MY BEAUTIFUL BARFLY.

                                MY BEAUTIFUL BARFLY.



It was called the “Left hand bar” for some obscure reason. It was actually off to the right of the noisy and smoke filled main bar of the Westhammersly, one of nine pubs in town. Morgana stood surveying the quiet left hand bar, she came here often and tonight would meet Craig. She didn't really want too but she had promised. He saw himself as some sort of guardian or knight in shining armour or something. Just because she had known him for twenty years didn't give him the right to run her life! He was such a boring “goody two shoes! He didn't drink,or smoke,or even fart! And in all those years he had never once laid so much as a finger on her! Didn't he know a girl needs to be dragged off,ravaged and given a good hard shafting?

Her eyes roamed the bar, about sixty feet long and twenty wide it was dimly lit and almost deserted. There were four intimate stalls at the far end and a number of tables loosely arranged on the left hand side. The actual bar ran almost the full length of the room and two barmaids stood whispering together down the far end. Nearer the entrance three middle aged men sat together hunched over their half flat beers. Craig had not arrived yet. Beautiful Morgana, five seven and curvaceous, with shoulder length red hair alabaster skin and green eyes beneath a straight fringe framed by high cheekbones knew she would not be alone long tonight. Damn Craig,she would not wait for him.



She sat halfway down the bar and ordered a schooner. She only had enough money for that one drink so either Craig better come soon, if not she better get picked up, that would mean moving into the main bar, she didn't want any of these three she thought after casting a disdainful eye over them.



“'Ello darlin” one of them called drunkenly.



She smiled tightly and sculling her beer stood up to leave. A man entered the bar, about forty or so, five ten, short Gray hair and trimmed moustache, blue slacks and white shirt unbuttoned almost to the navel, his hairy chest sported a heavy gold chain. He wore several rings and an expensive looking gold watch. To his side and a pace behind stood a mountain of a man, about six foot six, perhaps twenty five and maybe 200 pound. This was “The Argentinian” and his “friend” Carlos. Morgana broke into a welcoming smile, she knew the Argentinian well, soon the drinks would be flowing and his hands would be roaming too! That was Okay, even if he was a bit old, he was generous and knew what a girl needed.



Craig walked in to find Morgana sitting on the Argentinean lap, his hand inside her unbuttoned blouse.

Her eyes widened in alarm and she leaping to her feet she rushed over to Craig and grasping his hand she shrieked “RUN!”



“WHAT?”



“We gotta go!



Craig gaped in disbelief and Carlos lumbered to his feet while the Argentinian watched on impassively.



“Hey, come here” Carlos growled.



“Run you fuck wit!” Morgana screamed as she tried to pull Craig into the main bar. He saw the menacing glower on the face of Carlos and he finally got the message and the pair of them careened their way through the crowd with Carlos lumbering after.



The street was ill lit and empty at that late hour. “The car's just down there he panted, in front of the Mitsubishi van.”



“Please hurry she urged him,” Carlos was still chasing them and they could hear his urgent footsteps coming closer. “I'm sorry Craig” Morgana panted as they jumped into the Ford and locked the doors. The motor roared into life as Carlos hit the drivers window with his fist. the glass cracked but didn't shatter and they sped off to a chorus of obscenities from the fuming giant.



“What’s going on Morgana?



“They are drug dealers and I told them you are an undercover cop investigating them!”



Craig’s eyes bulged, “You did WHAT!” he yelled angrily.



“It was a joke she muttered petulantly, just trust me.”



“I'll take you home Craig said tersely.”



She dug her long manicured nails into his arm “I can't go home,” She looked at him imploringly, “He'll come looking for me!”



“Don't be silly, why would he do that?”



“You don't know him, he is a bad man, a drug dealer,” she bit her lower lip “and he will be after you too now.”



Craig frowned,“Are you serious Morgana?”



“Just trust me Craig” she said again.



He laughed shortly, “Trust you! Did you really say I an a cop?”



“Yes,” her eyes filled with mischief, “he has seen you in the bar with me a few times and says your different, you don't fit.”



“I don't fit?”



“Yup, so I told him your an undercover narcotics cop!” She giggled then, “I couldn't tell him someone that hangs with me is different because he's sweet and innocent, now could I?”



“Shit.”



“Craig?”



He sighed heavily..”Whaat!”



Stroking his forearm lightly she asked in her best frightened little girls voice, “Can I stay with you tonight? Pleeese?



“I..I don't know, there is only one bedroom,” he shook his head doubtfully, “it wouldn't be right.”



Is it right to dump me home alone so that gangster can come and murder me?”



“Morgana your such a drama queen!” He shook his head again, “he won't come and get you!”



“ You saw how that ape tried to smash his way into our car. I don’t think he wanted to shake your hand!”



Our car, not the car or your car, she said our car, Somehow that made Craig feel a warm glow, almost as if, but no, never! “Morgana!”...he looked at her searchingly, them heaving another sigh reluctantly agreed to let her stay.



