Fade Away

Maybe drinking like it was the end of this unfair world was not such a good idea. Of course that doubt vanished as soon as it had appeared when Sheila downed her fifth vodka shot by letting her head fall back. "It is the greatest decision I have ever made!" she muttered to herself before letting out a groan and falling into the cushion made of her hands on the bar table.

Her dark brown hair spilled from her tight bun as she made herself comfortable on the seat. It wasn't her fault that the seat was hard as wood and made her butt numb. The tight skirt and tucked in blouse didn't help her condition either. Not that she needed those office-costumes now, anyway.

Her boyfriend had broken up with her. Not that it mattered alot - but he kept her sane, slightly.

She had also been fired from her job at the estate agency that evening. Hence, the quite long trip to the nearest bar. Her fault? "God knows what,"she replied to the thoughts churning in her head and lifted her head to see the world as a clear blur. Blinking furiously, slowly the  surrounding atmosphere came into view and she sighed so loudly that it almost sounded like a groan. Propping her hands up, palms down on the table, she lifted herself up and hailed at one of the bartenders. As a black shirt came into her line of vision from the left, she mouthed 'cab' to him after realizing the volume of the music surrounding her. With a nod, he left.

Atleast I remember where the exit is, she thought before stepping out of the door which a bouncer had held open for her. The cold late November air hit her and she shivered before folding her hands across her chest and rubbing them. Her feet staggered as she took faster steps in search of the cab she had called. However, the feeling of something missing didn't leave her mind. At first she dismissed it as the reaction to the music beats, but even after managing to control her heartbeat, something nagged her at the back of her mind. She stood there rooted at her place as she tried to remember what was missing.

Her handbag.

Cursing loudly she went back and knocked on the exit. After two knocks and one kick, the door opened outwards, making her almost trip.

"Yes, Ma'am?," the bouncer who had opened the door for her asked with an eyebrow raised.

"My pu-purse," Sheila shivered while pointing to the table where she had drowned all her sorrorws. The cold had done quite a good job of bringing her back to her senses.

The bouncer's face lit up in realisation and he offered,"Why don't you come inside and wait, Ma'am? I'll get that back for you."

With a nod she entered inside and felt her body warming up from the heat. Maybe they have good heating, she thought while continuously rubbing back and forth on her left arm.

When Sheila was drowning in vodka, Aaron was busting a major drug chain nearby. Of course after going through the stinkiest and druggiest place more than twice, his gas had to hit almost zero. He considered himself lucky when his car broke down in front of a gas station. He considered himself happy when he saw a bar beside it.

"Party time," he said grinning, while getting out of the car and signalling Bob, the gas station owner, by raising his right hand in a semi-wave.

Bob was nothing like his name suggested. He was a man in his mid-thirties, always clean shaven and had a routine which began with a protein shake and continued by a 2 hour rigorous regime of gym. He always wore a tank top that made sure that he was not a person to be messed with. Our Aaron here had received Bob's love in the form of a punch aimed straight at his jaw. His jaw was a sight for about two weeks. The most important thing was that Bob was being playful.

Bob saluted back with two fingers from the glass pane and went back to discussing about his car's deal with the owners.

Aaron however had stopped in his tracks and had not given a damn about Bob's reply. He was, at that moment, enchanted by the person walking out of the exit.