MEAT MARKET

MEAT MARKET

She stood about five foot eight, not too slender, she had curves, long
brown hair, wavy, with a bit of a curl to it. She had tan corduroy
pants with studs that ran up the sides of each pant leg. Her suede
jacket covered her off white t-shirt and her brown leather boots hid
any idea of what her feet might look like. She was reading one of those
useless entertainment magazines that are stacked by the check out
lines. Charley just stood there gazing at her as he waited for his
friend, Sandra. She was just a friend, Sandra, nothing more. She wasn't
sexually appealing to Charley, but surely she must have been appealing
to someone. She wasn't innocent, so she claimed before, and Charley
believed her. He tried once to envision he and she entangled in
passion, but it didn't last more than a couple of seconds. The thought
quickly escaped him and it never returned. It wasn't that she was
hideous, but her roundness and somewhat pock-faced skin hidden with
more than a generous amount of make up just didn't appeal to Charley.
But he did appreciate her friendship and honesty.
Charley couldn't take his eyes off the woman reading. She glanced up
and caught him gazing. She smiled and went back to her magazine.
"Do I know you?" asked Charley.
"Excuse me."
"Do I know you?" he asked again. "I think I've met you before."
"I don't know," she said somewhat confident.
"Yeah, we met at that party over on Benton Way. About a month ago
maybe." Charley began to retell the account. "You had mentioned that
you were a Jazz singer and had just moved out from Phoenix. I think you
said that you just moved in over off Kingsley Ave. You were talking to
that guy wearing clogs. Is that attractive?"
"What? Men wearing clogs, or you hitting on me in the market?" she
asked.
"I would go with the latter myself. To be honest, clogs are a bit
flame-boy-ant, but that's just me." Charley said. "I'm Charley." He put
out his hand.
"Hi," was her only response.
"And you are?" Charley asked after a brief silence.
"Annette."
"Pleasure to meet you? again, Annette," He said. "Listen, I'm waiting
for a friend of mine. We're just getting some last minute things before
they stop selling booze, but maybe we can continue the debate about
clogs and meat markets some other time?"
"Are you sure you're friend won't mind? I saw her with you as you guys
walked in. That is rather tacky, don't you think?"
"Just friends, that's all we are. Not my type," he assured.
"And I'm more your type?" she asked.
"I don't know yet. Let's get together and maybe I'll know then," he
said as she flashed an unsure smile.

