Road Trip

I was tired when we pulled into the bar at Shreveport. Eric Lover, Minnie, Liz and Mel and I looked at each other. There were broad smiles on our faces as we got out. God Speed and Westexan and Mrs. GS and Vi jumped out and Dude and Hoyt pulled in and joined us as we formed our group in the parking lot. I had a plain shiny black gift bag on my arm and my jacket on the other and my big bag of crazy slung across my chest.

"Well, shall we walk in and see what happens?" asked Liz. I looked around at everyone and we all nodded our agreement.
"May as well face the music, get it over with," said GS. He put his arm around his wife and we made our way into the bar. We stood in line, with the rest of the punters and when we stepped up to the door, the female counselor shook her head.
"Why do you insist on being so willful?" she said.
"Are we welcome?" I asked.
"Of course you are," she said. "Good luck getting out."

We walked into the bar. It was busy for a Tuesday night and we walked in, looking around at the patrons in their usual garb and some of the regular "attendee's" to the bar, the main attractions. We sat down at the bar. The bartender grinned.

"Give me your order, the Boss knows you are here. Go sit in his booth and I'll send Ginger with your drinks," he said, smiling a toothy smile.
"Well you know what I will have," I said.
"Black stuff coming right up," he said, smiling at the tip I slipped into his brandy snifter. I walked over to the booth and sat down. As each member gave their order, they came and joined me. I watched the go-go dancers and saw that the door to the office was closed and the throne was empty.

Finally, Ginger and another waitress came over and brought us our drinks and we tipped her a little too and settled into our drinks. We were quiet for a few minutes, just watching the zoo and it's collection of inhabitants.

"So how much more are we going to do for the party?" I asked GS.
"We only have a few more things and then we have the meeting to get ready for. I thought we would have a small buffet for the meeting," said Eric Lover.
"What a wonderful idea. Even if the counselors do not stay for the little get together after the meeting, we can stay up and eat and chat," said Westexan.

My phone and Westexan's phone and Violet and Minnie's phone rang all at the same time. I looked. It was a text message from our counselor.

"Shiatsu," I swore. "He wants to know where we are."
"May as well tell him, he will know soon enough...you know the lead counselor knows," said Eric Lover.
"Here, type him back," I said, handing her the phone. "I hate to type using the number keys." She took my little cheap pay as you go phone and typed in "The Bar" and sent the message and handed it back to me.

About that time, Ginger came up to the table.

"Aslinn, the Boss wants to see you right away," she said, a little fearful. I shrugged, took my purse off me and gave to Eric lover for safe keeping grabbed the gift bag and went first to the bathroom. If he was going to bawl me out, he could wait. I watered the lilies, came out of the stall, washed my hands, ignoring the sounds of sighing and a slight sucking sound coming from the end stall, and dried my hands and picked up the gift bag again and walked out. I went to the office door and before I knocked I could hear the voice of the lead counselor.

"Come in Aslinn," he said. What no 'dearest'? I was in deep chop suey with the lead counselor. I turned the knob and walked into the bar.
"Hi," I said, coming into the office. The lead counselor was sitting in shadow, just as I liked him and I sat down.
"I thought that I and your counselor told you to stay away from Shreveport and the Connection," he said. "Why do you insist being so willful when we simply want to protect you and all your friends."
"If you don't think they will tell us anything, why do you care if we go? What are you so afraid of?" I snapped back.
"I ask you to do things for your own good," said the voice of the counselor. It was soft, deep, reasonable voice and I knew he was getting mad at me.
"For our own good, or to control us?" I asked, feeling my Irish. He laughed.
"Well, we have been far more open with you and your friends than we have ever been with your kind," he said. "Did you enjoy the visit with the Connection?" It was my turn to laugh.
"We were too late, we got there just as she was leaving. We worked on the party decorations and by the time we looked up we were late. So we came anyway because I wanted to get you something for Samhain." I picked up the gift bag and sat it in the center of his desk. His large pale hand took the bag and pulled it into his lap he reached into the bag and took out the large coffee table book. He laughed out loud, sounding more relaxed.

"The Illustrated History of Pornography?" he said.
"Happy Samhain," I said standing and turning to go.
"Aslinn?" he said.
"Yeah?" I asked.
"I'll see you and your friends tomorrow night," he said.
"Good night," I said.