Meanderthal Man

"Woman! Where's dinner?" he shouted at his wife who was washing her hands in the kitchen sink not more than 10 feet from where he was standing.

"It's in the oven and will be ready in about ten minutes." Anna replied.

"Well it better be" Donald Gregory snapped back. He is the twenty-five year old son of a wealthy oil man. His father had made a fortune in oil before Donald was born and Donald never had to work a day in his life. As they say, he was 'born with a silver spoon in his mouth', and Donald knew it. While growing up, he had people to serve his every need. His life was all about him and no one else. He was the perfect example of the 'Me Generation'.

"What are your plans for this evening Donald?" Anna asked. She is a beautiful woman of twenty-two years, who was raised in a moderate farming family with three older brothers and one younger sister. Her emerald green eyes with long flowing auburn hair complimented her slender, yet curvy body. She could pass for a runway model, if she didn't lack self confidence. So now she tends to her husbands needs, like many wives do.

"I'm going out" he responded.

Donald often went out without taking Anna along. He came home many nights smelling of unfamiliar perfume mixed with the aroma of bourbon and cigarette smoke. Anna was getting tired of his playing around and she was contemplating asking him for a divorce. But she was scared of what he might do. Being slapped around by him in the past, she was afraid that he might go farther and beat her to a pulp, or worse yet, to death.

"Again?" she queried.

Donald slammed his closed fist to the table causing the plates and glasses to rattle violently on the surface of the table. "Yes again! If you don't like it, tough!" he yelled.

"Asshole" slipped through her lips. When will I get the nerve to leave his primitive ass? she thought.

"What was that?" he cracked back.

"Nothing, dear" she responded while placing the casserole on the table.

"And I don't know why you never want to go out for dinner." Donald added.

"We've been through this before" she replied. She was embarrassed to go out with him in public. She learned from the few times in the past that she did go out with him, that she would only be humiliated by the experience. When they first started dating, he was such a sweet and thoughtful man. After the marriage, that changed. She realized that all he wanted her for was sex. She was something he wanted, but couldn't have, so he acted like a well mannered man, that is until after the wedding. Her mother tried to warn her, but in her naive youth, she wouldn't listen.

While she was cleaning up the dishes, on his way out the door she heard him holler, "I'm going. I'll be back later. Don't wait up."

***

Broders flashed on the neon sign outside of the night club. It is a trendy night spot that attracts some of the most undisciplined citizens of the lower west side. Donald fit right in with that crowd.

Donald didn't mind the snide comments made as he pushed his way through the line waiting to gain entrance to the hot-spot. As he approached the entrance, Donald winked to one of the bouncers guarding the door "Good evening Bones, how's the crowd tonight?"

"It's a lively group Mr. Gregory, be careful" he said as he moved aside allowing Donald to enter.

Donald shoved a hundred dollar bill in the bouncers shirt pocket as he passed.

Inside, Donald ordered a rum and coke from the first steward he saw. All of the wait staff knew him and knew that he was a good tipper so they didn't mind his attitude. He began mingling with the crowd.

The music was fast and loud, just as he liked it. The people were boisterous and wild. As he scanned the patrons, he spotted someone he never saw there before. She was ravishing. In a very short jean skirt, with legs that were long and slender. Through the low cut pink blouse, he noticed her pronounced bosom. Her hair was long and blond that was slightly curled with streaks of purple running down the lengths on either side of her angelic face. Skin so smooth. Being light on the makeup, her face held a natural beauty, he thought. Her perfectly contoured body, made him feel that he had to have her - tonight!

He slowly danced up to her, twisting his body and hips to match her rhythm. As he got closer he began circling her. He admired her beauty. He danced around in a complete circle and stopped the rotation directly in front of her.

"Whats your name beautiful?" he asked.

"Taken" was her response.

The waitress approached with his order. Being sure his prey was watching, without missing a step, he dropped a twenty on the waitress' tray and took the drink.

"C'mon gorgeous" he said to the beautiful feline. "Can't we dance?"

"My husband wouldn't like that, he is the jealous type." she warned.

"So is my wife, but that doesn't stop me" he retorted.

Out of the corner of his eye, Donald noticed a man approaching carrying two drinks. "Is this bum bothering you sweety?" the man asked his wife. He was a handsome man with jet black, shoulder length hair. He wore small wire-rimmed glasses and was dressed in dark khaki pants and a nice pastel green button down shirt.

Looking from the husband to the wife, Donald thought, This should be a piece of cake, like taking candy from a baby.

"No, honey, He was just moving along." shouting loud enough that her husband could hear.

