by David Wind
John curled his fingers around the glass, lifted it and took another pull. Then he set the glass down and looked up at Sally. The big woman had dark red hair, not the flaming type, and not the dyed type either, but the real Irish red that wavered between flame and rust and was the perfect pairing to her emerald eyes.
In the years he’d known her, he’d never seen her wear clothing that did not suit her. Although she was a large woman, she dressed for her size. And she always, always wore a smile.
John set the glass down, leaned back and said, “Sally, I’m the night watchman at Miller’s Tool and Die. I sit there each night, and watch the metal go to rust as time slides by.”
He paused, took a sip, and went on, “A week ago, I went to the Eastern to get some dinner. The diner was close to empty, you know what this area is like later on a Sunday night. Anyway, I went in and it was pretty slow. I sat in a booth, and there was a lovely lady sitting in the next one. And Lord, she was a vision...she was alright.”
He shook his head, then looked in the mirror for a moment, studying his own features. “Well, it’s pretty plain to see I’m not what you’d call handsome, and she, she was one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen.”
He took another sip of the gin and tonic, set it down, and continued on, “She looked a long way past lonely, and she was definitely lost—lost in a...I don’t know, a human way. And something inside me told me to reach out to her.”
“It took a bit to get my courage strong, because you know I don’t go trying to pick women up, but this time I decided to take a chance and give it a try.”
He paused for a breath, then as he stared at Sally—at the expectant look on her face. He closed his eyes and told her the whole story.
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“And the note read, 'It's time that I moved on' and she was gone.”
Just as he finished his story, the morning barman, Kenny, who had shown up a half hour earlier, came up from the basement, where he was taking inventory.
John was still their only customer, and Sally stood transfixed in the same spot she’d been when he’d started, unaware of the wet paths of tears tracing their way down her cheeks.
She sighed softly and, as she spoke, wiped the bar rag across her eyes. “Oh, John, I wish I was as beautiful as she, or lucky enough that you’re half-blind. And, dear God, I’m sorry I’m so damned fat...and...and...”
She paused, wiped the bar rag across her face again, to staunch the flow of tears. “I wish I was that woman... I wish that you were mine.” She shook her head, her voice catching on the last word. Her eyes flicked from his for a moment, before tracking back.
She sniffed once more. “And I wish you would be with me when I ...when I open my door at home, because we both know the emptiness of being alone.”
John looked at the now empty glass, then he looked into Sally’s large green eyes. He gave her a crooked smile, and nodded to his glass. “I guess I’m out of gin, and Sally, I know we have both been lonely, so if you want me to come with you, well, that’s okay by me. I know I’m going nowhere, and anywhere but lonely is a better place to be.”
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A BETTER PLACE TO BE
by Harry F. Chapin
It was an early morning bar room,
And the place just opened up.
And the little man come in so fast and
Started at his cup.
And the broad who served the whiskey
She was a big old friendly girl.
And she tried to fight her empty nights
By smilin' at the world.
>
And she said, "Hey Bub, it's been awhile
Since you been around.
Where the hell you been hidin'?
And why you look so down ?"
>
But the little man just sat there like he'd never heard a sound.
>
The waitress she gave out with a cough,
And acting not the least put off,
She spoke once again.
>
She said, "I don't want to bother you,
Consider it's understood.
I know I'm not no beauty queen,
But I sure can listen good."
>
And the little man took his drink in his hand
And he raised it to his lips.
He took a couple of sips.
And he told the waitress this story.
>
"I am the midnight watchman down at Miller's Tool and Die.
And I watch the metal rusting, and I watch the time go by.
A week ago at the diner I stopped to get a bite.
And this here lovely lady she sat two seats from my right.
And Lord, Lord, Lord she was alright.
>
"Well, she was so damned beautiful she could warm a winter's frost.
But she was long past lonely, and well nigh kinda lost.
Now I'm not much of a mover, or a pick-em-up easy guy,
But I decided to glide on over, and give her one good try.
And Lord, Lord, Lord she was worth a try.
>
"I was tongued-tied like a school boy, and I stammered out some words.
But it did not seem to matter much, 'cause I don't think she heard.
She just looked clear on through me to a space back in my head.
And it shamed me into silence, as quietly she said,
'If you want me to come with you, then that's all right with me.
Cause I know I'm going nowhere, and anywhere's a better place to be.
Anywhere's a better place to be.'
>
"I drove her to my boarding house, and I took her up to my room.
And I went to turn on the only light to brighten up the gloom.
But she said, 'Please leave the light off, Oh I don't mind the dark.'
And as her clothes all tumbled 'round her, I could hear my heart.
The moonlight shown upon her as she lay back in my bed.
It was the kind of scene I only had imagined in my head.
