WC 9: Three Whats
What?
I smash my knee into the seat in front of me. I'm awoken suddenly by something furry running across my foot. Its fur brushes above my sock. I think its a spider, but when I regain composure and look to check I spot a tail disappear under the seat in front.
My neck starts to ache and I look around. The bus is rusting a little but the seat I'm on is still in the same condition as when I got on the bus. Outside the windows is a single tree. We seem to be on some hilltop and I can see a village in one direction and forest everywhere else. I make out a path down towards the village, trodden grass more than anything well maintained.
I stand up and wince as the pain from my knee shoots up my leg. The floor creaks and I hear birds take off from the roof. The bus shakes slightly and I steady myself.
Once everything settles down and an eery silence falls around me I make my way off the bus. There's not even any insects around and all that fills my ears are my shoes on the dirt.
I decide to make my way down towards the village. I'm just so confused, not even scared. I was meant to go on a date today. I'd had a late night drinking and watching TV. I was completely unprepared. Did I get on the wrong bus? It had the right colours though. All the buses have different colours. For some reason I can't remember clearly.
A wind gust almost trips me. I catch myself and hear all the animals coming back. The birds sing in the distance. The Cicadas make a racket all around me. The clouds flow over the mountains on the horizon and I realise the sun isn't shining on me. I look up, but there's just a clear blue sky. No sun. No clouds.
The dirt becomes crunchier under foot. Drier. The path opens up wider, the ground all cracked. I can see the village clearly now, the houses on the periphery have thatched pitched roofs. The walls seem to be some kind of plaster with exposed wood beams forming the main structure.
I pass by the empty houses, curtains drawn on all the windows and fences dissuading me from approaching their doors. The yards are full of overgrown grass and various weeds. Rusting gardening tools or playground rides. An overturned wheelbarrow, a rose bush - ugly and overgrown.
The houses at the heart of town are two stories and made of brick. It feels like an old western style main street. There's some kind of hotel or bar at the main intersection. A veranda curves around the building and a balcony mirrors above. A piano begins to play and I decide to go look inside.
What??
Things have been going pretty well these past few weeks. My girlfriend has started to relax more and her accusations have definitely reduced. I even went out last Wednesday for a school reunion. It was good to catch up with old friends.
We reminisced about simpler times. All of us are working, but in vastly different places. None of us are doing the things we thought we'd do as kids. One person wanted to be a doctor, but ended up in insurance. Another wanted to be a teacher but ended up working as a civil servant for the tax office. Life takes us to such strange places.
Tomorrow I'm going on a date for the first time in a while. I assumed she'd decide where we go, what we do, but for some reason she wanted me to plan something this time. Its the first time I've planned a date for us and a very long time since I've planned one full stop. Would going for a meal, maybe a movie, be enough?
I get up from my desk, paper strewn all around. I'm trying to sort out these accounts, but getting no where. I refill my glass with water and go to sit back down. My phone rings.
"Hiya, what's up" I answer.
"Just checking in. Are you all ready for tomorrow?" I hear a cheery voice reply.
Should I lie? I've been so busy with work today that time has slipped by.
"Yeh. I'm really excited! Can't wait to see you" is what I decide on.
"Alright. Well I've got to go now, I'm having a girl's night with some friends"
"Sounds like fun. Enjoy, I'll see you tomorrow"
"Okis. Just text me when you decide on a date and time"
She hangs up.
Ah, I think to myself, I screwed up. I have yet to give her a date and time, even though I made it sound like I had everything planned.
I sit down with a sigh. The papers in front of me remind me why there is no plan. I can't focus tomorrow if this isn't done today, so I put my head down and get back to work.
My phone goes off at 10 o'clock. I look up and numbers swirl around me. I shake my head clear and tidy everything up. I've done what I can for now. Really it only needs some tidying up to make it presentable. All the notes and details are scrawled on my notepad.
I grab an ale from the fridge. I pause and decide to grab two. Then flopping onto the sofa I turn on the TV and mindlessly stare into the screen. My eyes don't process what I'm seeing. I must've passed out at some point, three empty bottles lie on the table, the room dark as the TV probably turned itself off.
