Song for lori

(Wow - two "nice" entries in a row - I shall have to pen something exceptionally wicked tomorrow...and, no, this isn't really a "song")


I noticed her almost immediately upon entering the main room। She was seated over against the wall, with a girlfriend. There are some girls that just catch your eye, whether you bloody want them to or not.

I strode resolutely past her, without so much as a glance। I was inordinately proud of myself for doing so।

The party was like most parties at the club - horrifically disappointing, depressing, and "What-in-God's-name-did-I-let-Charlie-drag-me-to-this-stupid-thing-for?". All these idiots strutting round in leather, introducing themselves as "Lord Domino" or some equally moronic thing. Dominatrixes and submissive men...God, that's just so wrong. I turned to Charlie and smiled cheerily - "Do remind me to kill you if you ever invite me to one of these soirees again."


I tried to move around enough to avoid much conversation - although I was minimally polite enough to speak to people I knew - and tried, here and there, to just enjoy the music, which was actually pretty good.


Eventually, it was late enough to make a polite exit.


But on my way out, I passed by her again - she was seated alone now - and this time I did not have the good sense to keep my gaze averted. Compounding my idiocy, I stopped.
"Hello." (Well, I didn't say I was terribly suave about the whole thing.)


Well-trained by someone, she immediately cast her gaze downward, rather than looking up, and somewhat quietly replied, "Hello, Sir."


"Yeah, right, then - You want to look up at me? I mean, I stopped because you have a nice smile, and now I can't even see it."


She lifted her chin, and beamed a heartbreakingly bright smile up at me. It was really quite disconcerting. Her eyes had an undeniable, utterly un-miss-able sparkle to them. A light.


I smiled/frowned back. "That's better. Listen..." Jesus Christ, what the hell was I doing here? "Here's the thing. You're bright - I can see that, I don't have to talk with you to know it. You probably have a decent sense of humor. You're obviously pretty."


I crouched down, to be eye-to-eye with her. "You don't value yourself enough."


Predictably enough, she had a somewhat puzzled expression on her face.


"What's your name anyway?"


"Lori, Sir."


"Mine's Maverick. Jack Maverick, actually. Lori - you know that U2 song that goes, 'And you give yourself away'?"


She nodded, then quickly said, "Yes, Sir."


"Yeah, well...don't do that." I looked at her for another moment, then stood up. "Right. Goodnight then."

"Good evening, Sir."


When I met Charlie at the doorway, he nodded his head back past my shoulder, and asked, "You just walking away from that?"


Annoyed, I growled at him, "You can't go picking up every Goddamned orphan on the planet."


Undaunted, he grinned and replied, "What? You busy with somebody else right now?"


"Hey, Charlie, here's a thought - Whyn't you shut the hell up and leave me alone? Come on, let's go."


He nodded past my shoulder again, and said, "Ooh - she just looked over here. You know, Jack, you're really gonna hate yourself if you don't go back and talk to that girl. She's really cute, you know." He gave a "thumbs up" sign over my shoulder.


I shook my head. "You know, you are really an asshole."


He laughed good-naturedly, and said, "But you, my friend, are like a pie. Crusty for about half an inch, but all gooey and mushy inside." He doubled over with laughter, terribly amused with himself.


I stood there for a moment, mildly fuming, then said, "I am only turning around and walking away from you because otherwise I'd have the blood of a friend on my hands."


The long and the short of it is, I really have no willpower or good sense। My life would have been much simpler if I'd been struck blind as a child...or if I just didn't notice certain girls. But, I wasn't struck blind, and I do sometimes notice some damned waif sitting along the wall in the heart of darkness. All right, all right - Yes, I wouldn't have it any other way, ultimately.
But I don't see how in hell that small fact should somehow prohibit me from at least being able to freely bitch about it.