| General Fiction posted October 24, 2022 |
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Lunch at the HotHouse, part two.
Bad Boy Ric
by Terry Broxson
Ric was not and had never been a bad guy. On the contrary, both men and women loved Ric. He could be the most generous person anyone could ever meet.
Ric was thirty-six years old and had never married. He had no kids. His longest personal relationship was with his American Ultra Stratocaster Maple Fingerboard Electric Guitar Ultraburst—his personal love affair.
Ric's problem, not that he saw it as a problem, would be a lack of commitment. Ric could love 'em dearly and leave 'em just as clearly.
John Hartford's song made famous by Glen Campbell, "Gentle on My Mind," was often the opening song for Ric's band. Some thought it was Ric's life story. Others thought he just liked the song. He did sing and play it well.
On an auspicious Thursday afternoon in late September, Ric walked into the HotHouse Eating and Drinking Emporium and sat at the bar looked at the bartender, and thought, She's five-ten if she's an inch, lovely long raven hair, better long legs, light caramel skin, and brown eyes. What am I missing? Oh...well, I bet she gets good tips.
Ric never sought enlightenment for being so superficial. Some things worked better for him than others.
Jennifer, the bartender looked at Ric and thought, Well, looky here if it ain't a bad boy.
Ric looked at her left hand, Don't see no ring either. Dang, these Texas women are beautiful.
It was almost one o'clock. A few regulars were sitting at the bar. Hollis and Burl were on one side of Ric. A seat away on the other side were Evelyn and Ann. Ann, ever the bridesmaid, looked Ric over and thought, Oh my, I wonder if he always has a three-day-old beard?
Jennifer flashed her best smile, the one which doubled her tips, and asked, "Welcome, stranger, what can I get you?"
Ric replied, "For starters, something to eat and drink would be good."
"You're in for a treat. We got the best fried-chicken sandwich in the state. You have one decision. Do you want it with or without curly fries?"
"With for sure, and add a cold can of Colorado kool-aid."
"Okay, coming right up, one chicken with, and a cold Coors."
"Thank you very much, ma'am."
"Don't ma'am me; the name is Jennifer. That's Hollis and Burl sitting to the right and the ladies on your left are Evelyn and Ann. What's your handle, stranger?"
"I'm Ric, pleased to meet all of you."
Jennifer asks, "Ric, what brings you to our place today?"
"I'm staying at the Hilton down the street. My band is in town for three weeks playing at the Texas State Fair."
Jennifer smiles, "So, you're in a band, I knew you were a bad boy the moment I saw you."
"Wait a minute, I'm not a bad guy!"
"Did I say, bad guy, ladies?"
Ann answers, "No, you said bad boy, there is a big difference."
Burl asks, "Jennifer, am I a bad boy?"
"No, Burl you're a banker. A bad boy is a fella that can't commit. He loves a lady for a while and leaves them. Like a guy who's playing in a band, and stays in town for three weeks and then goes to the next gig."
Burl says, "Oh Jennifer, I'd never leave you."
Evelyn chimes in, "Jennifer don't listen to him. I know from experience the guy who stays can be worse than the one who leaves."
Ann looking over Ric adds, "I am thinking three weeks is about right."
Hollis motions to Jennifer, "You better bring me another drink, this is more interesting than going back to work."
Jennifer smiles at Hollis, "Coming in your direction, sweetie." Jennifer knows how to work the bar.
Ric reaches into his back pocket and pulls out his wallet. "Now I got something to show you. Here's my card which states I'm a certified Good Guy from the National Association of Single Women."
Ann, Evelyn, and Jennifer look at each other and study the card. Jennifer says, "We never heard of it."
Ric replies, "Well, it's big up north, maybe they haven't got to Texas yet. Tell you what I'll do, I'll give everybody free passes to the State Fair, and you can get into the music pavilion and see our band for free. It'll be fun with lots of dancing."
Hollis asks, "Ric, what's the name of your band?"
