Chapter One - One Night at The Luxies Club
"Manhattan. On the rocks, please." I didn't recognize the bartender, and that was probably just as well this evening. I had not been to The Luxies Club for a few months. While it was occasionally visited by a small college crowd that enjoyed a more sophisticated evening out, the normal crowd at Luxies was an adult gathering of couples and singles, many business travelers, and those just in town visiting family and friends. Luxies was known for its good food, and plentiful spirits. Springdale was a growing and thriving suburb located north of Chicago, along Lake Michigan, and The Luxies Club was a favorite of locals and visitors.
I was sitting at a high stool at the bar, with no one sitting on either side of me. I looked around the room and saw that the tables were mostly filled with couples out with friends, or singles out on the town. There were a couple of business men in dark suits and bright ties at the end of the bar, downing what appeared to be shots of some sort. They must be capping off a rough day at the office, I thought to myself. Two couples on the dance floor were dancing rather poorly to Coldplay's Paradise. They either weren't dancing with their normal partners, or they were just flat out poor dancers.
Based on previous visits to Luxies, I knew the floor would soon fill, as the dinner crowd moved to the bar and a mix of techno and rock music would be spun by the DJ of the month. Although not a regular here, on my previous visits I had observed a crowded dance floor. The bartender grabbed a cocktail napkin and placed it on the bar in front of me. As he placed the Manhattan down on the napkin, he asked if I wanted to start a tab. While it was just me for the moment, I planned to be at the bar awhile. I looked at the bartender's name tag, and responded, "Why yes Anthony, let's start a tab. He looked at the credit card I handed him, and said, "I'll be right back be Mr. Malloy." I extended my hand, shaking his hand firmly. It has always been common sense to me to become acquainted with the bartender. Many times on nights like tonight, their knowledge of people in the bar often came in handy. "Ronnie Malloy. Please call me Ronnie. Thank you for your hospitality."
As I took the first sip of my Manhattan, my head shook slightly. A Manhattan is certainly an acquired taste, and for me it is a drink with a purpose. I had been introduced to Manhattans by my father when I, as a lad of 18 years of age, tagged along on one of his many business trips. He let me try his Manhattan when we were out to dinner. Nearly gagging at the table, my father laughed and cautioned, one doesn't drink a Manhattan; one enjoys and savors the taste slowly, because you rarely need more than one. Over the years, I remembered my father's words, and found myself ordering a Manhattan to savor, and to help take the edge off. Nothing unwound me quicker than a strong Manhattan. After my round of golf this afternoon, I might need three to totally unwind. Today was the last round of a two day outing with old college buddies, and while my game had progressed over the years, I was no match for the five's that my buddies had become. They knew it too and enjoyed collecting their winnings at the end of the day. They all had to get home to their kids for the evening, or my plans might have been different tonight.
As I was savoring my Manhattan, the crowd began to pick up in the bar. Certainly not shoulder to shoulder, but the room was filling, and the atmosphere was beginning to liven. I had been talking to my new, trusted friend Anthony when he wasn't busy hopping drinks for the wait staff. As I looked into the mirror behind the bar, I could see a woman with striking features, with long blond hair, and full curves approaching the bar from behind me. As she drew closer, I could see better in the mirror that she was very attractive, and wore little makeup. Her form fitting navy dress over her full and feminine figure had definitely caught my eye. As she reached the bar, she pulled out the stool next to mine and sat down. I couldn't help but notice the hem of her dress pull up to the top of her white stocking clad thigh.
"Anthony, I'd like one of your special Cosmos, please," the blond in the navy dress commanded of my new bartender friend. Anthony flashed a big grin and responded, "One Anthony special Cosmo! Coming right up Angela." It was obvious the two knew each other, not just from their use of first names, but the way their facial expressions engaged each other. Angela continued to banter with Anthony as he prepared her Cosmo. While not intentionally listening to Angela and Anthony, since there was no one directly to my left, their conversation was the only one I could hear above the din of the building crowd. Thank you Anthony," Angela said, as Anthony again repeated the bar ritual of placing a cocktail napkin on the bar and placed Angela's Cosmo on the napkin. I noticed as she reached for her drink with her left hand, that Angela was not wearing a wedding ring.
