Chapter 1

The neon sign flickers above the entrance, casting a dim red glow over the sidewalk. I hesitate for a moment before stepping inside, letting the familiar scent of alcohol and aged wood settle over me. It’s been one of those days where the weight of life feels heavier than usual. I just need a drink.

Sliding onto a barstool, I nod at the bartender. She’s young, probably mid-twenties, with a practiced smile as she sets down my usual—Diet Coke and Bacardi.

“Happy Valentine’s,” she says in passing, her tone light, almost routine.

“Happy Valentine’s,” I reply to the bartender as she said it to me when putting down my Diet Coke and Bacardi drink. I try to smile at her after saying this, but as she caught me off guard in saying it, I know my smile looks more like I have a toothache.

The young bartender doesn’t seem to notice as she walks off to help someone else, allowing me to pull my drink close to me as I sit at the bar. I’m sure she said the greeting in hopes of a higher tip as it is a young twenty-something giving a brief interaction to a single forty-two-year-old. But hey, she could be genuine.

This is a dive bar, plain and simple. A bar that people go to and drink instead of playing trivia, singing or whatever else. The owners have tried to shred the dive bar vibe by throwing money at it, but nothing can remove the vibe it was born with.

I take a sip of my drink, tasting the familiar taste of my signature drink. I know I happen to be the only guy drinking a mixed drink as everyone else has a beer, but that’s normal. For whatever reason the universe has, I’ll always stand out somehow. At the moment I stand out not just because of my drink but because I’m not a country sort of fellow like most of the people here.

Scanning the bar, I see that it is made up of who you would expect tonight; couples. Loads of couples, hanging off each other, drinking and trying to have a good time. I even spot a few that are arguing, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t having a good time. Lots of people think fighting is how you show love.

Off in a corner I spot a couple that don’t seem to be able to wait until they get home for their love making. While they think the pool table is hiding them, a woman leans back in a chair looking very blissful as her man stands over her, lifts her shirt and happily (and sloppily) sucks on her breasts.

Like I said, this place isn’t able to dust off the dive bar vibe it was born with. I’m sure later, once everyone gets liquored up, there’ll be a fight, and probably a few “meetings” in the bathrooms.

I take in a deep breath and let out a silent sigh as I sit at the bar, not wanting to draw attention to myself. On purpose I blend in with the furniture, not wanting people to notice I’m here alone. Otherwise it would be too easy to become the single creepy pervert looking at all the couples. The guy you walk around because you are scared he’ll try to talk to you.

When I stopped here to get a drink, I didn’t know it was Valentine’s Day. I just wanted a drink. A drink to make the day more bearable. Well, that’s a lie. I did know it was Valentine’s, as it had been thrust in my face all day long but I hadn’t considered it when I stopped. I thought it would be like the dozens of other times I’ve stopped after work.