THE TWINS
The young Marine saw a sign on a small building in a narrow side street. “The Frosty Shake,” and it brought a smile to his lips. The young man wondered what sort of joint this was. He hesitated for a moment before stepping int the bar with its subdued lighting. Cosy ,he thought. The bar-tend was a sad look old man, thin receding Gray hair, hazel eyes that looked as though they had gazed through the gates of hell , he was tall and thin....Skeletor, great name for this guy mused the young man silently.
The only other occupant of this sad and run down bar sat toward the back, early twenties,attractive. He strolled up to her and sat down uninvited. She had chocolate brown eyes, shoulder length dark brown hair, a dimpled chin and a cute button nose.
“Hi” he said boldly.
She studied him coldly for a moment, “Your American?” A deliberate and somewhat hostile response.
“Well, yes an no” the young man replied undeterred, “that is...”
“What the hell do you want?” she snapped. Are you some sort of spazo? This is the weirdest pick up line I ha...”
“I don't know what a spazo is” he interrupted. He smiled then and tipping his head slightly to one side added quietly, “I just wanna buy you a drink babe,” putting his elbow on the bar and resting his chin in the ball of his hand he persisted “so what will it be babe?”
“NOTHING”
Raising his eyebrows questioningly, he pressed, Nothing? You sure about that?
“what part of nothing don't you understand sailor?
“Marine!” he retorted almost gruffly.”
“Oooh, hit a nerve did I?” she smirked.
Ignoring that he said, “ you want nothing to drink,OK!” He raised his hand high and called out,hey,bar-tend! To glasses of nothing over here please!
Her jaw dropped and flushing scarlet she leaned toward him and hissed, “Are you crazy?”
He reached out and taking her hand pumped it up and down, Yes ma'am, Gunnery Sergeant Paul Collie at your service ma'am!
“Collie, like the dog?” she giggled.
Paul scowled in discouragement and rose to his feet, “sorry to have troubled you ma,am” he turned to leave.
“Wait!”and giving him a bewitching smile went on, “I'm sorry, My name is Chantel and I would love a lemon,lime and bitters, if the offer has not been withdrawn that is? Gunnery Sergeant Paul Collie. But not the dog",she added with a disarming smile.
Grinning, Paul relaxed and sat down again, ordering her drink and a beer for himself.
“Tell me sergeant Paul,” she asked, her eyes scanning his honest and kindly face, “
what did you mean when you said you are American....yes and no?”
“ Oh, being a smart guy I suppose.”
“What do you mean,?” she threw him a puzzled look, “Thats a strange thing to say, pull a lot of girls does it?” she asked with a laugh!
“No”, he laughed uncomfortably. He could actually feel his ears burning and knew she could see his schoolboy blush, the one that had earned him the nick name “Beetroot” among the junior High school girls. He thought he had lost it long ago,and here was this brown eyed girl resurrecting it. “It's just that my uncle was Australian and his widow is my mothers sister. She is American,his widow I mean and her sister is too. Her sister my mother, I never knew my father but my uncle Marcus was Australian, so there is a connection to Australia and thats why I said yes and no!” He looked into her wide eyes and asked her anxiously …... “get it?”
Chantel covered her mouth with her hand and giggled like a schoolgirl. And the hapless Paul wished the ground would open up and swallow him. Suddenly regaining her composure,Chantel cupped his face in her hands.”Gunnery Sergeant Paul Collie, your so goofy a girl might just fall in love with you,” and gazing up into his blue eyes,she kissed him long and hard.
They bought lunch at a kiosk near the Botanic gardens, Chantel choosing a seven inch roll up with salad and ham,and a Fanta. Paul had a McDonalds quarter pounder and coke. As they strolled around the gardens together he took her hand in his, and it all felt so very natural. Nobody seeing them would have guessed they had met a scant two hours beforehand.
“Chantel,” he said suddenly,and it was as if a cloud were suddenly caste over there happiness. Her heart stood still, “What is it Paul?” She had recognized the sadness in his voice and feared his next words.
“Chantel”....He took both her hands and held them tightly, “Chantel,” he took a deep breath, “We sail tomorrow...”
“No”,she said softly...”you can't, we have had so little time.” She looked up at him and her eyes glistened with tears. “ We have only just met but I know have never met anyone like you, your different. I just know you are special, even if you are a Yank” she added cheekily, trying to lighten the moment.
“Chantel.” He shook his head, I sure wish we had met earlier, your one awesome chick” he grinned tightly. I sure wish I didn't have to go..”
It's not fair” she sobbed, pulling away from him started to run away! He caught her easily and she yelled, “Let me go you goofy bastard!”
Two boys in their late teens saw all of this and rushed to rescue Chantel. One hit Paul in the face,splitting his lip and the other pinned Pauls arms, the first boy hit him again. Chantel Screamed “Leave him alone,” and taking her shoe off hit the one pinning Pauls arms across the back of the head with it. WHACK! The startled youth let go of Paul, and was promptly punched in the mouth by Paul, where upon the two “knights in shining armor” took to flight!
So you don't hate me after all Laughed Paul as Chantel threw herself into his arms.
“Listen young lady” said Paul with mock gruffness, in six months I am being discharged. Chantel opened her mouth to speak...