“Thank you” she said,her voice full of genuine relief.



“The bedroom is in there” Craig told her gruffly. “I’ll sleep on the recliner here in the lounge, gotta get up early and go to work anyway.”



“No...I can’t take your bed, I’ll use the recliner Craig.”



“suit yourself” he shrugged “‘night then.”



Moments later a shy little voice called “I’ve changed my mind, can I come in there with you Craig?”



“With me?



“Yes, but no hanky panky” she added cheekily and without waiting for a reply entered the bedroom and slid into bed beside him.



“Good night Morgana.” He rolled onto his side facing away from her. The air was full of sexual tension and after a few moments she said plaintively, “cuddle me.”



Craig turned over and put his arm round her waist,his hand inches from her ample breast. Her breath quickened and Craig’s resolve broke. She moaned as his hand found her breast. Their kiss was deep long and passionate.



“What happened to no hanky panky Morgana?”



“CRAIG!”



They made fierce,almost desperate love deep into the night. It left Morgana sated but Craig just felt sad and guilty. In the morning he left his beautiful barfly peacefully sleeping. He placed a twenty dollar bill on the pillow next to her, as though she were a cheap whore. NO! don’t call her that he told himself. She is my friend and last night was an accident. The money was for a taxi if she chose to leave. He really hoped she would still be there when he got home though.



When Craig got home from work he saw the bed neatly made up but no sign of Morgana. In the kitchen he found a note, it said “I will be in the bar, come and act like a jealous husband,drag me out!” Craig shook his head sadly, he knew it would be pointless looking for her. She could be in any one of the nine pubs in town, or anyone of a thousand beds for that matter. Perhaps she was with that damned Argentinian again. He doubted the man was really a drug dealer any more than Craig was an under cover cop. He wondered if she knew he had loved her these twenty years. And he wondered how long it would be before he saw his beautiful barfly again. She was crazy, beautiful and wild. He feared she would turn up at his place of work one day, like so many other girls....the city morgue.





                                                                      ***



Craig did not drink very much but it was a hot day, damn, a hot week, so on his way home he stopped of at the pubs drive through and picked up a six pack of Millers medium strength ale. He specially enjoyed the Millers because it was a mellow brew lacking the bitter taste of your average beer. He could never fathom why that was so popular. Sometimes he would buy a bottle or two of Strongbow draught cider but not often.



As he pulled into his driveway he caught sight of Morgana sitting on the porch,and she was not alone. A scrawny young man with copper coloured dreadlocks hanging in his face sat beside her. Craig frowned, he had not seen Morgana since the farce with the Argentinian, and that was weeks ago. What misfit was she bringing to his door this time? A beaming smile flooded Morgana’s face and she rose quickly to greet Craig. Dreadlocks was much more reticent and hung back a few feet.



“Hello Craig” Morgana said brightly.



“who’s this?” Craig asked, scowling at dreadlocks, who shifted his weight and hung his head.



“This is Mark Craig and I was wondering if....”



“Bugger off Mark!” Craig snarled. He pointed at Morgana and emphasised his words by wagging his finger at her. “I am not a free taxi service for your deadbeat friends!”



He turned his attention back to Mark, “What part of bugger off don’t you understand mate!?”



Mark put on a pair of sunglasses, those ones with little round lenses. “Stress less man, it’s all cool, I’m gonna split.” Smiling at Morgana he walked down the drive,giving Craig as wide a berth as possible.



“Your jealous you are”, Morgana announced delightedly!



“Am not!” Craig retorted heatedly but his scowl morphed into am affectionate smile, thus belying his words.



“Are too!”



“Am not” running his hand through his hair Craig asked more sharply than he meant to,”you coming in or what?”



Morgana looked at him for a long moment then said seriously, “I don't actually feel like or whatting right now, then giggling, “Oh come on Craig, don't be Mr. grumpy!



“Sorry Morgana, you know I am always glad to see you.” He took the cold six pack from the car, “Lets go in and have a drink.” There goes my six pack he thought ruefully, knowing she would drink most of it in an hour or two. In fact it was gone in little over an hour, she drinking four to his two. He hoped she didn't want to go out drinking. For one thing, once she had had a few she could become unpredictable. He had seen it before. From sweet to volatile and nasty. The sudden transformation made him think of Jekyll and Hyde.



“I'm bored,” she said petulantly.



Here we go! “When was the last time you had a good meal Morgana? We could go and...”



“Go to the left hand bar?” She added cunningly, “That's an Idea, we could get a counter tea.”



Craig's heart sank, he knew if he took her there he would not get her out until it closed. Even then he would probably have to drag her out!



“I don't think that's a good idea Morgana” He raised his eyebrows, “How about we get something delivered?”



“Like what?”



“I dunno, Pizza, fish'n chips? Chinese?



Shaking her head stubbornly she insisted “I want to go to the left hand bar.”