Trying to be friendly, with my right hand I lifted my still three quarters full Manhattan glass and said rather loudly, "Cheers!" Angela and Anthony broke their conversation and looked over to me. While it seemed like a minute, I am sure it was actually all of two seconds, Angela gave me the once over glance with her eyes going from head to toe. While no one would confuse me for an Adonis, I do consider myself an attractive man, 6'3" tall, fair dirty blond hair, with baby blue eyes. After 42 years of wear and tear, I managed to keep my body in sporting shape. Tonight I was just wearing casual black slacks with black loafers, an oxford white shirt with a thin navy pinstripe, and a simple but crisp black sport coat. It was my usual night out attire. I am a simple man who doesn't change much the things he likes. I liked this outfit for me. Only after doing the once over with her eyes, did Angela's face break into an easy grin, and she replied "Cheers to you sir." With that, we casually clinked our glasses. Anthony, the bartender, interjected here. "Ronnie, please meet my friend Angela. While she doesn't visit me every day here, she visits enough that I remember how to make her special Cosmo. Angela, meet my new best customer Ronnie. I believe this is Ronnie's first visit to Luxies. I've never seen him here before."
I corrected Anthony's assumption. "Oh I have been here a few times over the years, Anthony. I just haven't been here for a few months. And since I have achieved new best customer status, please put Miss Angela's Cosmo on my tab." At first Angela gave me a questioning look, but then, again, broke out in a natural grin, clinked my glass, and said, "Thank you." With that exchange the three of us broke into easy laughter. I prided myself on being able to quickly judge a person's character, and my early judgment was that Anthony and Angela were friendly people. We struck up an easy conversation even as Anthony was often pulled away for the demands of his job due to the growing crowd in the bar.
The music had gotten louder and broke into a heavy beat. The dance floor was crowded with all kinds of moves on display. I learned that Angela was a local girl, who came with friends to hang out at Luxies. She explained to me that she and her friends liked to dance and would come here to cut loose after work or on the weekend. She pointed to her group of friends on the dance floor; most of them were just dancing with each other and laughing. She pointed to a couple of girlfriends that were dancing with men. She laughed as she said that one of the two was married and the most daring thing in her life was to come to Luxies to dance with single men. Angela went on to say that she was absolutely certain that nothing more happened than dancing, that her friend was too committed to her husband to think of doing anything else. I chuckled at the scenario she described.
As we turned our backs to the bar, and momentarily watched the people dancing, we both noticed the door from the dining room open, and into the bar walked a most striking woman. She was tall, at least 5'10" with flowing waves of jet black hair that ended in the middle of her back. Her face was stunning with bright green eyes and long eyelashes evident even across the dance floor. Just as eye catching was her attire. While Luxies attracted a well dressed, professional crowd, this woman's attire was two steps higher, accentuating her sex appeal. Her top was a white silk blouse with flowing long sleeves. The neckline of the blouse plunged and her cleavage was prominently on display. Over the blouse she wore a long black jacket with a dark purple paisley print and padded shoulders. The jacket buckled at the waist yet did not cover her cleavage, and it flowed to below her calves. Just showing below her jacket were black leather shoes with silver stiletto heels, at least 4 inches long by my estimation.
This was clearly a lady who commanded attention. She stood confidently in the doorway looking to the left of the room and slowly scanning as if searching for someone she knew. Her stare was piercing as she slowly worked her gaze to the right, passing over Anthony, Angela, and myself at the bar, and a number of people on the dance floor. She kept going slowly to the right until her eyes locked onto someone. She was staring directly at the two business men at the end of the bar with six empty shot glasses standing beside them. I thought I detected a sneer on her lips, but perhaps it was just a tight smile. As she sauntered through the crowd on the dance floor, many pairs of eyes from those at the bar and tables watched her. When she reached the two businessmen at the bar she leaned over their shoulders and said something. They both turned and while the shorter of the two men stood open mouthed and eyes bulging, the taller man clicked his fingers for Anthony to come tend to their needs.