Eminence

Note 1 - The 1975 Ritz Bar and a Motel Key

 He had taken the subway from the Auburn station, just a walk away from his work. His new favorite place to go was The 1975 Ritz Bar, an underground bar heavily inspired by the hippy futurism that ruled the decade with campy colors and obscure-looking furniture. The karaoke rooms were all filled with bubble couches instead of booths, the walls were a taupe brown with a harvest gold accent, and the couches were a dark olive green. The atmosphere was reasonably intimate; many patrons there were quiet and casual as they sipped their drinks. Artists considered Classic Rock of the modern era, such as Pink Floyd and Fleetwood Mac, would play throughout the night in the background. As he walked through the building, he glanced at the posters of 70's culture heartthrobs on the wall and headed toward the restroom. After locking the door, his gaze moved up to the mirror. Another long day at the office showed his eyes were tired and lifeless, with his overall expression being sad. It had been six months since his parents passed, and yet it was still fresh in his mind. Almost every day, it seemed. Grief has no expiration, or so you're told by everyone. He combed his hair with his fingers and sighed, then left. 

After heading towards the bar, he pulled out one of the stools and waved down the bartender. 

"Good evening, Warren..." The bartender looked at him unenthusiastically. It seemed he decided not to pretend to enjoy working tonight; either that or he was just not fond of Warren, but he couldn't tell. 

"Good evening..." He replied, trying to be polite.

"Opening up a tab?..." This man doesn't seem to want to converse with him.

"Yes- Can I get an Old Fashioned?" 

"Sure... Coming right up..." And there he went with his card. 

Warren rested his head on his fist as he leaned forward slightly over the bar. 

"You don't look well..." an unfamiliar voice said.

"I suppose I'm not doing very well..." Warren replied without looking. He wasn't particularly interested in conversation, either.  

His mind was heavy, and it wasn't just the death of his parents. Expectation, pressure, praise, and disappointment also came with and left with his parents. He built himself in the image his parents drew for him. He chose the career his parents wanted for him and decided not to marry or have kids because of his parents' personal views on both. 

"If you're smarter than us, you won't get married or have kids." It sounded like a statement a person filled with regret would make. It didn't make one feel good about themselves either, considering he was the child they had.

The statement would echo throughout his mind whenever someone brought the subject into work conversations, and last year's events didn't help. Now- He has no family. His parents never spoke to their relatives, so he never saw them. No siblings. No one. He wasn't alone at their funeral, but at most, the people who showed up would only offer condolences, and he was denied the opportunity to connect with these strangers who were tied by blood. 

"Are you going to disappear?..." The voice asked.

He turned his head to look at the person speaking to him; It was a man possibly in his 30s. He looked a bit messy, and his eyes seemed very serious. He stood there waiting for an answer. Warren stared at him for a bit. What a strange question to ask a stranger. 

"No... I'm not going to disappear."

The man looked downwards, bringing his index finger towards his mouth as if to bite his nail. Warren ignored it and chose to down his drink instead. He wondered if this man was hoping for some company so he could disappear or if this was the weirdest way to try to flirt with someone.