They ended up meeting up at a bar on Cahuenga the following week,
Charley and Annette. Charley had arrived after Annette who was already
more than half way through her glass of red wine. The bar was hidden in
some alley behind the rest of the fa?ade on the boulevard. It was a
Tuesday night and the usual crowds were at home glued to their
televisions watching the State of the Union Address from our fearless
leader scheduled for that night. More lies about taxes, our growing
economy, and being assertive in ridding the world of the evil
doers.
Charley and Annette sat in the booth near the door. It was the only
one secluded enough. Plus it was a quick exit in case either had reason
to leave. Charley ordered a vodka tonic and Annette had another glass
of red wine.
"So what do you do?" asked Charley.
"Is that the best you can come up with?"
"No, but I don't want to show my crudeness just yet," Charley
said.
"Oh, that's too bad. But I guess I can wait a bit, huh?" she said.
"I'm a substitute teacher."
"Christ, is everyone in this town a fucking teacher?"
"Well, it didn't take too long."
"What?" said Charley.
"To show your crudeness."
"That wasn't crude. A bit rude, but not crude. Give me time."
"What do you do?" she asked.
"It depends," he said.
"On what?"
"What I feel like doing."
"Don't you work?" she asked.
"Yeah, when I feel like it," he said.
"What, are you, wealthy?"
"Only in spirit and passion," he said.
"You must be a writer," she said.
"Only when I feel like it."
"Do you ever have a straight answer?" she asked.
"These are straight answers," he said. "I don't believe in being tied
down with work or?" he stopped himself.
"With work or what?" she pried.
"Things that can drain you."
"Like work or? women?" she smirked at him as she sipped her
wine.
"Don't men drain you at times?" he asked.
"Life drains me at times, but I guess we all have to deal with it the
best we can," she said.
"That you're right about, which reminds me, you want another?" he
asked as he picked up his glass remaining with only ice.
"No thanks. I think I'll finish this one and probably get going," she
said.
"So soon? We just got here," he said.
"You just got here. And you did say a drink. I've already had two, one
while I was waiting for you. Besides, I have to be up early
tomorrow.
"Ah, the old, 'I have to be up early routine,'" He said.
"No, it's not like that. I have to teach out in San Pedro and then
rehearse. I'm trying out for this jazz combo out in Venice. "Don't
worry, I'll see you again," she said as she downed her wine and flagged
down the server. "I'd like to get my friend here another," she ordered
and slipped the thin and attractive red head a five.
She had young and fairly freckled skin with short red hair, which was
sexy to Charley as he eyed her swaying ass as she walked away.
"She's cute isn't she?" Annette asked.
"She's alright," he said.
"You're not the best liar, are you?"
"I'm a phenomenal liar? when I feel like I have to be."
Annette chuckled as she grabbed her coat and purse.
"Call me tomorrow. Maybe we can plan some dinner this weekend or
something," she said.
"Okay, I'll give you a call tomorrow night," he assured.
"So, is the verdict out yet?"
"The verdict?" Charley asked.
"Am I your type?"
"I guess what really matters now is if I'm your type," he said.
"No, you're not. But I think I like you regardless. Must be the charm,
and the smile," she said. "Call me."
Annette left and Charley sat alone as he waited for the cute red head
approaching with his drink.
"There you go," the red head said.
"Thanks? what's your name?" Charley asked.
"Susie."
"Thanks, Susie. You have a nice sway in your walk."
The red head smiled as if she had heard the compliment before. She
caught Charley's glare and charming smile. One could swear that Charley
resembled the Cheshire as he smiled at the young Alice. She returned
his smile with a flash of white and a roll of her eyes.

Charley woke up the next morning still feeling the drunken night. The
red head had taken off already. He barely remembered her getting up
right after a sloppy and horrible morning blowjob. He reached down to
his penis and gently felt the raw thing in his palm, as if comforting
it like a wounded bird. He glanced down and noticed the redness around
the head.
"Goddamn bitch had sharp teeth," he said to himself out loud.
Charley slowly got up and struggled to the bathroom, his feet
shuffling along the carpet, carrying his stout body. He dug his fingers
passed his dark hair feeling the sharp head rush hitting him, pulsating
as he tried to gain his balance and clear his vision. His potbelly
drooped weighing down the rest of his stature. He looked in the mirror
and noticed the bags hanging from below his red eyes. He rubbed his
hands across his scraggily face and pulled on the skin with his
fingertips, his eyes sometimes resembling the depressed look of a
bulldog. He then again looked down at his wounded pecker and gently
lifted it with his fingertips. It was as limp as the body of a freshly
murdered victim.
After a hot shower and getting dressed, Charley grabbed his shoes and
walked out to his front room. The phone rang. He decided not to answer
it, as usual. He was paranoid about people trying to contact him to ask
him for something, a favor, or his soul. He sat on his couch tying his
shoes. His machine picked up; his voice briefly greeting whom ever was
trying to reach him.
"Please leave a message and I'll get back to you when I can."
A woman's voice began to speak. "Hey, Charley. It's Annette. I know
you said you were going to call me later on tonight, but I hope I
didn't leave you thinking that I'm just screwing with your head by
taking off so soon last night. It was a very interesting and charming
meeting, even if it was as brief as it was. Well, I hope you have a
good day and call me later so we can get together." She hung up.
Charley sat in brief thought then got up and walked to the phone. He
hit the play button on the machine. The message began to replay
Annette's voice. The message played halfway through and then Charley
hit the delete button, erasing her voice. He gently grabbed his crotch,
the memory of the red head still menacing his cock. He grabbed his
wallet and keys off his coffee table cluttered with newspapers, out of
date magazines, and condom wrappers and walked out into the warm and
sunny day.