Smoking Permitted

1/12/20 21:37 Bethlehem, PA

Last night I hung out with Andrew.  He moved back here after living in Florida for the past few months.  It was the first time we hung out and asked where I wanted to go.  I mentioned the dive bar down the road and the brewery on Main Street.  He suggested a member’s only club in his neighborhood, but he warned they permit smoke inside and if it’s a problem we can go somewhere else.  I drove over to the club.  He met me outside.  Before the door opened, a wall of smoke seeped out.  I was reluctant.  We found two seats at the bar, he signed the members book and we ordered two beers.  It was alright, the smoking made me feel as if I dropped back into 1989 in a VFW lounge that I was invited into.  But once the guy next to meet started smoking his cigar, I asked Andrew if we could play a game of pool.  He beat me in 8 ball, but I made a valid attempt.  Next was shuffle board, where you push solid metal discs down a long wooden board covered in find sand.  When I was a kid, saw dust was used.  But again, I have not played this game in 15 years and before that?  God only knows.  I beat him in the first, but he came back in the second and rounded out the third.  By the third game I was buzzed, plus as he said, he had home advantage.  There is roughly 25 years difference between us, but we are similar souls.  He is a gentleman, married for years and has a young son and is an artist, musician, and a professional accountant.  I am in awe of this guy.  Music was always on our minds, The Mats, We Were Promised Jetpacks and I thought about Mo Cheeks and taking her to see her favorite band (Stone Pony and Maxwells) we listened to the band in our minivan, It’s Thunder and Lightning.  Yes, the memories.  The beers flowed and the smoke seeped into my eyes and ears and hair and I didn’t care.  It was Saturday and I was in a club and could feel somehow privileged in the poison.

Thank you for reading this.