Another brilliant piece from a GUNNAS WRITING MASTERCLASS WRITER.
Once upon a time….
Barely visible in the dim light of an inner suburban alley…
A man in a barmans white shirt and vest lights his cigarette before leaning over to place a cigarette between the waitress in the crumpled skirts lipstick lips.
He hands her the green plastic lighter.
In the distance a police siren sounds. Noise from the kitchen as the bain marines are shoved in the sink.
Its closing time in the bar. She stands close to him her neck craning up towards his face
Wondering if she should start ironing.
She gives the lighter a good solid flick,
He is talking about his car
The wind flutters down the alley, there’s a spark and a small flame
She pushes the head of the cigarette towards it
Just as the flame quivers away in the wind
“And now I have to get the interior cleaned because my brother spilled bourbon on the backseat’
He seems oblivious to the status of her cigarette….After her 3rd attempt the girl decides to simply devote herself to listening. Telling herself that the more patient she becomes the better. This is a good opportunity…
Besides before she didn’t want a cigarette …and now he has placed one in her mouth.. and even if it felt sexy and like it menat he liked her, but then also the temperature is dropping. …
She should be getting home, work is over after all, his wife will be expecting him surely….
Perhaps there is an advantage to his disregard….
One day, she thinks, someone will notice what she needs.