PART 2- THE PUB AND OTHER DREAMY PLACES

The pub was seedy and dark, but I could see that there were lights on inside, and some faint music playing, so I figured it was alright. I knew it wasn’t the sort of pub where businessmen go after work to sip martinis, but it didn’t look that bad. I was behind the wheel, with Lauren next to me looking out the window.

“We haven’t been in a pub in a while,” she reminded me.

“Yes I know, but we’re with some great people here, I’m sure we’ll have a good time. And if not, we can just get so drunk that we won’t even remember.”

“Yeah, I guess we could do that,” Lauren replied.

They all pulled up across the street from the pub and got out. Lucky to find so much space on the street, I thought. All of them walked to the pub, except Mike who was nice enough to come to our car and walk with us. We were parked a little behind, because there wasn’t any more room to park next to them. As I saw him coming over to us, in that white suit and I had glanced so often at in the restaurant, I suddenly felt very nervous. Why I felt this, I could not say, but it grew with every step he took.

“I really should tell you, uh, we’ve noticed Graham has a little bit of a drinking problem and I don’t want you two ladies to get upset or anything.”

“A drinking problem?” Lauren asked.

“It’s not that bad really, I just don’t know how you might take it.”

“Oh really, it’s alright. What harm could he cause?” I said.

“Well, if you’re alright with it.”

Lauren took off towards the pub, I think a little nervous herself. I started to walk after her and Mike, a bit fluffed at having us rush off like that, came up behind me and took my arm. A polite thing to do, but it made me flush nonetheless. He looked down at me and smiled, but the smile I gave in return was lost in the noise of the pub as Lauren opened the front door.

We stepped in and found the rest of the Pythons at a table, full mugs in their hands. Mike led as we went over and sat down.

“Oh good,” John said. “Thought we’d lost you there for a moment Mike.”

“No, I just went to walk with them to the pub.” He glanced at us, but then Eric, fast thinker that he is, got the wrong idea.

“Oh come on now, dear Mikey, just to walk?” Mike turned very red and looked down at the table.

“Eric!” Terry Jones said. “Be nice.”

 “Oh alright Tewy.”

I could tell that there was a bit of a feud going between them, or maybe it was just that Eric’s mug was almost empty and he was feeling the effects. Whatever the case, I didn’t mind. I was squished in between Michael and Lauren, and every time I moved my arm to get hold of my mug (which was still pretty full) to take a sip, I had to say excuse me to Mike, and he’d move a bit, and it was all very nice.

Eventually, as we all had more to drink, I worked up the nerve to talk to Mike some more and I realized that he was truly a funny guy. Just stuff coming off the top of his head, un scripted and un rehearsed.  I came back with a few witty comments of my own, and I felt I was starting to have a really good time in this noisy pub.

I looked over at Lauren, she seemed to have her eye on Eric who was over at the bar ordering for drinks. He had settled down a bit and was actually quite nice too. I nudged her and motioned towards Eric, trying to tell her to go and talk to him. She took the hint and got up to go chat. They came back and sat down together and continued to converse. We were all having a good time, and I was really happy that I’d forced Lauren to come back and meet them with me in the restaurant. That is until I realized what Mike was talking about when he mentioned Graham’s drinking problem earlier.

It was hard to notice at first, he’d just sit there very quietly, saying the odd comment, until he’d downed a few glasses and took hold of the conversation. It was all really funny, as most of the other guys were off it too and together they said some pretty hilarious stuff, but then Graham got up and started terrorizing the people at the table next to us, and then the people at a table farther away, until the whole bar was very aware of his presence and not very happy about it. The others seemed to be in high spirits cheering him on, but Mike seemed a bit nervous. I could tell that this had happened before, and that he was just waiting to get thrown out. Lauren, much to my surprise, tapped my on the shoulder and told me she had to leave.

“What? Why?” I asked her.

“Um, I left the iron on at home.”

“We don’t use the iron, Lauren.”

“Look, it’s getting kind of hectic in here.”

 “I know Lauren, I know. But don’t you want to stay ant talk to Eric? You seemed to like him.”

“I do, I just rather spend my Saturday night out somewhere a bit less crazy than this.”

I was starting to agree with her, I wasn’t enjoying myself that much either. I looked around the pub, seeing that most people were getting pretty annoyed with Graham, and decided that I wanted to leave to. But then my gaze caught site of that white suit, and I looked up at Mike. He looked back at me and seemed to understand what was happening. I turned and got up with Lauren and walked out.

I was torn though. I really liked Mike and I didn’t want him to think that what happened was his fault, so I turned to go back in when I bumped into him the second time that night.

“I’m really sorry about that. I did try and warn you though.”

“No really,” I said, “it’s just that we wanted to spend the rest of the night some place a little quieter.” Lauren was already off to the car and I started to follow her when he grabbed my arm.

“Quieter?”

“Yes,” I answered. He was very still for a moment, and then a look of sudden inspiration took hold of his face.

 “Will you come with me?”

“Where?” Lauren was already in the car waiting for me. I couldn’t stand here and chat in the middle of the street all night.

“It’s some place quiet. Very quiet. I think you’d like it.” He had a huge smile on his face, and me, being a bit tipsy myself, agreed.

“Alright. Let me tell Lauren.” I went over to the car to let her know what was going on.

“He’s taking you somewhere? You sure that’s a good idea?”

“Oh Lauren, it’s Saturday night, I’m in England, I’m with a guy who’s really handsome and funny, and he’s asking to drive me somewhere. You think I’m going to say no? Look, I’ll see you back at the apartment later.”

“Alright, but if anything should happen, just don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

I was nervous and excited at the same time. My mind seemed to leave me as I walked back towards him. There he was, standing in the middle of a dark street, a single light haloing his face, in that ridiculous white suit. He smiled as I approached him, and this may sound corny, but it was all in slow motion. He took my hand and led me to the car. I saw Lauren in the corner of my eye drive off, but it didn’t register in my mind because all I could see was Mike, and all I could feel was his hand on mine.

After what must have been a long and awkward pause while my mind was off in dreamland, I found myself in his car speeding along dark streets until we got on the highway. We soon left the buildings behind and were surrounded by green fields, as the night got darker and darker. As the city grew farther away, so did the lights and all we could rely on was the light from the moon that was out in front of us. The fields seemed endless so I looked out ahead but could only see shadowy mountains.

I moved around to get comfortable in my seat, fighting with the seatbelt clasp because it kept digging into my side. I finally defeated it, and listened to the radio Mike had just turned on.

It was very silent in the car, much different from the din of the pub. I looked over at Michael and wondered if it was worth trying to start a conversation. I figured I was too tired and drunk to say anything useful, so I just nodded off. I dreamt that I was back home with Michael on the beach. We were fishing, or something like that, when a huge bird came and swept us up off the sand and flew as we clung to its back. We both jumped off the bird and fell far until we hit the ocean. We swam and caught up with some dolphins and decided to swim with them for a while.

I was really enjoying the dream when I woke up enough to realize that the car had stopped. The radio was off and it was so quite I couldn’t even hear Mike breath. I opened my eyes and looked around. What I saw I’ll never forget.