Ric is chewing the first bite of his sandwich, "This a great sandwich. Our band is called The Cincinnati Red Rockers."
Jennifer gives Evelyn and Ann another round of Molsons. "I told you the best fried-chicken sandwich in the state. What kind of music do y'all play?"
Between bites, Ric says, "We play mostly country rock, at least our version of it. We play music by Hank, Lefty, Merle, Ernest Tubb, Buddy Holly, Charlie Pride, and some Bob Wills. We got six guys covering guitars, drums, keyboards, and a fiddle."
Burl says, "Ric, you got to have a fiddle in the band if you play in Texas."
Ann now sipping on her third Molson says, "Ric, I'd love to have a ticket to have my world rocked, uh, I mean I would love to see your band."
Evelyn raises her hand, "I'll take two tickets so my husband can take Shari from next door. It would get them out of the guest bedroom for a while."
Ric looks curiously at Jennifer who mouths, "Don't ask."
Hollis says, "I'd take two tickets if Jennifer would be my date."
Jennifer replies, "Hollis, I got to work, take Burl, you guys might meet some very nice ladies. Maybe even do some dancing."
"Burl cramps my style when we try to meet some ladies."
Ann can't resist, "Now, there is a real news flash, Hollis has got a style. Who was the last woman you took home after a night of dancing?"
Hollis shrugs his shoulders, "I asked her name, She said, 'Lulu.'
"I said, Lulu? She said, 'Yep for tonight anyway.'"
Burl using his most sarcastic voice, "Did she also want fifty bucks? Or was she a higher-class woman?"
"Aww Burl, it wasn't like that. She was a waitress at IHOP."
Ric stands up, "I'm going out to my car and get some tickets. You can decide how to use them. I think you'll like the music."
Jennifer looks at the Hamm's Beer clock. It is 1:45. She thinks, Mid-afternoon of the first day of the rest of her life. Ric is cute, and he is only going to be here for three weeks.
***
Coming Next: Last Call.
Ric was not and had never been a bad guy. On the contrary, both men and women loved Ric. He could be the most generous person anyone could ever meet.
Ric was thirty-six years old and had never married. He had no kids. His longest personal relationship was with his American Ultra Stratocaster Maple Fingerboard Electric Guitar Ultraburst—his personal love affair.
Ric's problem, not that he saw it as a problem, would be a lack of commitment. Ric could love 'em dearly and leave 'em just as clearly.
John Hartford's song made famous by Glen Campbell, "Gentle on My Mind," was often the opening song for Ric's band. Some thought it was Ric's life story. Others thought he just liked the song. He did sing and play it well.
On an auspicious Thursday afternoon in late September, Ric walked into the HotHouse Eating and Drinking Emporium and sat at the bar looked at the bartender, and thought, She's five-ten if she's an inch, lovely long raven hair, better long legs, light caramel skin, and brown eyes. What am I missing? Oh...well, I bet she gets good tips.
Ric never sought enlightenment for being so superficial. Some things worked better for him than others.
Jennifer, the bartender looked at Ric and thought, Well, looky here if it ain't a bad boy.
Ric looked at her left hand, Don't see no ring either. Dang, these Texas women are beautiful.
It was almost one o'clock. A few regulars were sitting at the bar. Hollis and Burl were on one side of Ric. A seat away on the other side were Evelyn and Ann. Ann, ever the bridesmaid, looked Ric over and thought, Oh my, I wonder if he always has a three-day-old beard?
Jennifer flashed her best smile, the one which doubled her tips, and asked, "Welcome, stranger, what can I get you?"
Ric replied, "For starters, something to eat and drink would be good."
"You're in for a treat. We got the best fried-chicken sandwich in the state. You have one decision. Do you want it with or without curly fries?"
"With for sure, and add a cold can of Colorado kool-aid."
"Okay, coming right up, one chicken with, and a cold Coors."
"Thank you very much, ma'am."