I just could not believe it, to think that she was real.
And as I tried to tell her she said 'Shhh.. I know just how you feel.
And if you want to come here with me, then that's all right with me.
'Cause I've been oh so lonely, lovin' someone is a better way to be.
Anywhere's a better way to be.'
>
"The morning came so swiftly as I held her in my arms.
But she slept like a baby, snug and safe from harm.
I did not want to share her or dare to break the mood,
So before she woke I went out to buy us both some food.
>
"I came back with my paper bag, to find that she was gone.
She'd left a six-word letter saying, 'It's time that I moved on.'"
>
The waitress took her bar rag, and she wiped it across her eyes.
And as she spoke her voice came out as something like a sigh.
She said, "I wish that I was beautiful, or that you were halfway blind.
And I wish I weren't so god-damned fat, I wish that you were mine.
And I wish that you'd come with me, when I leave for home.
For we both know all about loneliness, and livin' all alone."
>
And the little man,
Looked at the empty glass in his hand.
And he smiled a crooked grin,
He said, "I guess I'm out of gin.
And know we both have been so lonely.
And if you want me to come with you, then that's all right with me.
'Cause I know I'm goin' nowhere and anywhere's a better place to be."
>
A BETTER PLACE TO BE | Words and Music by HARRY CHAPIN.
Copyright © 1972 (Renewed) STORY SONGS, LTD.
All Rights Administered by WB MUSIC CORP.
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Dear Reader,
Thank you for purchasing and reading A Better Place To Be. I hope you have enjoyed my story, as much as I did writing it, and I would love to hear from you about your reading experience.
If you enjoyed reading A Better Place To Be, please tell a friend, and share it with others by writing a review on the website where you downloaded it from (Click Here)even just a sentence or two would be appreciated
Reading your reviews, and receiving emails from you, means a tremendous amount to me. I have included my email address below.
Again, thank you for taking the time to read A Better Place To Be
David
[email protected]
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
David Wind has published thirty-nine novels including Science Fiction, Mystery, and suspense thrillers. He lives and writes in Florida, and shares his house with his wife, Bonnie and dog Alfie, a sub-standard poodle (email him for an explanation).
In 2008, David formally became an independently published writer and published Angels In Mourning, his ‘homage’ to the old time private detective books of the 50’s and the 60’s. He used to sneak them from his parents’ night tables and read them as a young boy. Angels is a contemporary take on the old-style noir detective. Angels In Mourning won the Amazon.com Book of the Month Reader’s Choice Award.
David published the first book of his Sci-Fi fantasy trilogy Tales Of Nevaeh. Born To Magic, was released on February 15, 2015 and has received numerous 5 star reviews, as well as becoming an international Amazon genre Best Seller. Born To Magic is now available as a free eBook download. The second book of the series, The Dark Masters, came out May 15, 2015. The third Book, TRINITY: The Battle For Nevaeh, was released on February 29, 2016.
David's Fantasy, Queen Of Knights, is a medieval fantasy based on history, and his sci-fi paranormal, Infinity's Doorway has received wide acclaim.
He wrote the Medical Thriller, The Whistleblower’s Daughter, with Terese Ramin. The idea for this Medical Legal Thriller came shortly after the death of a close friend. David said, "I couldn't help but wonder about the medication...."
His suspense thrillers are The Hyte Maneuver, (a Literary guild alternate selection); The Sokova Convention; and, The Morrisy Manifest. Down will Come Baby, Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep, and Out Of The Shadows, are mystery suspense novels.
David’s novels have been translated into 11 languages and published in 15 countries.
To learn more about upcoming books, please do sign up for his Newsletter.
David’s Links
David’s website: http://www.davidwind.com
David’s Newsletter
Twitter: @david_wind
Facebook: authordavidwind
Goodreads Authors Page
Currently Available Novels by David Wind
Thrillers & Suspense
The Whistleblower’s Daughter
Out Of The Shadows
The Sokova Convention
The Morrisy Manifest
The Hyte Maneuver
Angels In Mourning
Sci-Fi / Fantasy
Born To Magic, Tales Of Nevaeh, Volume I
The Dark Masters, Tales Of Nevaeh, Volume II
TRINITY, Tales Of Nevaeh, Volume III
Tales of Nevaeh, THE BOXED SET
Prelude To Nevaeh: Roth’s Story (A novella prequel)
Queen Of Knights
Infinity’s Doorway
Short Stories
Prelude to Nevaeh: Roth’s Story: The prequel to Tales Of Nevaeh.
The Guardian At The Edge Of The World – Published in André Norton’s Witch World 2 anthology, TOR Books
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For more information about David Wind, please visit http://www.davidwind.com.
Contents
DEDICATION
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Currently Available Novels by David Wind