A Missed Connection: Part IV

(Story begins here.)

``Oh lord, please don't tell me you fell in love with a girl you just met? If that were true son, I think you are hopeless,'' Roger pronounced as he took a few mouthfuls of his beer.

``No, no, no...'' Eric replied quickly. ``I wasn't immediately falling head-over-heels for her. It's just that as we kept training together, I started to find her more and more attractive.

``But I never really told her how I felt. I mean, she was introduced to the club by a guy, and I thought...''

``...that they were lovers, and you had no balls to ask her out? God son, you are dense!'' Roger exclaimed.

``No, no, no... not no balls. Didn't want to make things awkward. The club was small, and if she or both of them left due to my faux pas, I could never live with myself.''

``Alright, I get your point,'' Roger replied gruffly. ``But none of that French thing please---it gives me an indigestion.'' Eric finished the rest of his drink and sat there for a while. Wordlessly, Joe filled up a clean glass with more Yuenling and placed it on another coaster next to the empty glass. Eric did not seem to notice nore care except to just pick up the non-empty glass to take another gulp.

The bar was starting to see the first wave of college kids entering. They were of little concern to Joe---the early stragglers in to the bar were the second well-behaved group, with the first of course being the regulars. The newcomers took up a position on the other end of the bar, and one of them motioned to Joe that they wanted him to take their orders. Joe shrugged and sauntered off to his new customers as Eric and Roger sat there quietly, each drinking from his own beer at near consistent intervals. At that point Roger suddenly realised that Eric had been aware that Joe had been listening in, and was even approving of it as he stopped his tale there and then.

Joe took the orders from the newcomers and laid out their drinks on coasters in front of them, taking in the ones and fives they handed to him to put into the cash register. His business on that end done, he tried to find an excuse to make his way back to the side where Roger and Eric were, only to see Roger waving and gesticulating to him to just get the hell over.

Joe put aside the dispenser and grabbed his towel and cleaned the bar top as he made his way back to the other side of the bar.

(Story continues here.)