Wednesday 12 May 2010

I'm standing in a basement vault. A sound system hung by tension wires from the exposed brickwork. Red. Staring at a television monitor which is playing some music channel, possibly VIVA, slurping at a Wyborowa Blue Redbull through a straw. And I'm dragged by the arm, through a passage away from a bouncer, and pressed against the wall by her hips.

Leaning, long hair brushing my cheek, soft in my ear
'You're other half is waiting for you' and as I forge a reply, a pill is pushed between my lips and pressed with a kiss.

And we're running down the street, jackets flaying, half chased. Through parkland, and on to a boat. The hull surging, the internal sea of the dance floor. Bodies grinding like gulls in the wake. A waitress, guided by my hand, opens a bottle of Zybrowka as I hand her my a copy of my fathers Visa. And before I realise I've taken the card I'm topside. A lipstick stained cigarette shared between our aching jaws. Eye liner, smeared on my white polo, dirt on my Fred Perry canvas tennis shoes.

And under a heat lamp a blazered figure. Royal blue, white flashing. Grey chinos, possibly jeans, black tie. A conversation, fragmented, and as dignified as my state...

“I’m fine.”
..You ... "look" fine
“Tired”
join me “...inside?
"Give me a minute"

And as I look up from the cherry of the cigarrette, my phone dead, the rain rolling from an umbrella across my left temple. I realise I'm stood amongst strangers, the sillohette of a girl, company, walking to shore, and I'm really just another face in the crowd.

5 comments:

Tim in the City of Angles said...

"...just another face in the crowd." Somehow I doubt that, unless the entire scene was painted by Caravaggio.

abristolnovella said...

Hm, I'm not convinced the uk has what it takes!

Ben said...

One way to find out!

abristolnovella said...

And so, during my day drinking of yesterday I tried chase, I have to say it was totally not as I expected, and actually rather refreshing. Shit name though

Ben said...

'Day of drinking' is a phrase which concerns me a little (is that your name for Saturday?), but I'm very glad you liked it.