Nobody's Place: Slipping In Love

         It was another night at Nobody's Place. However, it was not just another night outside. Albany, New York, was a little surprised when the blizzard hit, but that's only because it was the first week in October. Despite the harsh weather, the bar crowd steadily grew.

         Bo, manning his spot at the door, was busy helping customers into and out of the bar because the sloping entrance was slick from melted snow. Joe was behind the bar, serving the usual drinks and sipping his usual Heineken. While popping the top off a few Buds he noticed a vision of loveliness.

         Sitting across from the bar was a girl with lustrous, wavy dark hair. Every once in a while she turned enough for Joe to see her face and he noticed her crooked smile. Crystal, who had the night off, noticed where Joe was looking.

         "Hey boss, you want me to get her name or maybe bring a drink over from you." Crystal seemed excited and Joe knew it was because customers rarely attracted his attention. It was hard to compete with his memory of Chrissy.

         "Don't bother, Crystal. I'm sure she's just another typical college student and has no interest in an old man like me."

         Crystal went off to talk to Bo and soon Joe could see him smiling too and looking at the new girl. The night wore on and Joe continued to pour drinks and open beers, occasionally noticing that the girl was still there. Around 1:00 he looked over and saw she was gone and decided it was all for the best.

         A minute later Bo came to the bar, through the parted crowd, carrying a body in his arms. Joe figured it was some kind of joke as the girl Bo carried was the same one he'd been watching all night. Bo placed her in a bar stool after chasing a customer off of it.

         "Joe, she slipped in the door way. Says her leg is hurting." Joe's smile faded as he saw her tears.

         Coming around from behind the bar, Joe approached her for the first time. He leaned in close to be heard over the music and could smell her White DIamonds perfume.

         "Hi, I'm Joe. Are you okay?"

         "I know who you are. Crystal told me your name hours ago. Too bad I had to get hurt for you to talk to me." Her face showed a strained smile through the tears. "I don't know what I did but my ankle really hurts. I'm just glad I drank all those beers or it might hurt even more!"

         Joe glanced at her ankle and noticed immediately that it was obscenely swollen. He turned to Crystal who had just come over.

         "Crystal, wrap some ice in a bar rag and bring it over here." He turned back to the injured girl. "We'll take care of you. Tell me you didn't do this just so I would talk to you." He smiled kindly and she looked up at him. Van Morrison flashed through his mind as he saw just how deep the brown of her eyes was.

         "No," she said. "This just sort of happened on it's own. Damn Albany weather. I'm Allison by the way."

         "Well, Allison, I'm sorry I didn't buy you a drink earlier but next time you come in your drinks are on me." He turned toward Crystal, who had just returned, and grabbed the ice.

         "Least you could do," jibed Allison, "since your bar injured me." Joe saw she still had a strained smile, then watched her flinch in pain as he applied the ice.

         "Allison, I'm gonna drive you over to the emergency room. I think you may have broken your ankle." She just nodded.

         "Bo, get someone else on the door, I need you behind the bar for now." Bo nodded as Joe picked up Allison and noticed for the first time how petite she actually was. Bo cleared another path and Joe carried her to his car outside the back door from his office. Bo opened the car door and Allison was placed inside.

         It took a while to get to the hospital on the unplowed streets but at last they arrived. Joe went inside for a wheel chair and then wheeled Allison to the admitting desk before going back out to move his car. When he got back inside he sat with Allison while they waited for a doctor to see her.

         "Joe, talk to me. This is really starting to hurt so give me something else to think about." The ankle was probably still swelling and the alcohol was wearing off so Joe figured it was an understatement. It wasn't a long wait but it was long enough for Joe to tell her about his years working in various bars until he could live his dream and open Nobody's Place. She was an attentive audience.

         They spent about 5 hours at the hospital before her broken ankle was placed in a cast and she was ready to be released. Joe drove her home. He was rather surprised when he asked for her phone number and she refused.

         "There's no point Joe. I'm gonna have to leave town and stay with my folks for a while, but when I return I promise to find you." Joe kissed the back of her hand and said good night.

         Days and then weeks went by and eventually even months. Joe thought of Allison a lot for a while but soon it was less and less. At some point his thoughts drifted back to Chrissy, more and more. Around the end of August, Joe was getting ready to open the bar when Bo came in.

         "Got a surprise for you boss." The big man stepped aside and there stood Allison. She had a walking cast on and was leaning on a cane. Joe realized immediately just how much he had missed that crooked smile of hers.

         "So, Joe, I believe you promised me a drink. I'll take a Heineken if you please." Joe smiled and grabbed three of them. He opened them all quickly and the three of them sat down.

         "Joe, I appreciate the drink, but I was really hoping for a hug." Joe moved over and engulfed her tiny body in his average sized arms. "I really appreciate all you did for me when I got hurt and I was hoping we could spend some more time together, but not in the emergency room."

         Joe quickly kissed her and his heart warmed as he realized just how lucky that accident had been. Bo had a big smile on his own face, glad that his boss had found someone and could stop pining for Chrissy."

         The evening progressed and the bar started to fill up. Bo moved to his spot at the door and Allison sat at the corner of the bar, the traditional bartender's girlfriend spot. Joe stood behind the bar, serving the drinks and smiling. It was just another night at Nobody's Place, but for Joe it was the first night of a new adventure.