Not being accustomed to being told no, Donald stepped back bumping the man causing the drinks he was carrying to slosh on to his pretty pastel color shirt, darkening the front with wetness.
"Thanks a lot pal!" the gentleman steamed. "I'll be right back honey" he told his wife as he headed toward the restrooms.

Donald watched as the man left sight. "C'mon honey. Your gorgeous and I don't know if I could make it through the night without at least a dance."

After looking Donald over from head to toe, the woman said "Look pal. I told you I don't want to dance with you and if you don't leave me alone, I will call security!" She quickly turned her back on him and started dancing alone.

With his upbringing, Donald did not like to be told no. One night when he returned home from an outing to the club, he approached his wife wanting to be intimate. She told him no. She came out of it with a black eye and bruised ribs. He did not take No well at all!

Donald grabbed the woman by the arm and spun her around. "Look lady, I've been nice to you, complimented you and politely asked you for a dance. Many women would jump at this chance, and you refuse to just give me one dance?"

Almost immediately, Donald felt a strong arm around his neck and another grabbing his hand and forcing it behind his back. "Look pal" the husband growled through clenched teeth. "I told you to get lost, and I mean it. You better get out of here before I kick your ass! Don't you ever approach my wife or I again or I will do more than kick your ass!"

"Alright already buddy. Can't you take a joke? You should be honored that I even asked your wife to dance in the first place." Donald angrily replied. He jerked out of the mans grip and strode away.

Donald sat at the bar and drank several more rum and cokes. As he drank his arrogance grew with every swallow. After a few more songs had played, he noticed the woman again dancing alone and he approached her.

"This is your last chance at a good dance babe. I can dance circles around your old man, and I bet I can be a better man in other areas of your life as well. I could take you to Mars if you'd let me." Donald slurred.

She slapped his face. Bones saw what had happened and he came over and interrupted. "Is this man bothering you ma'am?" Bones questioned.

"He is!" the lady stated. "Please keep him away from me or I am leaving!"

Grabbing Donald by the arm, Bones told Donald "Look Donald, you are gonna have to leave. I think you had enough to drink and when the customers start complaining, I have no choice but to escort you out."

Donald resisted at first, but Bones was good at his profession. He was easily able to force Donald out of the club, but not before Donald could yell to the beauty and her husband, who had just returned with another round of drinks, "YOU BITCH! I BETTER NEVER SEE YOU OR YOUR SCROUNGY HUSBAND IN HERE AGAIN BECAUSE NEXT TIME I WILL TAKE A DANCE FROM YOU!"

Outside Donald staggered toward his car. He could always drive no matter how much he drank. There was no taking a cab for him! He sat down in the seat of his car and fumbled for his keys. He saw someone approaching. He thought he recognized the man but wasn't sure. "What's the matter buddy? Haven't you had enough inside? Do I actually have to kick your ass?"

The instant he felt the burning in his chest, he heard a ringing in his ears. Oh my God, he thought. That idiot just shot me! He felt a warm wetness seeping down the front of his chest as the blood accumulated in his lap. He felt a dizziness like he has never felt before. Everything started going dark. He was unable to focus. He reached for his cell phone to call 911. As he finished dialing, everything went black.

"9-1-1" the operator announced. "What is your emergency this evening?"

There was no response. Donald was dead.

***

Anna heard the doorbell. It's one am, she thought. Who could it be at this time of the night? She slipped on her robe and trod down the stairs. Spying through the peep hole she saw two uniformed police officers. She quickly opened the door.

"What's the problem officers?" she asked.

"Are you Mrs. Gregory? Mrs. Anna Gregory?" the tallest officer asked.

"Yes I am" replied Anna.

"There was an incident at Broders tonight ma'am" the officer replied.

"I think you should get dressed and come with us" said the shorter officer.

"Is it something with my husband? Did he get drunk again and start a hassle with someone?" Anna asked.

"Yes ma'am." said the taller of the two. "He's been shot. We want to take you to the hospital."

"Oh my God." she replied. "Is he okay?"

"No ma'am. Please come with us ma'am" the shorter nervously stated.

"Okay. I'll get dressed. Give me a minute." she shakily replied.

Anna ran upstairs and slid in to a pair of jeans and a tee-shirt. She slipped on a pair of Nike sneakers and ran back down the stairs, all within two minutes.

***

Tears were flowing down her smooth cheeks as she braved the ER doctors consolation that her husband has been killed. He had explained how the bullet penetrated Donald's heart and that he died less than a minute after the entry wound occurred.

"Thank you doctor" she moaned as she turned and stumbled to the pay phone in the corner. I guess I don't have to worry anymore about talking to him about a divorce, she thought as she dialed her mothers number on the phone.