Shithead. The Beer.

I Like Alice, Part 5

Dee was looking at me with the same expression she had when she carped about Mr. Dickless. I ate my last bite. And after that, my beer. She stabbed at the remaining shreds of her salad.

“My iPhone plays dirty tricks on me,” I said, after rinsing down the last bits of turkey. “Today, walking over here, it played Light As A Breeze by Billy Joel.”

She smiled. We had agreed that we would not play that song at our wedding, but it was our song.

“I was listening to the song with my eyes closed,” I said. “It was more like a shuffle or strutting, I guess. I can dance OK with my eyes open.” I started wiping my hands with my napkin.

“You dance beautifully, honey.”

“Not so well when I trip on the sidewalk and bounce off a tree. That hurt. I ripped open the knee of my khakis, and look.”

I showed her my palms. They were all scratched up. I had spent almost five minutes washing them so there wasn’t any dirt left. They were still swollen, with several cuts in the skin.

“You’re OK,” she said, pulling my hands so she could have a closer look. “It’s the tree that didn’t dance so well.”

“Yeah, just a bruise I think. I want to clear my head. Let’s walk home.”

“It isn’t exactly warm out.”

“That’s OK. I want to walk home. Maybe it’ll do us some good. The beer is starting to make me feel full.”

“Now?”

“Yeah, as soon as we finish our beers.”

“OK, I’ll race you.”

“Race me home?”

“Shithead. The beer. One, two, three drink.”

… continued

——

I Like Alice

Part 5: Shithead. The Beer.
Part 4: Pen And Buddy
Part 3: Dee-Lightful Lunch
Part 2: Dance Around The Damn May Pole
Part 1: Good Just Isn’t Good Enough