An old fashioned please

He took out a crumpled twenty dollar bill from his pockets and gave it to the bartender as he received his drink. He wet his lips in the alcoholic beverage and looked around the world famous Birdland. The majority of people there were couples. Old, young, middle aged, a whole variety of them all sharing something in common : love. Colt often thought of love. He wondered why he had yet fallen in love, even thought he was so advanced in age. His friends kept on telling him, "It'll come one day, don't worry about it." But it wasn't anywhere to be seen.

Maybe it was because he valued music too much. He took at least two hours, if not more, every day to practice and compose. He had gigs most weeks and usually, more than once a week. That's without counting all the times old pals asked him to sub for them and such. He didn't have much time for anything other than music. 

But he was growing tired. He was having a harder time lining up late gigs nights and staying self-disciplined with his two hour practices. It was time to let the new generation take over now, and he could start making time for other things, like love. 

He reached for his alto saxophone, making sure it was still there. Even thought he wanted to slack on his music, losing his saxophone would kill him. He finished his drink and asked for another one, throwing another bill at the bartender, offering him a tired smile. Maybe love would happen some day, and maybe even tonight. He sat there, sipping on his drink, letting things happen.

Music soothed the soul. Cassandra was no stranger to that fact. But what happens when the calming sounds of instruments can no longer provide the same satisfaction that love brought? It was important to note - she had never really thought about it until now. The thought came to her when she was going on a pub crawl. Alone. Was there anything sadder than that? 

Complete autonomy. 

Maybe it was better this way? She always had the feeling that she was just an insatiable person. Immune to love. Cassandra often hated herself for the way she looked at things in an inverted manner. Pain became pleasure. If anyone was to ever find out about her secret pleasures, she would surely be admonished. Banished perhaps? 

.. Of course not. People don't get jailed or executed for those kinds of things. However, there was always the fear that someone would make fun of her titillating fantasies. Tonight felt somewhat different. After having more than alcohol necessary for one night - she gave no fucks anymore. Not tonight, at least. 

That's why she had confidently approached a man at the bar. With an alto saxophone close by him. With no fucks given, and apropos to nothing at all, she says to him, "My, that forced smile has the power to dim the lights in here. Is this seat taken?" 

Colt chuckled at the woman commented on his smile. He pulled the chair out for her, motioning the seat was avaible. He finished the remainder of his fourth drink and asked for yet another one. He slowly turned his head towards the woman.

I got your drinks for the night. Take everything you feel like.

He thanked the barman once again and let him know her expenses were on him. He took a little sip of his drink beofre offering a nicer smile to the lady. She was a very attractive woman, that was for sure. By far, the prettiest one in the club. No question. He couldn't fuck it up. His hands became sweaty and his heart started to thud. Damn. He had to stay composed.

My name's Coltrane. But call me Colt, please. he introduced, hoping she would do the same. So, what brings a pretty lady here on this night?

Cassandra quietly heaved a sigh of relief before she sat down on the seat next to him. She was getting nervous about being rejected for nothing. A soft smile makes its way on her lips in response to his compliment, and she gives a half shrug. "I'm uh, pub crawling. I ended up here on my own." The bartender came up to her about to ask for her drink, but she already knows the answer before he even says anything. Cassandra shook her head and put a hand in front of her, signalling her brain was done for the night. Too much liquor. 

"Nice name. Colt. A young uncastrated male horse." She instantly regret saying that and tried to swiftly change the subject. Introducing herself would probably be a good start. "And my name is Cassandra. Cass." There was a hint of playfulness in her eyes as she spoke to him. He felt like such a genuine person to her, and stuck out from the rest. His shiny gold sax was hard to not notice. 

She was no private investigator, but she continued to engage him in conversation while trying to figure out the meaning behind his downcast eyes. Clientele of the bar were beginning to exit. It was getting late. Cassandra couldn't think of anywhere else she wanted to be at though. It had been a long time since she met someone so open to a conversation, especially considering she was really drunk. Most people would have ignored her. But not this guy. 

"Alright Coltrane, here's some advice. I'm not a relationship guru or anything, but I find that 'waiting' for the one won't work out how you want it. Time and time again, I've been thrown into disappointment because I keep on letting my expectations take over the situation. They always say the best love story is when you fall in love with the most unexpected person at the most unexpected time. Bars are pretty cliche. The best girls hang out at the library." She was unintentionally implying herself, but she thought that it might lighten the mood up a bit more. Cassandra had always liked playing the matchmaker though. She never wanted a relationship herself, not after her ex ruined her. 

In every friend group, Cassandra was the single one. The single-st one out of them all.

Colt seemed much too laden with his doubts about love. She started to wonder how busy he was with all the gigs. But he seemed pretty open to anything. "Do you have your eye on anyone though? At all?" Cassandra smirked. There were many female mobsters working in the mafia industry, all were unique and sexy in their own way. But she wondered if Colt had a specific type. 

Colt listened to Cass talk to him about her point of view. He liked it. A lot. It was new, fresh, not stale and overused like what the others had told him. He finished his fifth glass and slid it to the barman. That was enough for the night. Then Cass asked him a question that hit him like a ton of bricks. Did he have anyone in sight? He thought about it for a moment and realized he didn’t really have anyone. Hell, he didn’t even know if he had a penchant for certain types of women. 

No... I haven’t given it much thought yet, to be honest. he said, while nodding. What about you? Are you... ehm... are you... single? 

His heart was pounding. Even thought he wasn’t fully committing, it still was a stressful question to ask. He had done it. He patted his jackets inside pocket. His wallet was still there. He checked down on his sax. It was still there as well. Everything was perfect.

