BACK IN BRISBANE
October 17th 2011 11:00
“I’m going to catch a cab home,” the receptionist said.
We’d just exited the Brisbane International Airport. “I don't get it. Why do you want to catch a cab home when Jude can drive us home?”
She shrugged, not saying anything. She gave me a brief kiss on the cheek, waved goodbye to Jude and walked away.
Jude tapped my arm. “Your girlfriend has nice legs.”
The receptionist was being strange, but it was good to be back home. The sun was out and everything was quiet, even the traffic. “I can’t wait to take a shower and fall asleep.”
“No sleeping yet,” Jude said. “We’re going to meet some girls at the Barracks.”
“I don’t want to meet girls at the Barracks.”
“We’re meeting girls at the Barracks, Dean. We’re going to meet them and you’re going to like them.”
We went to the Barracks, where the girls were, to this place that charged a lot of money for lunch. “Jude, I don’t have money anymore. I can’t pay for this kind of shit.”
“Don’t worry, man, I’ll pay for you. Can you stop worrying?”
We sat at the table and I looked at all of them. They looked terribly expensive. They were youngish, maybe nineteen, and they looked like they’d never seen the face of tragedy and never will see the face of tragedy. One of the girls, the non-blonde one, casually flicked through the menu and scowled. “Peter made partner.”
Her friend rolled her eyes. “I know, right?”
“It doesn’t matter,” the non-blonde one said. “At least our men have better wardrobes.” Everyone laughed.
“I have no idea what any of you are talking about,” I said.
They ignored me. One of the girls leant towards Jude. “Speaking of men and wardrobes, Cassandra needs someone new for her wardrobe I think.”
“If anyone will accept her,” the other one added, following her statement with a strange giggle.
"She's big enough to be a wardrobe." Everyone laughed.
“Did you see her in the gym last Wednesday?”
“I don’t see why girls like that even try when in the end they’ll be too lazy to change.”
“And even if they did try to change, they wouldn’t be able too.” They laughed.
“How about we put a paper bag over her head?” Jude said loudly. “That way, she can finally look at the mirror and be proud.”
Everyone laughed again. He was completely red – I’d never seen Jude laugh so hard at one if his jokes like that before. I checked my phone: there were no new messages from the receptionist.
I looked at them all and I knew they were judging me just as much as I was judging them. The girls looked pretty, they looked deliberately perfect. I wondered if they’d ever been to Bangkok. I checked my phone again and found nothing. Wine came, and then more wine came, and then eventually the bill came.
“Listen,” Jude said. “You’re going to have to pay your part I didn’t bring enough cash.”
I smiled. “I’m going to punch you.”
| 28 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
subscribe to this blog