* A piece started in June - inspired by The Great Gatsby *
August 12, 1924 – Siggy’s Bar.
The clock
struck midnight.
Having had sleepless nights for the past week, Aiden knew that it was common
for him to already feel exhausted at this hour and thus craved for some decent
shut eye. Yet his mind remained active while he loitered at a lonely mahogany coated
bar, wondering if ‘Siggy’s’ could sustain such a brooding thinker at this time
of the night.
Aiden had propped himself on a gold coloured stool and had been staring at his
own reflection for some time in the giant mirror behind the bar. Running his
fingers through his slightly unsettled chestnut hair, he admired its antique
frame which matched the stools and wondered if city dwellers like him could
handle watching themselves drown their sorrows as they sheltered away from the
winter cold.
~~~
“The city is
endless with hundreds of rooftops to shout from and numerous corners to cower
in,” Aiden spoke to himself quietly as he toyed with his empty glass, “And
while it could sustain any normal man for years, with every dark corner, every
parking space, every tavern drunkards stumble out of and every footstep – there
are times where I want something more. Anyone can walk through the city long
enough that their feet would ache and would see things they didn’t know were
there – basking in the smells and sights that we all adore about the city. But
is there any personal connection with these? Sure, we find ourselves in places
where we want to go and places that
we actually need to be in – but does
any of it matter?” He paused from his rambling for a moment and held his glass
up to the bartender. “Sir, one more please – if you wouldn’t mind”
“Still going for tonight then, eh?” came the bartender’s reply as he turned
towards the mirror to find the appropriate alcohol from a fine selection of
bottles.
“Just one more, then I’ll be done for tonight – I think” Aiden replied, looking
past the bartender and sneaking a glance at his own reflection. He cringed
slightly as he noticed faint dark circles starting to form under his eyes.
“’Attaboy - y’know buddy, it’ll be practically morning soon. Just make sure you
get out when you say you will. Don’t want to end up like the rest of those guys
that come in and never leave - turn ‘emselves into drunkards”
“Oh no, I wouldn’t do that” Aiden scoffed slightly as the bartender faced him
again to pour his drink.
“Geez buddy, you look like you’re in a bad way. Sure, you’re certainly not as
bad as the lot that turn up here. . .” he trailed off as he studied Aiden’s
face.
“Merely a little sleep deprived. Nothing too serious” Aiden replied, waving his
hand about carelessly.
“If I may ask a gentleman like yourself, what’s keeping you from your slumber?
The missus?”
“Not . . . quite”. Judging by Aiden’s vague response, the bartender knew to
press no further.
“Well err, my shift will be over soon because I’ll be closing down for the
night – so how about we settle the bill then?” he inquired. Aiden merely
nodded, produced some money from the top pocket of his suit and handed it to the
bartender.
“I guess I should head out the back and clean up around here before closing. If
you require anything further, give us a shout. If not, then until next time
sir: I wish you a good night.” The bartender nodded at Aiden before leaving his
position from behind the bar.
“Goodnight” Aiden replied, not looking at him – but instead returning his gaze
to his reflection. ~~~
Aiden had
only studied himself in silence for a moment when another gentleman waltzed
into the bar, sporting a charcoal suit and white fedora alongside a matching
trench coat. As soon as he had entered, the man glanced over his shoulder at
the iron glazed double doors – shrugging as they rattled together as he had
entered the room.
“Well, this place certainly needs livening up if I can clearly hear that
rattling behind me” he said almost uncaringly to himself as he removed his coat
and flung it over the back of his shoulder. The young man had only taken a few
steps forward before he spotted Aiden. Almost instinctively – and only for a
moment, his top lip curled slightly before another thought crossed his mind,
making his mouth form into a wicked grin:
Somebody was going to have some fun tonight.
~~~
"Well, well –
if it isn’t Aiden? Fancy seeing you here at this time of the night, old sport”
the man commented, strolling up Aiden and leaning on the bar next to him.
“Roderick” Aiden replied simply, nodding to acknowledge the gentleman.
“My, my – aren’t we a little balled up this evening? Don’t worry old sport, I’m
not going to ruin your night” Roderick replied, dumping his coat on the bar
counter and turning to Aiden, “Well, not too much anyway”
“I think you’re mistaken, because I’m in a splendid mood tonight. In fact, I’m
celebrating” Aiden smiled to himself and waved his glass in the air slightly.
While his words did have some ring of truth to them, he was careful to ensure
Roderick, of all people, would not find out his true feelings.
“Celebrating? What for?”
“I am celebrating the fact that in so many hours I’ll be spending the morning
with a lovely girl that I simply adore”. Aiden intentionally emphasized his
words, well-knowing their affect on Roderick. Yet, he was slightly disappointed
by Roderick’s calm reaction: a raised eyebrow followed by a disbelieving smile.
“Well I guess that clarifies a few thoughts. So you’re still chasing her then,
old sport?” Roderick said with almost a laugh. Aiden immediately knew how the
conversation was headed, but wasn’t ready to give up without some sort of
fight.
“I don’t see how it should matter to someone like you, but if I happened to say
I was?” he said, stepping up a gear.
Roderick leaned in closer to Aiden – immediately jumping into the game, “Well
then let me ask you this, old sport: is it strictly because of me? Emphasis on
the strictly”
“Are you implying something?”
“Well! I mean, I’ve seen you step up your game just that extra bit more when
I’ve been around. It’s almost as if you try too
hard to impress her. I soon question your feelings about her and whether or
not your advances are becoming, well. . trivial, shall we say?”
