An Old Friend: Part 5

About two minutes later, a small club/discotheque called The Groove Tube loomed into view. Michael parked across the street, ran around the other side of the car and opened the door for Lisa. 'Still a gentleman,' she thought to herself, smiling. She held onto his arm as they walked toward the club, out of which the strains of familiar music could be heard.

It was a fairly small place, with a bar and tables around the edges, and a dance floor with all the accoutrements in the center. To Lisa's immediate surprise, no one was really dancing....although as soon as she heard Elton John's "Bennie and the Jets" blaring out of the speakers, she dismissed her surprise.

"Hmm, maybe it's a bit too early for dancing," Michael surmised. "Would you like a drink?"

She nodded. They sat at a small table on the other side of the bar. Suddenly a thought came to her and she grinned. "Wait a moment, isn't your birthday around this time?"

Michael looked up, a bit surprised. "Oh - yes....it was on the fifth...Sunday," he said quietly.

"Oh my gosh, well it's something to celebrate! How old are you now?"

Michael gazed at the table top. "Thirty-one....but it's no big deal," he said dismissively.

"Of course it is! Don't be silly. This drink is on me."

"No, no, please Lisa, you really don't have to," he said, smiling and shaking his head. He was clearly embarrassed.

"No that's all right, I insist," she said.

"I-I mean, it's not a big deal. The Pythons took me out for a nice dinner and a drink at the pub," he insisted.

She became disappointed, and her face fell. "I just thought that since we were old friends, maybe I could do something nice for you," she said, sadly.

He looked up at her and saw how dejected she was. He reached across the table and held her hand. "I'm sorry, you're right. We're old friends...I shouldn't have been so silly."

"Then can't I buy you a drink?"

"Of course, I'd like that," he answered softly.

She smiled. When the waiter came around and delivered their drinks, she held up her glass: "To old friends!"

He held up his, stating "to old friends, to an enchanted evening.....and to an enchanted lady."

She blushed and wished she could have silenced the girlish giggle that escaped from her mouth. She finished her drink and noticed that the dance floor was starting to fill up as the pseudo-disco record "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" started up. She got up and grabbed his arm. "Oh I love this song! Would you like to dance, Michael?"

Michael became startled, and blurted out, "Oh! Well, since you're so enthusiastic ab-"

"Great!" she replied, as she practically dragged him up out of his seat. "I'll race you to the dance floor!"

Michael got up and chased after Lisa, dodging the many empty tables and chairs. He was really having fun now. It seemed like they were young, silly college kids again. He met up with her on the dance floor, and they started to dance. Lisa had forgotten what a good dancer Michael was. She hadn't been dancing in quite a while, but she felt very confident tonight, dancing with him.

After a few songs, Michael noticed she was out of breath; he was getting a bit winded himself. "How about taking a little breather?" he panted.

"Good idea," she replied.

They made their way back to the table. The dance floor began to clear, except for a few couples slow-dancing to "Me and Mrs. Jones," the very song Lisa heard on the radio before she left to see Michael. She suddenly found herself staring at him.

"Lisa?" he asked softly.

"Oh...I'm sorry. I just couldn't help thinking that you look so different from the last time I saw you," she said, frankly.

"Oh. Well, it's been quite a while," he admitted.

"Mmm, yes. Your hair's gotten quite long," she said in a bit of daze.

"Yeah. Well- actually I got it cut the other day," he said, matter-of-factly.

"And it looks wonderful," she said dreamily. She now had no control over what she was saying.

"Well, you look....ravishing...as well."

Michael now found himself staring at her. Barry White's sensuous "Never, Never Gonna Give You Up" started playing, as Michael and Lisa started inching closer toward one another, all the while looking into each other's eyes. This is it, Lisa thought to herself, we are actually going to.... she felt his breath on her lips as he was about to kiss her, when suddenly a hauntingly familiar voice broke in.

"Hey, hey! What have we here?!"

A look of horror etched upon Michael's face as he recognized the voice that belonged to Eric Idle. He turned around and there was Eric, looking at them with a goofy grin on his face. Michael was utterly horrified. "Eric?" he said very quietly, "what are you doing here?"

"I was about to ask you the same question," Eric shrugged. "But it looks like it was answered, eh? So, is the little lady into photography, eh? He asked him knowingly!"

Michael was not amused by Eric's little foray into his famous sketch. Eric laughed as Michael gave him an irritable scowl. "Eric, would you please leave?" Michael said quite sharply, "we'd like to be alone."

"Ooh, I know what that means, eh. You don't have to spell it out for me, squire."

Michael stood up, looking at Eric with sheer contempt. "That's it. Come on, we're leaving," he said to Lisa. "I've had enough of this." He took hold of her arm and they headed for the front door. 

"See you back at the hotel, Mike!" Eric called out to him, laughing.

"Shut up," Michael returned as he stormed out of the discotheque.

As they got back into the car, Michael noticed Lisa had been somewhat confused up to this point. "I'm so sorry about him, Lisa. If I had any way of knowing he'd be there tonight, I never would have-"

"Michael, please. Don’t worry about it," she said softly.

"No, I'm really sorry. Every time I want to do something, a Python has to show up and ruin it," he grumbled.

"Ruin what? I've been having a great time so far," she said, "and honestly, I wasn't even paying attention to what Eric said!"

"Really?" Michael raised his eyebrows and broke out laughing. "That has to be one of the most wonderful things a girl has ever said to me! Oh, what a relief!" The two of them laughed until tears came out of their eyes. "Ahh, I'm glad this evening has been turning out well for you, Lisa," Michael sighed.

"Of course it has," she smiled. She looked down at her watch. It was still only about 11:00. "So, anything else you'd like to do?"

A grin slowly crept over Michael's face as he remembered the lovely spot the hotel manager had told him about. It was a nice, quiet little place that was so serene, so beautiful, a place he'd love to show to his best girlie.

"I think you'll like this place, Lisa," he said warmly, as he put the car into gear and they drove off.