Out of mind

The freckly kid at the front desk of the motel had given him the key to his room for the night. Jim pocketed the key in his coat and asked him where the bar was again. It had been a while since he’d been here and he needed the directions.

“Blue Daisy’s is across the street and to the right, you can’t miss it. There’s another called The Traveler’s Fancy about a mile west.” The kid’s voice was squeaky and as he spoke he revealed shimmering braces on both rows of his teeth. Jim nodded his head in appreciation and pushed open the glass door of the motel’s lobby. He fumbled for his cigarette’s as he began to slowly make his way towards the bar, using the directions he had been giving

———

Blue Daisy’s was a bustling little bar, there were a few dozen people packed into the dark, cramped space, all speaking and laughing loudly. By the entrance there were a row of booths, all along the western wall, leading towards the door for the bathroom. At the far end of the room there was a small stage, and to Jim’s surprise there was a live band playing. The band was composed of a blonde haired fiddle player, who chewed a mouthful of tobacco as he played. To the right of him there was a gentleman in a ratty old suit playing the blues on a guitar that looked more expensive then all the other instruments combined, and next to him there were two more musicians, one singer and one drummer. They played a couple blue’s classics that Jim half recognized, one of which he remembered being a song his old man used to listen to. The band played pretty good, the guitarist was the main attraction, but the assemble garnered the attention of most of the patrons in the bar.

In an attempt to avoid most of the crowd, Jim had taken a seat at the far end of the bar. He sat nursing a beer and eating the last few French fries he had on his plate. It seemed as if the place had updated its menu, he had been served a hamburger that did not altogether disappoint, which he scrounged down in a matter of minutes. Jim looked out at the mirror behind the bar, his reflection staring back at him. He was a large man, broad shouldered and tall. He pushed a hand through his chestnut hair, which he usually kept short, but had been growing steadily for a while. Taking another sip of his beer, Jim pondered on his appearance. He had a strong jaw, which sported a messy five o’clock shadow and warm eyes. He did not think he was bad looking, but he’d never thought that he’d would be **** to dive back into the dating pool at forty years old…

“So, what’s got you so down tonight?” A melodious voice sounded from behind the bar. Jim looked up and saw his bartender edging closer to him. With a friendly smile on her face she stood polishing a glass, she wore a black shirt and had her dark hair pinned back into a ponytail.

“Oh nothing much, just the usual I suppose.” Jim spoke, scratching at the stubble growing on his chin. The bartender gave him a sideways glance, putting the glass down behind the bar and throwing a towel over her shoulder. “Well, don’t be shy, lay it on me. Bartenders are the cheapest therapist you’ll find.” Jim laughed leaning onto the bar with his elbows and draining the final sip of his beer.

“I have a feeling you aren’t going to be free though…” The woman responded with a nod, kneeling down and coming back up with a new beer in hand.

“The good ones never are, now please, how does a handsome guy like you end up sulking in a shitty place like this? Wait, let me guess, trouble with the wife?” She pointed a finger to Jim’s left hand, indicating the golden ring he wore. Looking down at it Jim could only giggle, he’d been wearing the thing for so long, he had damn near forgotten it was even still there. It was like it had become a part of his body, just like being married had become a part of his soul. For twenty odd years he had been a husband, but now, he had no idea what he was anymore.

“You got it, more or less. What did I say, the usual.” The bartender scooted a little closer, leaning forward onto the bar and looking him in the eyes. Her eyes were almost cat like, dark, yet playful. Jim had a hard time looking away from them.

“Is it the kind of trouble that can be resolved? Because if so, hanging around here is gonna do you very little good.” Jim fiddled with his ring thoughtfully, wondering why this person had suddenly taken such an interest in his personal life. The bartender must’ve read his expression, as she hurriedly added to her previous statement. “I know, I know, it’s none of my business. You can’t claim a girl for being nosey.”

“It’s alright.” Jim spoke, taking a sip of his fresh beer and savoring the feeling of the cold liquid sliding down his throat. “I’m afraid the problem is unresolvable, or so I’ve been told. As of about an hour ago, I believe I no longer have a wife…” Jim looked down at his ring again, turning it around his finger with his thumb. The ring had thinned throughout the years, the shine had left the gold long ago and the edges had more than a few dinks and scratches. With a sigh he pulled on the now useless piece of jewelry, prying it slowly from his thick finger. When he finally got it off there was a clear indication of where the sun had never reached his skin. Jim laughed, pushing the ring into the inside pocket of his coat. He supposed that it was going to take a great deal more to get rid of all that had suddenly become his past.