The clicking of the bulb grew numb. The clanking of cranks turned into music. Every now and then a whiff of repulsive disinfectant swept by as the barman wiped the table. The laughs of the burly men started getting louder and the night grew darker. I wouldn't be able to drive back home now so what the hell. "One more, please!", I pointed at my empty glass. The barman nodded and gave me that look which every lady is terrified of.
I shrugged the fear off and chugged the drink down. There wasn't anyone waiting for me. I could sit here all night until last call and wander away into the sleepless night. That is only if the creepy barman didn't decide to spike my drink till then. The knocks on the hardwood floor turned into thuds as it got dirtier. Plenty came and left.
Dark hair and leather monk shoes. Didn't seem like the guy to come around bars as such. An empty lager and it was his queue to leave. I wondered if there was someone waiting for him wherever he was off to. He forgot his keys on the bar and I chased after him to the door.
"Thank you. Honestly, this isn't my best icebreaker. I am Auster, can I buy you a drink to thank you?".
I had fallen right into his trap. I'd agree with him that this wasn't the best ice breaker I have seen. But there was something about the way his eyes shined so I let him walk me back to the bar he was supposed to be leaving. We sat there silently. It was as if he knew me. We didn't talk nor did we gesture.
"You leave your things in strange places hoping a girl would find it and return it to you and then you could sleep with her?"
"It could become a memento if they were to take it. It would also be a nice excuse to spark up a conversation the next time we crossed paths."
There was nothing clever or even remotely logical in what he said. I could only wonder what would happen if the founder was one of those burly men or if the founder decided she'd keep the find a secret. Auster went back to lingering silently next to me on the bar. It wasn't too bad so I decided to let Auster keep company as long as he behaved.
It was time for us to part ways. I could tell because our glasses were now empty. Auster also decided to respect my love for the quite and simply left. I couldn't help but wonder what would it feel to be with him. I assumed it would be lovely. There would be no need to put on a façade and impress the other. We could be silent and it would still be us.
I paid the bar and got up to leave. I realized I was missing something. I didn't have my scarf anymore. I looked around and could not find it. In a moment of realization I understood that maybe I would find the answers to my questions about Auster if he ever decided to cross paths with me again. At the least I would get my scarf back.
