My Dinosaur Era Chapter 41
By beanzie
- 32 reads
bar sport was busy, nearly all locals
we squeezed in at the counter, pointed at stuff
the staff all knew patrycja
I ate greedily, stuffing my mouth full
washing it down with tempranillo
the crowd buzzed
a realisation arose
for the last few days, I had quit thinking
the need to take each thought
rake it over, spit out conclusions
had drifted away
I’m on holiday, that’s what they are for, right
but no, it is more than that
the lightness began with that kiss
when patrycja put her mouth to mine
barely visible now, after drink, through time
I watched her at the bar, as she ordered
behind ginny, her hands on her shoulders
nodding to plates of pintxos
ginny, up to her chest
caught in an aura she could not comprehend
she reached out to me
touched my stomach, gently
I’m still here, she was saying
ginny turned into her, held her like a child might
plates flew over our heads, arms blurred into the background
pieces of smiles flashed across us
in this storm, we are free
a table opened up, patrycja beckoned by the staff
sit, sit, please
ginny sits with petula
patrycja next to me
I feel floaty, maybe drunk now
nothing makes sense
everything makes sense
I realised just now that your van is right hand drive, british registered, I say
you just noticed, have you been sleeping, says patrycja
I’m usually pretty good on observational stuff, I say
not that good today, huh, I bought the van when I lived in brighton, right before I left to come here, she says
I bet it cost a few quid, I say
and you wonder where some bum who works in a hotel got that sort of money, she says
yeah, I guess I kinda do, I say
my mother passed away, she didn’t have much, just a small house near krakow but it was enough to buy the van and to take a breath, you know, she says
I’m sorry about your mother, she must have been quite young then, I say
she was eighty, not so young, she says
ah, ok, wait, how old are you then, I say
you think I am too young to have a mother of eighty, yes, she says
I mean, yeah, I guess, I say
I am forty six, she says
wow, yeah, I thought you were the youngest of all of us, I say
I don’t even know how old you all are, people are so obsessed with this number, she says
well, maybe I am as I am the oldest, I say
she shrugs, eats a pintxo with anchovy
so when I said about the flights being booked, you said you had an idea, I say
she nods,chews her food, slugs some beer
yes, we can take the ferry, she says
the ferry, I say
yes, from here to portsmouth, she says
I didn’t even know there was a ferry to england from here, I say
from bilbao, yes, we can take, all go together, she says
you’re coming too, I say
why, you don’t want me to, she says
no, of course I do, it’s just that you have a job here, I say
hmm, I don't like that job so much, I go, I have been here too long, she says
won’t the ferry be booked up and expensive, aren’t they expensive, I say
you worry too much, timmy, she says
yeah, I do, I say
let’s go back to the beach, says ginny
in a minute, I’m comfy here, I say
please timmy, I want to swim again, says ginny
I want to swim again too, says petula
hmm, ok, I just ate too much I think, I say
I’ll go with them, you stay here, find us when you are ready, says patrycja
see you in a while, timmy, says ginny
petula hesitates as she stands
shall I stay, I feel bad leaving you alone, says petula
no, you go, have a lovely swim, I say
ok, see you soon, says petula
they disappear out of the door
I get up from the table, stand back at the bar
order more pintxos, another glass of wine
the crowds have subsided now
people go back to work, to sleep, to their everyday business
I think of the women at the beach
their joyful laughter, this freedom we have found
for the first time in ages
my mind casts itself home
my half painted flat, a creaking sofa bed
my dwindling bank account
one I have not dared check since we landed
the notion of future has returned
I try to shake it off, loosen its grip on me
the man behind the bar smiles at me
hey, more wine for you, he says
I hold up my glass
si, por favor, I say
the wine arrives, I look at my phone
I am about to put it back into my pocket
message from patrycja
we can get the ferry at lunchtime tomorrow, don’t worry it is cheap, I have a friend
ok, I reply
we can talk later, think about it but we need to say soon if yes, ok, she replies
thanks, will catch you soon, I reply
tomorrow feels too soon, yet
we will still all be together
homeward bound
back into the real world
I drink my wine
what way is the beach
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