Madeline arrived at the club about half an hour before the rest of the regulars. She always arrived about two hours ahead of her scheduled performance. Eddie was sitting at his usual spot at the bar. He seemed lost in thought while watching the smoke trailing from the cigarette in his hand. Madeline casually strolled over to his side and leaned in to Eddie, resting her left elbow against the bar.
"Imagine seeing you here", Madeline says with a smile.
"I bet you imagine a lot of things." Eddie says, still focusing on the smoke trail.
"You sure are a piece of work, Eddie."
"Thanks. You did say 'work' didn't you?"
Madeline raises her left hand and begins to loosen the fingers of the black, suede gloves she's wearing. No longer mesmerized by the smoke, Eddie watches her actions with curious glances. One by one, Madeline loosens the fingers of her glove. She slowly removes the glove and gives Eddie a gentle slap on the face with it, turns, and walks away. Eddie watches her walk back to her ususal place at the end of the bar.
"If only I could've felt that it might've meant something" Eddie says.
"Yes Eddie, your wonderful life, or should I say existence, is full of 'if onlys'." Madeline says with a sly grin while removing her other glove.
Madeline places her gloves on the bar and catches the eye of Rawls, the only bartender on duty.
"Double scotch, neat, toute suite."
"I know the drill Miss Maddy. How come you never just say 'the usual'?"
"Because that wouldn't be as much fun to say."
Madeline and Ralws laugh as Eddie just shakes his head and smiles. Eddie knows that he'll never get the best of her. No one has, no none will. He can still smell traces of her glove from the slap, tobacco, spices, suede, and a faint sweet skin scent.
Wear Film Noir, wear the gloves.
"Imagine seeing you here", Madeline says with a smile.
"I bet you imagine a lot of things." Eddie says, still focusing on the smoke trail.
"You sure are a piece of work, Eddie."
"Thanks. You did say 'work' didn't you?"
Madeline raises her left hand and begins to loosen the fingers of the black, suede gloves she's wearing. No longer mesmerized by the smoke, Eddie watches her actions with curious glances. One by one, Madeline loosens the fingers of her glove. She slowly removes the glove and gives Eddie a gentle slap on the face with it, turns, and walks away. Eddie watches her walk back to her ususal place at the end of the bar.
"If only I could've felt that it might've meant something" Eddie says.
"Yes Eddie, your wonderful life, or should I say existence, is full of 'if onlys'." Madeline says with a sly grin while removing her other glove.
Madeline places her gloves on the bar and catches the eye of Rawls, the only bartender on duty.
"Double scotch, neat, toute suite."
"I know the drill Miss Maddy. How come you never just say 'the usual'?"
"Because that wouldn't be as much fun to say."
Madeline and Ralws laugh as Eddie just shakes his head and smiles. Eddie knows that he'll never get the best of her. No one has, no none will. He can still smell traces of her glove from the slap, tobacco, spices, suede, and a faint sweet skin scent.
Wear Film Noir, wear the gloves.
