The Palace

The Palace

Tired, stressed and weary after a long day of dealing with stupid and demanding bosses, she is ready for a drink and if she’s lucky she will meet a man. She’s passed this hole-in-the-wall-bar many times, “The Palace” the outside reads. She decides to wonder in. The off duty sheriff checks her for drugs and weapons. She softens, feeling this place will be safe. It’s the regulars who know that the sheriffs are the drug dealers.

The bar is located at the top of a pair of dark narrow stairs. She holds tightly to the rail as she climbs, careful not to miss a step. She enters the dark bar, where the only lights are behind the dimly lit bar. As she waits to order her drink, she takes in the atmosphere. The people around her seem animated and in good spirits, she relaxes.
         What can I get for you?
         “Cape Cod”, she answers

The drink is inexpensive, because the liquor is cheap. She downs the drink and orders another. Lounging on a stool, back against the bar, she takes in the bar's layout. Straight ahead in the middle is a dance floor surrounded by tables and chairs. The dancers are loud, wild and partying hard, she has no idea that most are high on x-tasy. 

Feeling buzzed, she grabs her second drink and heads towards the front. Swaying to the music as she walks, she notices that there are only a few women in the bar. “Good” she thinks, less competition for me. It’s the regulars that know she has entered into a gay bar.

In the corner, to the right, near the front, there are a group of people playing bid whist. She inquires and puts her name on the list to play. The area is dark and smoky, lit only from the streetlights outside. She has no idea that the smoke she smells are blunts being passed around the table and not from cigars. The patrons enjoy the darkness, it hides their illegal activities.

Waiting for her name to be called, she strolls around the bar, checking out the people and enjoying the liveliness. Two drinks down, the electricity of the dance floor draws her in. She passes a group of men huddled in the corner. She doesn’t notice that they are snorting coke.

After a couple of hours of drinking, dancing and playing cards, she’s ready to head for home. She considers heading for the bathroom, but changes her mind, she doesn’t like using public restrooms. Lucky for her most likely she would have encountered open drug use and homosexual sex.

Walking to the train she plays in her mind good time that she’s had. She didn’t meet anyone she could hook up with, but she is satisfied. She’s thinking about returning soon, maybe she will find someone there to date.  She decides not to tell her girlfriends about the bar, she doesn’t want to compete with them for men. She has no idea the true nature of bar she wondered into, and she is happy.