"Don't ma'am me; the name is Jennifer. That's Hollis and Burl sitting to the right and the ladies on your left are Evelyn and Ann. What's your handle, stranger?"
"I'm Ric, pleased to meet all of you."
Jennifer asks, "Ric, what brings you to our place today?"
"I'm staying at the Hilton down the street. My band is in town for three weeks playing at the Texas State Fair."
Jennifer smiles, "So, you're in a band, I knew you were a bad boy the moment I saw you."
"Wait a minute, I'm not a bad guy!"
"Did I say, bad guy, ladies?"
Ann answers, "No, you said bad boy, there is a big difference."
Burl asks, "Jennifer, am I a bad boy?"
"No, Burl you're a banker. A bad boy is a fella that can't commit. He loves a lady for a while and leaves them. Like a guy who's playing in a band, and stays in town for three weeks and then goes to the next gig."
Burl says, "Oh Jennifer, I'd never leave you."
Evelyn chimes in, "Jennifer don't listen to him. I know from experience the guy who stays can be worse than the one who leaves."
Ann looking over Ric adds, "I am thinking three weeks is about right."
Hollis motions to Jennifer, "You better bring me another drink, this is more interesting than going back to work."
Jennifer smiles at Hollis, "Coming in your direction, sweetie." Jennifer knows how to work the bar.
Ric reaches into his back pocket and pulls out his wallet. "Now I got something to show you. Here's my card which states I'm a certified Good Guy from the National Association of Single Women."
Ann, Evelyn, and Jennifer look at each other and study the card. Jennifer says, "We never heard of it."
Ric replies, "Well, it's big up north, maybe they haven't got to Texas yet. Tell you what I'll do, I'll give everybody free passes to the State Fair, and you can get into the music pavilion and see our band for free. It'll be fun with lots of dancing."
Hollis asks, "Ric, what's the name of your band?"
Ric is chewing the first bite of his sandwich, "This a great sandwich. Our band is called The Cincinnati Red Rockers."
Jennifer gives Evelyn and Ann another round of Molsons. "I told you the best fried-chicken sandwich in the state. What kind of music do y'all play?"
Between bites, Ric says, "We play mostly country rock, at least our version of it. We play music by Hank, Lefty, Merle, Ernest Tubb, Buddy Holly, Charlie Pride, and some Bob Wills. We got six guys covering guitars, drums, keyboards, and a fiddle."
Burl says, "Ric, you got to have a fiddle in the band if you play in Texas."
Ann now sipping on her third Molson says, "Ric, I'd love to have a ticket to have my world rocked, uh, I mean I would love to see your band."
Evelyn raises her hand, "I'll take two tickets so my husband can take Shari from next door. It would get them out of the guest bedroom for a while."
Ric looks curiously at Jennifer who mouths, "Don't ask."
Hollis says, "I'd take two tickets if Jennifer would be my date."
Jennifer replies, "Hollis, I got to work, take Burl, you guys might meet some very nice ladies. Maybe even do some dancing."
"Burl cramps my style when we try to meet some ladies."
Ann can't resist, "Now, there is a real news flash, Hollis has got a style. Who was the last woman you took home after a night of dancing?"
Hollis shrugs his shoulders, "I asked her name, She said, 'Lulu.'
"I said, Lulu? She said, 'Yep for tonight anyway.'"
Burl using his most sarcastic voice, "Did she also want fifty bucks? Or was she a higher-class woman?"
"Aww Burl, it wasn't like that. She was a waitress at IHOP."
Ric stands up, "I'm going out to my car and get some tickets. You can decide how to use them. I think you'll like the music."
Jennifer looks at the Hamm's Beer clock. It is 1:45. She thinks, Mid-afternoon of the first day of the rest of her life. Ric is cute, and he is only going to be here for three weeks.
***
Coming Next: Last Call.
 Recognized |
#30 October 2022 |
This is a work of fiction any resemblance to anyone living or dead or named Ric on FanStory is purely coincidental.
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