Even though he had given her a straight answer, Cassandra gave him a suspicious look. She had a feeling that he was holding his tongue as he spoke. Like he wanted to say something more to her. Well, it was too late now. He was already asking her about her love life. 

"Single pringle. But I'm living like this by choice." She shrugged and let out a sigh. 

Given that Cassandra could be a fantasist, she couldn't help but feel that his emotions were compounded even further by her next set of questions.  "You seem to have a busy schedule," she glanced down at the sax before returning her eyes to him, "when is your closest day off?" 

Cassandra paused before continuing. She wasn't sure how Colt was going to take it, or whether he was even going to like it, but he seemed to be in such a dark place mentally so it would be good to give him a distraction from all that madness. "Do you want to come on a road trip with me? Just to ease your mind?" It was a plausible claim to be giving, and a sneaky one, because she knew that it was a cover up for something else. 

Add a matchmaker and a lonely soul  - what do you get? 

A faint smile appeared on Colt's face as Cass answered him. She wasn't just a pretty face. She had personality, and a nice one from what he could tell. 

I understand. I'm on the same boat as you, believe or it not. When you commit to one thing, some other things don't have priority. he explained, looking down at his saxophone. His smile grew even bigger as she proposed the road trip. Every time she spoke, his smile seemed to grow even bigger. 

What about in two days? I have a recording session tomorrow, I'll make sure it gets all done in one day. And it could give you time to rest a little from this late night. he added, winking. I can go get you, with my car. And we can determine where we go from there. If that sounds good to you? 

He put his coat on and grabbed his saxophone case by the handles. The early hours of the morning were passing by and he needed a little sleep, as little as he could.

It's getting late. Mind if I make sure you get back to your place safely? Thats if you're leaving as well, of course.

"You may take me home. I think I'd appreciate that anyway. I'm traumatized from this movie I last saw about this girl trying to come home on her own, but ended up running into a.. yeah... I can't say it."

Cassandra took a moment to adjust back to reality after recalling that last memory. Finally, she found herself standing outside of the bar while her arm was tucked in Coltrane's. To think it was only beginning to enter the evening when she walked in, but now the sky was completely black and dark. She gestured in the right direction with her head to say that her apartment was that way. 

She turned to face him. A smile appeared on her face as she continued walking. The sax he was holding onto caught her attention again and she couldn't help but ask about it. 

"How long have you been playing? I'd love to hear you play some time. If you have a studio or something." She asked curiously with a twinkle of hope in her eyes.

He chuckled as she mentioned the movie she had seen, but his subconscious couldn't help but remind him of the ugly things that happened when the sun closed its eyes. He patted his jacket and felt his revolver, laying in an inside pocket. He always kept it on him, ever since he had set his operations up, as precaution. You never knew what could happen. He shook the thoughts out of his head and offered Cass a warm smile. 

They began to walk towards her apartment and she asked him about his music. Don't talk too much... he thought to himself. He was usually very shy, and didn't speak much, but music was one of the things he couldn't shut up about. And the last thing he wanted was to push Cass away. 

I've been playing for as long as I can remember. Sometimes, my mother used to joke about me being born with a sax in hands. he paused, thinking about his deceased mother. He missed her, but it wasn't the time for things like that.  I do have a studio, in Chicago! he decided to omit the drug front part. Her didn't want her to know about that side of him... yet. I have a private one in Seattle as well, which I'm recording in tomorrow. It's your pick! 

He decided to stop there. It took extreme self-control to keep it to that, but he felt it was right. And his mother always told him women liked mysterious men...

I forgot to ask, where are you from? he asked, turning his head to look at her. Even thought it was dark out, he could clearly see her sparkling eyes and her breath-taking smile. He had to tell himself to stop looking at her, to try and not appear creepy. 

Why the fuck was he so akward?

"Ahh." 

Cassandra nodded to the beat of his voice while she continued to walk with him. It seemed like they had been walking forever, but it probably just felt longer since it was dark out and she wasn't in any particular rush to be anywhere. Except her bed. As much as she enjoyed talking with Colt, her pub crawl had gone longer than she had intended. 

She was supposed to be home an hour ago. But hey, it wasn't Colt's fault. He made her night worth it. A friendly conversation - nothing more, and she was intrigued. A man who seemed to have all the riches, everything he wanted - yet his main concern, was finding love. This further justified the fact that material things mean nothing if you don't have the feeling of love and warmth in your home. 

Nothing at all. 

"Born and raised in Chicago." A smile played on her lips. She clocked him looking at her, longer than needed. But she was flattered that she would catch his attention in this way. His body language gave it away that he was feeling quite tense and awkward. No fret, Cassandra thought. 

"Colt." Cassandra gently took her arm out of his before letting her hand rest for a moment on his forearm. She looked up at him and gestured to the building. The hotel she was staying at was not that far anymore. And the street lights were bright enough, and gave her less worry to walk alone to the doors. 

"Hey, I will definitely come and see you play. I can't promise I'll be there tomorrow. But one day. I will visit. Hold me on that. I'll be staying here for a few more nights. Send a telegram of your address to the studio. I'm sure the receptionist will hand it over to me. Anyways, this my cue to leave. I'll... see you later."

There was a very good reason why she didn't utter the word 'goodbye'. Something about saying 'goodbye' to someone before walking away was so melancholic and dramatic. Plus, she knew that this wouldn't be the last time she'd be seeing him. Hence, see you later. With a final look, Cassandra turned away from him as her hair bounced effortlessly over her shoulders. 

See you later... he said as she turned around and walked into the hotel. He stayed there for a moment, staring at the doors, slowly falling into daydream. He shook it off quickly. It was getting late. He should head back home. 

What an amazing night he had spent. He kept on repeating mental images he had of the evening, bits of conversations. Something told him he wouldn't be sleeping much tonight.