Playlist

7. "Fast Car" - Tracy Chapman

After a (long) day of playing at a dog park with Marlow, shopping for travel gear... for Marlow, and not having anything to eat other than a bagel, I put on the TV in the hotel room with Marlow's portable travel crate facing it. After she gets in, I give her a treat and one of her toys. She curls up and looks up at me. "I'll be back in a bit, okay? Mama needs something to eat. And you're so tired, look at you," I reach in and scratch her head. Her little eyes close, and I smile to myself as I zip up the gate before going to shower. By the time I get out, she's fast asleep, and I grab my things before heading out, leaving a light on for her in case she wakes up.

For the first time in a long time, I decide to do my makeup. Rose gold smokey eye, thin winged eyeliner, fill in my eyebrows. Concealer, foundation, more concealer. Setting powder, finishing powder, contour, blush. Blend. Highlight, highlight, and more highlight. I blowdry my hair and get dressed: black high-waisted skinny jeans ripped at the knees, an oversized grey loose-knit sweater, black Chelsea boots. I slip my phone into my back pocket, put on my silver-chained quartz necklace, grab my wallet and keys before looking myself over. Damn.

Again, I find myself in a town I'm not familiar with, by myself, but this time looking fine as hell. I decide to call an Uber. I'm not sure where exactly I'm going other than Downtown, so I skip the destination section. At 8:07 P.M., my Uber arrives, and the driver is the cutest girl I've ever seen. She has long, wavy, brown hair, a nose piercing, and an outfit similar to mine. When she asks me where I'm going, I tell her that I'm not from around here and trying to find a place to hang out for the night. After several questions, we agree on a place. She smiles and nods to herself, telling me the address to type into my Uber service. The update pops up for her, and she starts on the route.

I am dropped off at a bar in the middle of Downtown Denver. The outside looks very similar to a coffee shop: black awning decorated in vintage bulb string lights, black patio furniture, white font on the front door. Inside, there's exposed brick and dark woodwork. I take note of the open-mic stage my Uber driver mentioned. There are some instruments set up, a couple mics on stands, speakers. I take a seat at the bar top, looking around the bar. A few moments pass, and the bartender comes up to me - an energetic girl named Caroline - and I order a Jack and Coke after she introduces herself. I get my drink, and we start making small talk: where I'm from, how long I'm in town for, my favorite spot so far.

"For fuck's sake," I hear next to me, and I watch as a cracked phone skids on the bar top. The chair next to me is pulled out, and the empty chair is filled with a young man. Long blonde hair, a freshly trimmed beard, a white patterned short-sleeved button up with the top four buttons undone, tan skinny-fit pants, black Desert boots. A long chained necklace hangs from his neck, and he smells of incense and cigarettes.

"What's up, Kyle?" Caroline asks as she sets down a mug full of a dark amber beer.

"Cecilia called it off last minute. I tried calling Tommy and Cody, but they're fucking MIA. So I'm gonna have to tell Robbie that I can't play tonight." Kyle downs half of his beer before setting it on the dark wood counter. I bite my lip and take a sip of my drink before clearing my throat and speaking. "I don't mean to intrude but... I can play."

Both Kyle and Caroline look over at me. Kyle folds his hands on the bar top, his blue eyes bright and piercing even in the dim lighting of the bar. "You can play?"

I nod.

"Improv?"

"Yeah, I used to improv with my brother and his friends all of the time."

Kyle chuckles and shakes his head. "I don't need someone who played with their brother or sang in their church choir. I need someone with soul, emotion, experience-"