Saturday Night

After a busy day of busking at the fair I was pooped. I got a call from Julie telling me that she and the girls (Grace, Kathy, & Laura) were all getting dressed up and going to the Pompas Room for drinks and dancing. How was I going to pass this up. So, I took a shower, shaved put on a suit and tie, overcoat and hat; lit a cigar and headed out into the night.

I got to the Pompas Room and was impressed with this Retro-Swank Upscale Jazz Club.



I didn't see the Julie so I wandered upstairs to El Goucho to see If she was up there. I saw Kathy from across the bar. So beautiful in her black dress, her blond hair and her smile that lit up the room. I called Julie and she said she was downstairs, so we went downstairs. On the way down I noticed a Cigar sign that pointed to a beautiful smoke filled cigar lounge. I made a mental note to go in there before the evening ended. Julie and I checked our coats, hat & purse, got a cocktail and hit the dance floor. The music was as nice as the surrounding. Julie and I danced to a slow song. The woman singing on the stage commented on our dancing and asked if we had taken lessons. I guess this is either a good thing or a bad thing. Hell, I was dancing with Julie a tall, thin, beautiful, educated woman. . . what did it matter to me.



The time flew by, we danced and talked I had a bite of Julie's shrimp and crab cake and some more Crown Royal. I did a few tricks for some people I just met. Then I disappeared and reappeared sitting in an overstuffed leather arm chair in the cigar lounge with a friendly fellow clipping and lighting my cigar.



I soaked in the ambiance of the room then took out my cards and practiced shuffle and dealing work. Ahhh this is the life, I though. I need a gig here!

I don't know how long I was there but after a good while, I noticed Julie at the entrance looking for me. She noticed me and came over. She said I needed to come back downstairs and dance with her. She didn't need to ask twice. I left my cigar burning in the ashtray and danced some more with both Julie and Grace. I felt like I was in a movie. Everyone all dressed up and the room looking like something out of the Coconut Grove.

At the next set break Julie wanted to go dancing at the Fairmont.



When we got there, to our dismay nothing was going on but a wedding reception that was winding down. It was funny that the bartender immediately pegged me as a magician and asked Julie if she was my assistant and did I cut her in half. I met the wedding planner, did a couple of tricks for her and a few other people, gave her my card and we vanished into the night after another drink and a few more tricks for people we met as we were drinking.

We ended up at a bar in Capitol Hill called Chop Seuy. A far cry from the previous two places. Punk/Thrash/Rock Music and the tattoo clad nipple pierced generation x-ers, that I relate so well with. The reason we were there was so that Julie could take her last match and ignite the powder keg of a previous relationship and blow us all up. I think that happened, but I missed it. I must have been taking a piss or at the bar. Who knows.

I left and went to Sage's. And danced to Big Bad Voodoo Daddy with Dolly till dawn.