Aiden felt his cheeks flush slightly with a burning anger that threatened to
rise up in his chest and make the best of him. Struggling to keep his
composure, he rose from his seat.
“If you think for one moment that I’m pursuing her to only get at you --“
“Come now, old sport. Don’t make such a scene. Calm down” Roderick rolled his
emerald eyes and forced Aiden back into his seat by placing a firm hand on his
shoulder, “I never said such a thing”
“Well,” Aiden said gruffly, shrugging Roderick’s hand off him, “It certainly
sounded like that’s what you were insinuating. .. old sport” he added mockingly.
“However,” Roderick pondered to himself thoughtfully, “I DO know that we’ve
never really been able to ‘connect’ well, despite you being from the “East Egg”
like myself – which is unusually surprising for me. So, naturally, I know you
don’t like me, but I do wonder to what extent you possibly could dislike
someone like myself”
~~~
Roderick wrinkled his nose and chuckled
slightly at his own words. “You know, I think the reason why you swarm her in a
manner similar to a moth drawn to a delicate flame, is because you’re worried
of what I’LL do to her”, he inspected his fingers as he spoke slowly, “You’ve
seen the way she looks at me, old sport. It’s as if she’s under my control –
willing to do anything I desire. Deep down we both know that that look she
gives me isn’t the same as she gives to you. I don’t know how I can manage to
make one woman feel such a way with such little thought needed – it just
happens, so to speak. Fascinating, isn’t it? So therefore, it is my belief that
you think I’m just as bad as I appear – and you’d be right. But not to her. So
if that’s your worry, how about saving us both some time by putting it to rest?”
Losing his composure by the minute from hatred for Roderick, Aiden reached into
the top breast pocket. Roderick immediately saw this gesture and mimicked the
same action. Almost in unison, the pair had pulled out their side arms, with
Roderick holding a stiletto knife to Aiden’s throat – and Aiden holding a
revolver to Roderick’s head. The two men were fixated on each other for what
seemed like an eternity, each man with his slight increased breathing from the
confrontation.
~~~
At first it
seemed like no gentleman was going to back down, until Aiden suddenly lowered
his revolver uneasily, letting it point at Roderick’s chest for a moment before
he put it back into his blazer pocket.
“This whole act you have – I know you’re bluffing” Aiden said as he sighed
deeply, straightening his suit.
“Did I stutter?” Roderick snarled slightly, keeping the knife pointed Aiden.
“I think you’re bluffing. I think you’d manipulate her”
“You think I’m bluffing?” Without warning, Roderick violently jammed his knife
into the counter top of the bar, making the other man flinch slightly from the
unexpected movement.
“I’d sooner dismember you than dare
harm her” Roderick said coldly, running his fingers over the engraved
scrollwork of the knife. For a second, Aiden was at a loss of words.
“I certainly would have said something initially, had I thought you were as bad
as you appeared. But believe it or not, Roderick, I do hope that deep down
there is some part of you that isn’t as awful as you play out to be. I’d like
to think you’re not a bad person. .
.” he finally said slowly.
~~~
Roderick
inspected his nails and chuckled again, “Well, you don’t seem like such a bad
person yourself, old sport”. Aiden raised his eyebrows slightly by the comment,
as it’d been the nicest thing he’d heard from him to date – but it had to have
come with a catch. “But that doesn’t mean I have to like you and won’t have
some ‘beef’ with you.” Roderick quickly continued, seeming like his usual self
again, “As for whether or not you think I am a bad person, well, you should
know that I could care less of your opinion of me. That, and I would much
prefer you to despise me yourself – it makes things so much easier, you see”
“I doubt I could completely hate you Roderick – but I will say that there’s no
way I’d trust you” Aiden said, casting a sideways glance at the other man,
“After all, let’s just say that I wouldn’t be surprised if you stabbed me in
the back because you found it necessary, say, for a profit?” he added, fondling
Roderick’s blade himself. Roderick stared at the ceiling and pondered for a
moment, smiling at such a thought.
“It would depend on the profit, old sport” he said, still looking at the
ceiling, “If you’re not one of the few people I’d gladly take a bullet for,
then you’re certainly one of the people I’d rat out if the reward was
satisfying enough. But not to worry, there’s far worse scum than me in the
world” he turned and finally faced Aiden, eyes shining, “Even I have standards however – cruel”.
Roderick suddenly looked at his watch, as if remembering an important
appointment at such a time of night. “Well old sport, I’d love to stay and chat
to you all night – but like you, I also have an engagement with that same
lovely lady you’ve mentioned – only sometime after your meeting, however. I guess
I too have a reason to celebrate” he explained, putting on his trench coat
again and fixing his suit, “And just to clarify, so there’s no more
misunderstandings – I do despise you,
but not because you’re chasing after her, of course. I’m better than that”
Roderick pulled the knife from the counter top and stared at it in his hands
for a moment, “Also, just because I loathe you doesn’t mean I have to
constantly claw at your throat. It is a nice feeling though” he added, smiling
to himself before putting the knife away and smirking at Aiden.
~~~
Aiden was merely fixated on Roderick – watching his every movement in an
expressionless manner. He knew it was essentially pointless to retaliate now.
For a moment, there was silence, until Roderick piped up: “Well if there’s
nothing else for you to say, then I guess this is it for the night. I wish you
the best of luck in trying to pursue her” he began to head for the doors, but
suddenly stopped and glanced back at Aiden over his shoulder: “I don’t need to
remind you that I believe your efforts will be rendered useless, but I guess
that being said – it’s a fair run to all patrons:
Devil take the hindmost”
* Special thanks to F.W *
