Free Women and Other Monsters by Bernard Schaffer

boyfriend?” I shouted.
     
    She leaned backwards to grind on me.  “Nope,” she said.  “You know any good guys?”  
     
    “Just one.  Me.”
     
    She laughed and kept going until the song was finished.  After I stood up, I said, “Do you want to get a drink when your shift is over?”
     
    “I’m not done for another two hours.”
     
    “I’ll wait.”
     
    “Ok.  If you don’t mind.”
     
    “I’ll be at the bar in the same spot,” I said.  “Right over there.  Won’t move an inch.  You won’t regret this.” 
     
    “That’s fifty for the dance.”
     
    “Oh, right.  Of course.”  I dug into my pocket and handed her a hundred dollar bill.  It was the money I was supposed to give my mom for rent.  “Keep the change.” 
     
    Two hours later, she emerged rolling her suitcase behind her.  She went to the other end of the bar and sat, just smoking and talking to Glen.  She slid a few dollars into that damn video poker machine and started playing. 
     
    I was careful not to look in her direction as I finished my drink.  I slid from my seat and headed for the door, dragging my feet like I hadn’t been picked for the playground basketball team.  She stopped me before I got to the door.  “Where you going, sexy?  You give up that easily?” 
     
    “I figured you were bailing on me.” 
     
    “Hell no,” she said.  “Sit your ass down over here and buy me that drink.”
     
    Four drinks later, she was rubbing my leg.  She told me dancing was just a way to save money for nursing school.  “That sounds awesome.  How long have you been saving for that?”
     
    “On and off about five years,” she shrugged.  “Things keep popping up.  My damn car is always breaking down.”
     
    “Maybe I could look at it for you?  I’m pretty good with cars,” I said.  This was a lie.  I can’t even change a car’s oil.  But this was my chance and I needed something better to tell her than I was a recovering junkie who still lived with his mom. 
     
     She nodded, but was looking at an old mat at the other end of the bar.  “Hi sweetie!” she called out, waving to him.  “That’s Bob.  He’s my favorite customer.  Such a sweetheart.”
     
    Bob looked up at us, his red watery eyes fixed on me.  I stared him down until he went back to looking at his drink.  “You wait right here until I get back, sugar,” she said, giving my crotch a squeeze.  “I have plans for you later.” 
     
    ***
     
    Three weeks after that first night, Sunshine and I were shooting pool in the back of Dirty D’s, and there was some dude watching her from across the bar.  His black leather trench coat was cinched around his waist and he had on cowboy boots made of reptile skin.  His long black hair was pulled back in a thick pony tail, framing a perfectly groomed goatee that drew to a point under his chin.  He had that sweaty, sticky, getting-sick look junkies get when they need a fix.  “See that guy?” I said to her.  “Who does he think he’s looking at?”   
     
    “Just let him look.  There’s only one man I’m going home with tonight.”  She chalked the tip of her stick and puckered her lips, “It’s your shot, baby.”
     
    ***
     
    Two nights later, I was waiting on my couch for Sunshine to finish her shift.  I hated not being there when she was working, but Glenn was tired of me sitting around all night not buying any drinks or tipping any of the girls, and I was flat broke.  The phone rang in the kitchen.
     
    My mom brought it to me.  “It’s that girl.”   
     
    I covered the mouthpiece and said, “She has a name.”  I took the phone into my room.  “Hey, honey.  Where are you?  I’m sitting here waiting.”
     
    “Remember that guy who was watching me play pool the other night?  He wants me to come to his place for a private dance.  It’s big money.” 
     
    “But I was waiting for you.”
     
    “Well, it’s not like you can pay my