Blue Absinthe
The waitress told me they were having a special for today on it. The cynic
in me assumed that either no one was buying it and they were trying to bleed off
their stock or that a vendor had given them some sample bottles for a trial run
and they just wanted to get rid of it. I had my head down in "Toilers of the
Sea" and so passively shrugged my shoulders. She lit a cigarette, her gaze
traveling down the street looking for the cat whose territory this area was. The
drinks came, it was really blue not the wraith like pastel blue as one would
have supposed. I drank it anyways, it was a little sharper than the usual stuff,
i popped peanuts from the little white bowl to counter act it. Finishing my
drink at first I felt a coolness akin to when one steps outside on a cold winter
night, then my body involuntarily shuddered...we were right down the street from
home luckily...passing the Hemingway plaque I saluted it as I did when in a good
mood. My shoes were cutting into my feet..my shirt was pulling tight across my
back. Oddly I had to duck my head to get into the door which was not usually the
case. I asked her to help me get my shoes off they were killing me with their
tightness now. She laughed saying I was lazy as I had drunk much more than this
before, I was just being dramatic. My body shuddered again...I got my clothes
off just before my height shot up to what I estimated to be between 12-15
feet. I was not used to the change in perspective nor the extra weight involved
in my growth. "We have to cancel dinner..." The only thing that fit was my
bathrobe and that covered nothing up, I kept knocking into furniture and bumping
my head, I was becoming wound up like an animal from the wild who accidentally
finds its way indoors. She petted my hand told me to calm down and suggested I
just get into bed as I would be more comfortable and it was safer. I got in bed,
she put some Jelly Roll on to further calm me. I was told;
"Ok now breathe
in...breathe out...."
The panic stopped. Unless I was on my side or bent my
knees I did not fit fully on the bed. The thought of the physical mechanics of
us, with me in this state popped into my head. I said her name and was about to
give her my look when a railroad spike went right into my forehead killing the
mood and causing me to yelp. She said that she would make coffee and if that did
not help she would run back to the cafe after to ask the waitress how long the
effects lasted.
I drank the coffee which was too hot for my taste out of the
little doll cup. I felt tired now.
"Want me to go?"
"You should run down
and check, don't mess things up for me there, they just started pouring for me
with a heavy hand and throwing free rounds my way, I do not need you ruining a
hang out by breaking the waitress's heart. "
Were it not for the rest of the
situation she would have pulled more of a face but right now things dipped in my
favor on the scoreboard, there was always tomorrow though..
- Wayne H. W Wolfson 2012
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