“AGH!” said Paul holding a finger up. “Then I am coming back here for you.” Turning his back to her, afraid of her answer, he asked “Will you wait for me.?”
“God yes you silly bugger! Don't you dare forget me,don't you dare!
C Gainsford © copyright 2012
The only other occupant of this sad and run down bar sat toward the back, early twenties,attractive. He strolled up to her and sat down uninvited. She had chocolate brown eyes, shoulder length dark brown hair, a dimpled chin and a cute button nose.
“Hi” he said boldly.
She studied him coldly for a moment, “Your American?” A deliberate and somewhat hostile response.
“Well, yes an no” the young man replied undeterred, “that is...”
“What the hell do you want?” she snapped. Are you some sort of spazo? This is the weirdest pick up line I ha...”
“I don't know what a spazo is” he interrupted. He smiled then and tipping his head slightly to one side added quietly, “I just wanna buy you a drink babe,” putting his elbow on the bar and resting his chin in the ball of his hand he persisted “so what will it be babe?”
“NOTHING”
Raising his eyebrows questioningly, he pressed, Nothing? You sure about that?
“what part of nothing don't you understand sailor?
“Marine!” he retorted almost gruffly.”
“Oooh, hit a nerve did I?” she smirked.
Ignoring that he said, “ you want nothing to drink,OK!” He raised his hand high and called out,hey,bar-tend! To glasses of nothing over here please!
Her jaw dropped and flushing scarlet she leaned toward him and hissed, “Are you crazy?”
He reached out and taking her hand pumped it up and down, Yes ma'am, Gunnery Sergeant Paul Collie at your service ma'am!
“Collie, like the dog?” she giggled.
Paul scowled in discouragement and rose to his feet, “sorry to have troubled you ma,am” he turned to leave.
“Wait!”and giving him a bewitching smile went on, “I'm sorry, My name is Chantel and I would love a lemon,lime and bitters, if the offer has not been withdrawn that is? Gunnery Sergeant Paul Collie. But not the dog",she added with a disarming smile.
Grinning, Paul relaxed and sat down again, ordering her drink and a beer for himself.
“Tell me sergeant Paul,” she asked, her eyes scanning his honest and kindly face, “
what did you mean when you said you are American....yes and no?”
“ Oh, being a smart guy I suppose.”
“What do you mean,?” she threw him a puzzled look, “Thats a strange thing to say, pull a lot of girls does it?” she asked with a laugh!
“No”, he laughed uncomfortably. He could actually feel his ears burning and knew she could see his schoolboy blush, the one that had earned him the nick name “Beetroot” among the junior High school girls. He thought he had lost it long ago,and here was this brown eyed girl resurrecting it. “It's just that my uncle was Australian and his widow is my mothers sister. She is American,his widow I mean and her sister is too. Her sister my mother, I never knew my father but my uncle Marcus was Australian, so there is a connection to Australia and thats why I said yes and no!” He looked into her wide eyes and asked her anxiously …... “get it?”
Chantel covered her mouth with her hand and giggled like a schoolgirl. And the hapless Paul wished the ground would open up and swallow him. Suddenly regaining her composure,Chantel cupped his face in her hands.”Gunnery Sergeant Paul Collie, your so goofy a girl might just fall in love with you,” and gazing up into his blue eyes,she kissed him long and hard.
They bought lunch at a kiosk near the Botanic gardens, Chantel choosing a seven inch roll up with salad and ham,and a Fanta. Paul had a McDonalds quarter pounder and coke. As they strolled around the gardens together he took her hand in his, and it all felt so very natural. Nobody seeing them would have guessed they had met a scant two hours beforehand.
“Chantel,” he said suddenly,and it was as if a cloud were suddenly caste over there happiness. Her heart stood still, “What is it Paul?” She had recognized the sadness in his voice and feared his next words.
“Chantel”....He took both her hands and held them tightly, “Chantel,” he took a deep breath, “We sail tomorrow...”
“No”,she said softly...”you can't, we have had so little time.” She looked up at him and her eyes glistened with tears. “ We have only just met but I know have never met anyone like you, your different. I just know you are special, even if you are a Yank” she added cheekily, trying to lighten the moment.
“Chantel.” He shook his head, I sure wish we had met earlier, your one awesome chick” he grinned tightly. I sure wish I didn't have to go..”
It's not fair” she sobbed, pulling away from him started to run away! He caught her easily and she yelled, “Let me go you goofy bastard!”
Two boys in their late teens saw all of this and rushed to rescue Chantel. One hit Paul in the face,splitting his lip and the other pinned Pauls arms, the first boy hit him again. Chantel Screamed “Leave him alone,” and taking her shoe off hit the one pinning Pauls arms across the back of the head with it. WHACK! The startled youth let go of Paul, and was promptly punched in the mouth by Paul, where upon the two “knights in shining armor” took to flight!
So you don't hate me after all Laughed Paul as Chantel threw herself into his arms.
“Listen young lady” said Paul with mock gruffness, in six months I am being discharged. Chantel opened her mouth to speak...
“AGH!” said Paul holding a finger up. “Then I am coming back here for you.” Turning his back to her, afraid of her answer, he asked “Will you wait for me.?”
“God yes you silly bugger! Don't you dare forget me,don't you dare!
C Gainsford © copyright 2012