My Dinosaur Era Chapter 21

 

get dressed, sit on the bed, no sign of ginny, long smoke break

glad that she’s here, despite her toddler style whining

she knew I shouldn’t be alone right now

not that I’d do anything terrible

I’d have just fallen between the cracks

had a shit time in a place I love

running away doesn't have to be painful

 

I go downstairs in search of ginny

easy to find, sat at the bar, a beer in front of her

I thought you’d run away, I say

oh timmy, sorry, I just got chatting, she says

the woman behind the bar smiles

oh, so you are timmy, yes, she says

not a spanish accent, eastern european

yep, that’s me, I say

I am patrycja, says patrycja

nice to meet you, I say

patrycja used to live in brighton, says ginny

she’s excited, like we have crossed the sahara 

found someone who used to shop in west hove sainsburys

is that so, I say

I sit next to ginny at the bar, her cheeks are red

post nap, boozy glow about her

easy to see why everyone falls for her

are you going to have a shower, I say

why, do I smell, she says

genuine horror in her eyes

no, but you said about an hour ago that you needed one, I say

did I, oh, well I should probably have one, she says

drinks the rest of her beer in one gulp, hops off the stool

hand her the door card

see you back down here, she says

skips away to the elevator, a child in spring

 

I turn to patrycja, she looks straight at me, unsmiling

not unfriendly, intense as fuck though

hi, I say

hello, timmy, she says

can’t be arsed to explain the whole tim/timmy thing

can I have a glass of rioja, please, I say

I give you better, not the tourist rioja, good tempranillo like the basque people drink, ok, she says

sure, ok, I say

she turns away, fetches a bottle from a cupboard, pours

here, she says

thanks, I say

come, try, she says

her eyes are trained on me, daring me to drink it

is she poisoning me, hesitation, jesus, drink it

the wine enters my mouth, so smooth, every bud in there goes nuts

wow, I say

it’s good, no, she says

yeah, it’s good, thank you, I say

she smiles for the first time

big blue eyes, short blonde hair

pale skin out of place amongst the spaniards

I can see why ginny was chatting her up

drink more of the wine, second mouthful as good as the first

look around the bar, quiet, it’s early, maybe seven in the evening 

a couple sit at at table, unmistakably british

try not to catch their eye, no chance

engrossed in their phones

looking for tomorrow’s full english 

the man who checked us in tip taps across the tiled floor

in a hurry, strides measured, cadence intense

it must be important

 

third mouthful still feels like heaven

patrycja appears in front of me once more

the wine, it’s good, she says

really good, I say

tonight I will show you more good drinks, she says

oh, ok, I say

yes, ginny says we go for drinks later, I finish at nine, she says

right, well, ok then, I say

you eat first, I meet you at ten, give me your phone, she says

I do as I am told, she taps her number into my phone

hands it back, new contact, patrycja

call it now, so I have your number, she says

ok, I say

I do as I’m told, again

she takes her phone from her pocket, taps away

timmy, you are saved, she says

 

patrycja goes to the end of the bar, serves the british people

large beer, glass of wine for the wife, dry, she likes it dry

nearly drained my wine, the good wine, the secret stuff

from the secret cupboard, not for the likes of you, mate

I linger over the last of my wine, it tastes too good to neck

never know when ginny may appear again

still light outside, busy, people walking fast past the windows

their bodies obscured by frosted glass

heads bobbing up and down with each stride

turn back to the bar, another glass of wine sat there

I look down the bar to patrycja, she ‘s pouring a beer

glances over at me, flicks her head to indicate the wine is for me

turns back to her customer

I’ll have another then, sure, why not

ginny appears, seemingly from behind a large plant

come on, let’s get going, I’m hungry again, she says

oh, I just got a drink, I say

get me a small beer then, please, she says

I turn back to the bar, a small beer on the counter

patrycja is way too good at her job

hand it to ginny, take a large gulp of the wine

where shall we go to eat, she says

not sure yet, I say

what about your favourite place, the one you talked about, she says

sorginzulo, I prefer it there in the daytime, we’ll go tomorrow, I say

so kfc tonight then, she says

there’s so many places, even dive bars have decent pintxos, I say

we drink some more, head gently spinning

gentle drunk, velvet intoxication, smiling out loud

 

phone buzzes

message from patrycja

go to bacaicoa taberna for pintxos

that’s settled then

she’s like the personal assistant I never knew I needed

 

drinks finished, we wave to patrycja

she nods, wipes the bar, picks up a glass

she is something else, I say

what’s that, says ginny

nothing, just mumbling away, I say

come on, let’s eat some tiny things on bits of bread, babe, she says

we step out onto the street, the sun is still half awake

leaning on one elbow

almost at the end

we walk arm in arm towards the tiny things on bits of bread