Mandy

I knew that she was going to be trouble the moment I laid eyes on her. There was just this thing about broads of that sort that one eventually learnt to notice---the tell-tale walk, the hip swivel, the immaculately cultured attire, the hourglass figure, the red lips, coiffed hair, flirty eyes---the whole works. But there was no easy way to just walk away from that too, especially if they were directing all their wiles on you; to do so would be, to put in the mildest possible terms, impolite, and would likely incur the collective wrath of the entire male population that happened to be within line of sight of the entire transpiration of the contact event.

Now, you might think that I'm just trying to cover up for myself, but that's not true. I am merely stating facts.

I was sitting at the bar on my own, minding my own business, keeping busy with a gin and tonic that I got Ricky the barkeep to get me. No ice, of course, the bloody thing would have destroyed the wonderfully subtle flavour that made that particular cocktail my favourite over the myriad that Ricky churns out for everyone else on any particular night. I sat there, nursing that drink, hunched over it at the barstool trying to think about the day's events when I sensed a slightly different presence near me. No one ever sits near me, and such a presence was more than a mere surprise. There was a subtle floral fragance about it, jasmine perhaps, that suggested that the space invader was of female origins. Not really wanting any company, male or female, I turned around to give the interloper a good what-for.

To my surprise, what greeted me was this brunette with a nicely tied up hair in a black business skirt-suit that covered the white blouse of ruffles. Her face had a soft feel about it, and her lips were striking red, and she had glasses on, which did little to hide the fact that she had long eyelashes wiping away on that thing from behind. She gave me the coyest of all looks and asked me if she could join me. I was about to reject her when I suddenly sensed the combined stares of jealousy and white-knighthood emanating from the nebulous ends of the entire bar. Begrudgingly, I nodded my head and went back to nursing my drink, hoping that I had given a clear signal of what I had thought of about her ``company''.

She seemed unfazed and just climbed atop of the bar stool immmediately next to mine, her light perfume wafting over towards me seemingly trying to intoxicate me. I felt annoyed, but was finding it hard to impossible to demonstrate it---I didn't want to cause trouble for Ricky. God only knows the massive over-reactions I would get from the white-knights in the inscrutable crowd for saying anything even remotely insolent to the woman who was now seated next to me despite having nearly the rest of the bar free.

She ordered a single malt from Ricky, who replied in his usual jovial manner. I carefully sipped on the gin and tonic in front of me. I could feel an additional pair of eyes scanning me from top to toe, and didn't have to guess hard on who it was who was doing it. That scrutiny was starting to get on my nerves. I turned around and looked at her dead in the eye.

She proved quicker to the draw and disarmed me with an exuberant ``Hi!'' and a heart-melting smile. I had not seen anyone male or female having that kind of expression in a long time, ever since I had broken up with my girlfriend of three years just six months ago. I found myself heating up from god knows what and I mumbled back a quiet ``hi'' in reply, the initial gruffness I had mostly gone.

``I'm Mandy! I heard that you're here every night during the week. Is it true?''

I was momentarily stunned by her audacity. To jump into such an introduction from being complete strangers was nothing short of pure audacity for sure. I took another look at her and grunted out a ``yes'' in reply. I gulped down the last of my gin and tonic and signalled to Ricky that I was done for the night and that he should add the drink to my tab. Just as I was about to get off the bar stool to go, I felt my left arm grabbed by two slim but firm hands, one of which was gently pushing it towards something that was initially firm but turned out to be soft. In that moment of confusion, I was suddenly aware that Mandy had grabbed hold of my arm and hugged it towards her breasts.

``Oh, why are you leaving so soon? We were just about to get acquainted with each other! Ricky, bring me another gin and tonic for this gentleman right here.'' Ricky nodded with a wry grin as he set her single malt whisky in front of her and proceeded to make yet another gin and tonic for me.

I didn't know what to do. The realisation that I was actually touching her breasts through the layers of the business skirt-suit had thrown my rationality out of calibration, and I found myself suddenly within the easy controls of Mandy. I also realised that I was in no position to extricate myself at that point, since any movement I take that is against what Mandy wanted had a high chance of eliciting some scream that can easily send me to a very dark place in the proverbial hell---there was nothing that one really say and do in public defense when one was in a compromising situation such as the one I was in at the moment. I sighed and readjusted myself on the bar stool, after which she slipped one of her arms away from mine while keeping the other still entwined. It was at this moment that I finally rediscovered my voice.

``Mandy, I'm sure you have better people to hang out with than me, especially since I don't even know who you are. Will you please tell me why you have made me stay on here beyond what I wanted to do?''

``Oh Samuel... I have heard much about you, and frankly, I think that we ought to be soul mates. I had been observing you for the past fortnight, coming in different outfits and manners and just watching when you come in, what you did and when you left. It's only tonight that I've decided that it was finally the right time to approach you and introduce myself.''

``Soul mates?'' I replied with more than just confusion. ``I hardly even know you, miss, so in what manner of a soul mate are you talking about?''

``Oh you don't need to be coy with me, Samuel. I know how you are.'' And with that, she suddenly withdrew her other arm from mine and undid the bun that was holding up her hair. The bun unravelled and her hair flowed off it like a fountain, bouncing gently into lightly wavy tresses that landed on her shoulders. Her new look with the hair framing her already soft glasses-wearing face and red lips made her look at least twice as alluring as compared to before, the authoritarian look replaced with one that highlighted the untold charms of a modern woman who knew when to work hard, and when to have fun.

Something in my mind told me to just drop everything and run as far away as I could, and maybe arrange with Ricky to settle the tab at some point in the future, never returning if possible. But there was something about her that appealled to the side of me that still yearned the intimacy that I once shared with a special someone up to six months ago. Needless to say, my loins were aching at what I was looking at.

I looked away from her gleaming eyes, glad that Ricky had thoughtfully placed the completed gin and tonic in front of me. I picked it up and studied it as intently as I could, trying my best to ignore the woman next to me, and to ignore the stupid ideas that my aroused loins were begging me to follow.

``Are you... shy?'' That boldness again. It was so weird to be on the receiving end of the flirt, but I was starting to warm up to her advances, though I was still trying my best to be as indifferent as I could.

``No I'm not.'' I took the entire gin and tonic in one shot. ``Miss, you are very lovely, that I give you credit for. I think I know what you want, but I don't think I can deliver what I think you want. I have no idea what you have heard about me, but I really can't stay for another drink. Thank you for this, and I will make a move now.'' I gave her a light bow and hastily made for the exit, the hair on my back raised from all the scornful looks that I was receiving from everyone else.

I made my way through the exit without any harm and paused next to a lamp post to clear my head. That was the oddest encounter I had in a long while, and wasn't sure what to make of it. I was glad to have gotten rid of her for now, and with that in mind, started walking towards the taxi stand, only to find her standing there, alone, waiting for what I was hoping to be the taxi. Except I was wrong.

``Samuel... why'd you run away from me?''

``Mandy... I hardly even know you...'' I replied as I made my way to the taxi queue.

The next thing I knew, her hands were around my neck, and mine were around her waist, and we were giving each other rapid and hard kisses, right there at the taxi stand.

Over head, a solitary crow sat on the window sill and watched us.