“Well” Craig said angrily, “I am not going to any pub!”



“In that case” her voice softened, “you'll drop me off there won't you?...pleese?



“I don't want you to go there!”



“If you won't take I will hitch-hike but I am going!”



Reluctantly he drove her there, he knew for a fact she would get there somehow if he didn't.



He knew she would do anything to get what she wanted,even if it put her in danger. As she got out of the car he handed her a $20 bill. As she took it she kissed him on the cheek and told him he was sweet. He watched her walk into the bar then drove away,full of anguish and worry.



The insistent wringing of his phone woke Craig at 3:40am. It was Morgana,she said she was lost and would he come and get her? Emotionally lost,not lost lost . She was in the phone box on the corner of Essington Lewis Ave and Bradford street. She was sorry,would he come now? She was still in the phone box when he pulled up twenty minutes later. She quickly jumped into the car,slid across the bench seat and into Craig's arms. She was sobbing uncontrollably. On the way back to his place,between sobs the story came out.



When Morgana entered the left hand bar she ordered a pint of beer and sat sipping it. It was not long before she was approached by a good looking young man,well dressed and polite. He charmed her,plied her with drinks, then took her back to his Bradford street flat. They were in bed together for a couple of hours but when he had finished with her he told her to get out. He called her a cheap tramp and laughed at her. She found the phone box and called Craig. Did she know the flat number? No, Did she remember which floor it was on? No. Would she recognise him again? Not sure,maybe. Just forget it she said,it was what she deserved anyway.



She showered back at Craig's place and he found her a pair of his pyjama's, plain blue ones, he called them his smurf outfit. She looked really cute in them,a kind of orphan Annie he thought. He tucked her into his bed and made to leave the room. “Won't you hold me?” she asked plaintively, Craig didn't want too, not right now but the tone of her voice filled him with an overwhelming compassion and he lay down and held her tenderly. The tears came then. Not hers, she had already cried an ocean. No, the tears of a heartbroken man.



                                                        ***



Morty glanced at his cell mate again. He liked this quiet man but would he never stop pounding that damn keyboard? It was starting to grate on Morty’s nerves. “Hey pal, ya nearly finished that story?” Remembering this man was a killer, he thought to temper his words a little. Better not to ruffle feathers. “I’d like to read it when your done. If that’s Okay?”



“Sure”, the other man replied, “It’s a romantic thriller about revenge.”



“Revenge?”



“Yup.” He rushed on with a strange intensity. “ This beautiful girl is taken advantage of by this cashed up dude. “



“How so?” Morty asked.



Craig’s fists clenched and his knuckles turned white. “Took her back to his place,screwed her an’ tossed her out on the street when he was done.!”



Shit,so then what happened?”



“The man who loved the girl her whole life tracked the bastard down and slit his throat, that’s what!



Morty backed away as far as the small cell would allow. “That was you?”



“Bloody oath!” Craig laughed. “Don’t look so worried, I won’t hurt you”.



This Craig was not writing something as a therapy,he was reliving his crime!



Morty laughed nervously, he would be sleeping with one eye open from now on.







After Craig’s last appeal failed he told Morgana to forget him. Not to visit him. But for several months she came every day. They would talk for the longest time and she would end up leaving in tears. Her daily visits became weekly, then monthly. Then they stopped all together. He looked and waited but she came no more. He did not blame her, after all he told her to forget him. And now it looked like she had. He just hoped she was all right.





The left hand bar held too many sad memories for Morgana and she stopped going there. She started to frequent the Westlands Inn instead. She was popular there and never alone for long. Never alone but always lonely, she missed Craig and wished he had just let it go as she had asked him to. She remembered his saying if she did not watch out,she would end up a drunken old woman nobody would want. She got angry with him and denied any such thing would ever happen to her. Now though she could see it starting to happen. She was Fifty and her looks had faded. She found herself sitting alone in the bar more and more often. He had been right, she was the lonely old unwanted woman he said she would become.



She was sitting hunched over her schooner of flat beer when she heard an older and almost forgotten voice behind her. “ Hello Morgana.”



She turned slowly toward the voice,scarcely daring to believe.



“Craig! How? What are you doing here!”“



“I made parole, then I broke it by checking out every bar in town!”



She threw her arms around him “Oh God” she moaned.



“That’s what I reckoned when I couldn’t find ya anywhere” Craig chuckled.



He held her at arms length and looking into her eyes said, “I don’t want to let you go again so I wanna know”, he shook his head and licked his lips nervously,"I, well I, will ya marry this old gaol bird?”



“Marry you?”



“I know I ain’t what I used to be,gaol does things to a man, and I’m pushing sixty now an all but....”



“Oh God! Yes,yes,yes!!! I don’t know why you want me after all that’s happened but Yes,yes,yes!”



“Why? ‘cause I love ya and always have.” He held her tight and murmured,

“and your always be my beautiful Barfly.







Finis.....







C Gainsford (C) Copyright 2012