I look at my phone. Its 11am. I jump up and stumble over the table. I make my way to the bathroom and wash my face before throwing on a clean shirt and rushing out the door, thankful for always keeping my going out bag ready to go.
I text my girlfriend and apologise. I say to meet at the station next to the big mall downtown. No reply. The bus arrives and I get on, fumbling for a while trying to get my pass from my wallet in my bag. No one is waiting behind me thankfully and the driver only smiles. My head hurting I hide in the back corner seat. As the engine groans to life and the bus gets going, the mechanical sound and vibrations put me to sleep.
What???
I carefully open one of the two doors marking the entrance to the building. I'm greeted by a classic saloon door right in front. One way I guess to keep the aesthetic without the unpleasantness of an open entrance.
The doors swing open easily and the inside is full of life. A grand staircase snakes upstairs on the left, a bar lines the wall to my right and tables big and small litter the floor. There are people playing cards, some just drinking and talking, others enjoying a meal. A few eye me as I enter before returning to what they were doing.
I walk up to the bar and the person greets me with a knowing smile. They silently fill a glass with something and hand it to me. I go to protest, but they pat my hand and I look down to find some writing on the napkin. I maintain the puzzled look on my face, but the bartender remains unfazed. They eventually gesture to the stairs before turning to serve another customer.
At a loss for what to do and having found my opportunity to ask questions gone, I move towards the stairs. I glance at where the piano is playing and find an old jukebox to be the source. I'm about to go have a look, but the person closest to me coughs and scares me into a half run the rest of the way to the stairs.
I climb it briskly and look around at the top. There are two corridors splitting off. I look back at my drink and the napkin, somehow not spilling it and not forgetting it at the bar. I take the corridor that has a sign with the number from the napkin on it.
I find the room easily and knock gently on the door. No one answers so I try the handle and find it unlocked. Turning it slowly, I push the door open and enter. The room is generously decorated and furnished. Directly in front of me is a carved wood table with a polished surface. It looks more like an art piece than something to eat off of. The legs curve gently to the ground and are engraved with a pattern, which continues along the tables edge.
A selection of food is served on the table. Favourites of mine like rose sponge cake and pork ribs, but also things my girlfriend likes, cheese filled bread rolls, heart shaped watermelon, and szechuan tofu soup.
To the left I can see a bathroom with a modern toilet and a bath that can fit 2 people. Steam rises from the bath and I can smell the rose and lavender from here. Fancy I think to myself.
To the right is the least extravagant part of the room. A simple but comfortable looking bed sits next to a dressing table and wardrobe.
I step towards the table and hear someone approach from behind.
"What do you think?" I hear them say as I turn around.
My girlfriend is wearing a cute, but simple outfit. A black skirt and shirt with red embroidered stripes that draw the eye up towards her face.
"You look cute today" I say before anything else comes to mind.
She smiles. "And...?" she asks in a playful, but questioning tone.
"Do you know what's going on? Where we are?" I ask a bit confused.
She pouts slightly. "We are on a date! One that I guess you didn't organise?"
She's playing with me. But I can't tell if she's mad or not.
"No. Sorry. I was busy with work and thought we could just get something to eat and watch a movie?"
Her eyes interrogate me, the guilt burning a hole through me.
"I know" She says matter of factly, "That's why I organised this. A nice meal, some bath time and a nap."
I don't even ask how she knew or how I got here or anything really. So many weird things have happened since we started dating that this feels like nothing.
"Bath or food first?" I ask, playing along.
"Oh" she ponders, finger tapping against her chin, "they'll both get cold at some point so I guess it doesn't reeeeaaaalllly matter which we do first."
I see her point. "I'm not really hungry" I affirm.
"Then bath it is!" she exclaims excitedly.
She closes the door and drops her skirt, throwing her shirt off as she hops over to the bath.
And so ends my first attempt at planning a date. Unsuccessfully planned and executed, but a good date in the end anyway.