Yes, it’s hilarious.” I replied sarcastically. “A comedy for the ages. Now, could we focus our attention back to the task at hand? What about that blonde guy over there?”
Mark pulled me close and looked me in the eye. “Kate, you’ve had a horrible week. Everything that could go wrong did, and you’re emotional. You’re also drunk. It’s my duty as your friend to keep you from doing anything stupid. You can’t hook up with some random guy, it won’t make you feel better.”
“Alright,” I sighed. I laid my head on his shoulder. “You’re a pretty good friend, you know that?”
“Thank you. I promise that when you’re feeling better, we’ll go dancing and I’ll spin you in to as many men as you want.” He laughed.
The music died out and Janette announced that it was time for the band’s first set break. “I guess we should get back to the table.” I sighed. “I hope Parker managed to get rid of…” my voice trailed off as our table came into view. Parker was nowhere to be found; Max and Megan were taking advantage of their alone time. They kissed passionately, their bodies entwined like two trees that’d grown together. We reached the table and Mark cleared his throat.