About Nude Not Naked

Convenient stores such as Seven-Eleven are perfect pit stops when you need to fill or refill. Earlier this year, my friends and I drank whiskey and vodka when the mixers ran out. Shame on the organizers because it was only half pass 11 when there was not a drop left of the two bottles of Coke bought earlier that evening. I hated drinking neat or on the rocks, so quite obviously I volunteered to purchase the lot. Plus I was also the only one who was still able to drive, I think. When I left for Seven-Eleven, my friends were dancing on bar tops, tables and stools while others were having a frenzied photo session.

Imagine the ear squats these jokers had to do if they were sent out to buy the mixers and were stopped at a road block.


***
I was two seconds ahead of them at the 7-11 main door. I pulled the right door open and looked for the four (or five, if I could manage them lot) 2 litre bottles of Coke at the refrigerator section, located at the end of the store.

They walked a few steps behind me and opened the door next to mine. Through the corner of my eyes, I saw there were three or four of them, tall blokes. They looked at the labels on the bottles, each giving some sort of comment. Picked up a bottle, then placed it down. Whisper, whisper, then picked up another and placed it down again.

I took a bottle of Coke out and placed it in my left arm. Took another and hugged the bottles tightly.

“Excuse me,” one of them said, “would you please recommend us to some good drinks?”

“What sort of drinks?” I asked.

“Alcoholic,” the same guy said.

I looked at them. There were three of them. Taller, taller and tallest. Damn, they were all freaking tall! And good looking. Oh yes, I checked them out and they ticked all boxes appropriately. Tall, check! Slim, check! Beautiful eyes, check! Beautiful smile, check check check!

I smiled, pointed at some vodka based alco-pops, exchanged some words with them and said good bye. I hurriedly took my five bottles of 2 litre Cokes (yes, I managed to hug them all!) and paid at the cashier. I walked out with the two bags, rushed to my car clumsily with the heavy load. I could hear them laughing all the way out of Seven-Eleven.


***
“Come join me,” I told them. I locked the car, walked to them and asked, "Come join me." It was a decision made in pure madness. I invited them back to the bar to join the rest of my friends and I. They laughed, thinking that I was beyond sanity. Who would invite three strangers to join them for a drinking session at midnight? Well I would and I did.

I asked them again and they realized that I was serious. They looked at each other. After a brief conversation in German, they agreed. So all for of us packed into my car and I drove the 5 minutes to the bar. I sincerely hoped they enjoyed themselves. They must have since they agreed to follow me to the next stop, Lola. Drinks ran freely here and everyone was more relaxed. Being good looking obviously had its perks. A and O had a wonderful time being chatted up by some girls. W seemed more reserve than the rest and distant himself from the many approaches. I found it quite intriguing. I mean, "Come on... hot chicks dancing around you?? Well hello?".

Then off to another dance club where we remained until it closed for the night. The place was packed with people – man, woman, girl, boy and the 0.5s (the transsexuals). I saw AB the moment I walked through the door. Got my peck on the cheek at the console and walked back to join the boys. A and O ran off with some chicks, so there left W and I at the main door when it shut for the night.

Went for supper. Chatted a little. Found out a little more about W. Through our conversations, he came across as level headed, intelligent and sweet. Through our conversations, he realised that I was actually quite sane and that I had no intention of leaving him in the middle of nowhere (which he honestly thought the three of them would end up at that night).

I asked him why did he not dance with the girls, like A and O. W replied that he had a girlfriend whom he loved dearly and missed even more. I found that so endearing. We parted after supper and I thought he would disappear from the face of the earth. A fact that I was quite comfortable with because what I sought that night was neutral companionship.

Surprisingly or not so surprisingly, we remain in contact since. We chat when possible and there are always things to talk about. Can’t divulge the details but suffice to say, there must be a friendship angel sitting between the Coke and Vodka alco-pop section in Seven-Eleven’s refrigerator because I found a good friend there.


***
Everybody, please say "Hello" to W.