The Older Guy

Chapter I

The pub was bustling with people coming in after the football match. Karrah could barely get a step in without being bumped into by some random, drunk man. It was hard enough to keep from falling over but proved to be even more difficult when juggling trays of beer and food at the same time. Usually Karrah didn't mind nights like this because it meant she got extra tips. But today she was tired and in a bad mood. She'd been at school majority of the morning and had to go straight to the pub afterwards. All she really wanted to do was get back to her flat and sleep for the next hundred or so years.

Karrah heard the jingle of the overhead bell and groaned at the prospect of serving yet another overly excited football fan. They were a difficult bunch to deal with. Some of them got a little too touchy-feely at times and others were just rude. But she'd learned to deal with it after the first two times. Samuel handed Karrah another tray of drinks to take to a group sitting in a booth. He pointed them out to her causing her to roll her eyes out of irritation. One of the men had taken off his top revealing his beer belly for everyone to see and broke out in dance.

Karrah began to meander her way through the crowed when someone bumped her. The impact caused her to lurch forward which in turn caused one of the mugs to tip over. The alcoholic content of the mug poured onto a pair of soldier style boots like a glorious waterfall of Jack Daniels. Karrah quickly recovered and placed the tray onto the counter of the pub. She took a handful of serving napkins and bent over to try and clean up the mess she'd made on both the floor and the man's boots.

"I am so sorry." She repeated once or twice as she went to grab another handful of napkins.

The man laughed and grabbed Karrah's wrist to stop her from taking anymore napkins. Karrah's eyes travelled along the length of the man's arm passed his chest and up his neck until they fell on a familiar face. He gave a lazy smirk and retracted his hand. Karrah stood confused as she stared at the man only being pulled out of her trance when the shirtless, dancing man called her over. She refilled the half empty mug and hastily delivered the beers to the group of the dancing man.

"This place seems a lot busier since the last time I was here."

Karrah turned and found Michael seated on a barstool dabbing his shoes with a napkin. He wasn't looking at her but somehow she knew he was talking to her. She walked to the other side of the counter exchanging places with Samuel who already had a tray in hand.

"It usually gets like this after a match." Karrah explained as she went to wipe down the counter.

Michael nodded his head and continued cleaning his boots. Karrah found herself wondering what he was doing here. Surely there were other, much better, pubs he could have gone to. Could he have come back to see her...? No, that couldn't be it. The other pubs must be just as busy and crowded.

"What would you like?" Karrah asked as she leaned her hands on the dark, wooden counter.

"Do you have vodka?" Karrah nodded "Then I'll have that; two shots please."

The noise had quieted down, what with Samuel chasing out the shirtless man who had taken to stripping himself of other items of clothing. Karrah let out a light chuckle as the fat, drunk man tripped over his trousers while Samuel shooed him off. She placed the two shot glasses in front of Michael who quickly threw them back. He let out a groan, fist hitting his chest as the vodka burned down his throat.

"So" he started "What's a young girl like you doing working at a place like this for? I can't imagen that it's fun."

Karrah internally debated whether or not to respond but gave in because she didn't want to seem rude. "I'm saving up for a car and it helps pay the bills."

Michael nodded and looked over his shoulder, glaring at a man who had fallen over and broken one of the mugs. He shook his head. Michael pulled out a cigarette, lit it and placed it between his lips. Karrah watched as he took a long drag, the head of the cigarette turning a bright orange.

"If you don't mind me asking" Karrah leaned her elbows on the counter resting her head in her palms. "What's a guy like you doing in a pub like this? I mean I know you're Irish but you don't seem like you like the noise or the crowd."

Michael let out a low chuckle, the grey smoke lingering around his face "Stereotyping I see." Karrah was about to apologise when he continued "It's not like that. It's just some of these people are idiots." Drag...blow. "If I'm going to get drunk off my ass, I'd rather do it in the comfort of my own home instead of making a complete fool of myself out in public."

Karrah continued talking to Michael for another thirty minutes until he said he had to go. Karrah felt a ping of sadness as he stood up to leave. She rather liked talking to Michael, though, for the life of her she couldn't understand why. He was just some random man, grown man for that matter, that she'd started talking to and yet, in those thirty minutes, he'd managed to make her feel like they'd known each other for ever. She didn't want him to leave, at least not right now.

"Do you have to leave right now?" Karrah asked with the hope that he would say no "You're the only person in here who's actually talked to me without the aim of taking me home. If you stay until closing time I'll cut you a slice of coffee cake we keep in the back for the employees. I promise you'll love it."

"That sounds tempting but maybe some other time. It was nice seeing you again, Karrah. Have a nice night."

Karrah watched as Michael went through the door. The smell of his cologne and cigarette smoke lingered in the air. She sighed as she saw yet another drunken football fan strip to his knickers and break into dance. She questioned how there could be level headed men like Michael out there and men like that, one who strips to his underwear, living in the same world.