Bartender Therapy - 2. Michael

I met Michael one time when I was doing a stint at a private party where I was doing the outside bar. What this means is I was doing the bar where all the smokers were and a bit chilly as well since this was the fall. Everyone was sitting at the chairs and tables but some were sitting at my bar. Michael was ordering his drink and seemed a little down so I asked him what was going on knowing I would probably be in for a long conversation. I made sure that I asked him when I hit a lull in the traffic as I didn't want this to affect my business.

Michael looked at me and gave me a weak smile, "It's nothing, just some things that have been going on that have gotten to me."

I smiled, put down the bottle I had in my hand and leaned on the bar in front of him. I could smell the alcohol on his breath even from a foot away and saw that his eyes were bloodshot. "You've been at this awhile now," I told him "So why don't you grab some snack food and come back, pull up a stool and we'll talk."

He left for a few minutes and came back with a plate of appetizers and took a seat. He started to munch on what I think was a pig in a blanket while he looked like he was mulling over in his head what he was about to say.

"It started like this." He said after a pause and swallowing what was in his mouth.

"Hey!" Michael greeted the guy he met at the bar a few days ago. "Nice to see you again."

"You too," Jason said taking Michael into a hug "Thanks again for taking me out to dinner the other night, It was an amazing time."

"I felt the same way," Michael responded as they both took a seat in Michaels living room where they were going ahead with their plans of a movie night. They sat close together, their arms wrapped around each other as Michael turned on the movie. They stayed like that until they were a quarter of the way into the movie where their cuddling turned into a make-out session initiated by Jason.

They paid no attention to the movie, only each other, grasping each other and laying gentle kisses on the other's lips. They took their time and explored each others body with gentle touches and caresses. They continued at this until Jason's phone started to ring with a unique ringtone. Jason immediately sat up and looked at Michael "Sorry, but I have to take this."

Michael looked at Jason with a curious look and watched as Jason got up and answered his phone. "Hey sweetie, how are you?"

Michael felt his stomach fall through the floor and his heart stop beating for a second. "Who is this person that he's calling sweetie?" Michael wondered to himself, "What isn't he telling me?"

The phone call lasted a few more minutes when Jason ended the call with a "Love you too Amber." Jason turned to face Michael and saw the look on his face.

"What's up?" Jason asked.

"Who was that?" Michael asked slowly, wondering if he really wanted to hear the answer, his heart pounding through his chest and his mouth going dry.

"Oh that," Jason responded like it was nothing "That way my fiancé Amber."

I stopped Michael right there and took a moment to gather my thoughts. Here was Michael fooling around with a guy he had no idea was engaged, let alone engaged to a woman. "He seriously said that?"

"Yea," Michael said, a hint of sadness in his voice "I thought he was single, what with the way he was coming on to me and texting me. He kept saying I was a nice guy and how he was lucky to meet me and hang out with me."

"That really fucking sucks." I told him bluntly, letting my feelings show.

"What's worse is that I really liked him and depending on how our next few dates went, I was going to ask him to be my boyfriend." Michael said with a hint of sadness in his voice "After finding this out though, I tried to stay friends with him."

"How did that work out?" I enquired.

"That's where it gets even more interesting."

After that initial conversation Michael was still dumfounded by what Jason told him, but he played it off casually.

"Oh," He said slowly, mulling over his next few words "Is it okay for us to do this?"

"Defiantly," Jason said enthusiastically "I asked her after I met you and she gave me the green light."

"Ah." Michael said, letting the awkwardness in his voice show "I can dig that."

"I hope this doesn't mess us up, because you're a pretty cool guy and turning into one of my better friends." Jason said with a grin creeping along his face.

Michael smiled back and they soon went back to watching the movie, making comments and acting like that never happened. After the movie was over they proceeded to make plans for later that week to head to the bar and play Kinky Quizzo. They hugged and kissed and both said they would call or text soon.

The next time they met however, was even more awkward because Jason brought Amber along. Michael felt his stomach drop as he approached them and smiled giving Jason a quick hug and asking how he was.

"Pretty good," Jason said in a friendly manner "I thought I'd introduce you to Amber tonight so I brought her along."

"That's cool," Michael said, putting a fake smile on his face and trying to hide the awkwardness in his voice.

"Amber, this is Michael, the guy I've been hanging out with," Jason said as a way of introducing Michael. "Michael, this is my Fiancé Amber."

"Ah, so you're the lucky bride to be," Michael said trying to put some warmth and happiness in his voice.

"Yup," Amber said, eyes narrowing at Michael like she was judging him. "It's nice to finally meet you, Jason has been gushing about you since you guys met."

Michael blushed slightly at this, color rising to his cheeks "I'm not that interesting."

An awkward silence filled the space between them until the drag queen who was hosting the game tonight came over to them and asked if they were playing. Jason immediately said yes and Amber just smiled and nodded. The drag queen handed them a blank piece of cardboard and told them to write their team name on it, along with three pieces of paper for them to write their answers to the questions.

They sat down at the nearest table and started to debate a team name and finally decided on one, to which they all laughed.

"I can't believe that we're going through with this name," Michael said between laughs.

"Oh come on," Amber said with a chuckle "It's perfect!"

The team name, they soon found out was a hit among most of the patrons playing the game and the drag queen. "The winner for best team name is," a slight pause filled the room "There is no dick in Dick Cheney's daughter!"

The entire bar started laughing and applauding with Jason getting up to get the prize bag for the best team name. The moment he was out of ear shot, Amber turned quickly to Michael. "You better back the hell off home wrecker," she hissed quietly "He's engaged to me so whatever you're thinking is not going to work. You're only a quick lay for him."

Michael gapped at her with a shocked look on his face and immediately put his head down. "It's not like that," he said quietly.

"It better damn well not be," she said in a quiet and threatening tone.

Michael was about to respond but quieted down when Jason came back, prize bag in tow. "Well, we won some girl on girl porn and a vibrating cock ring."

"I guess this is why they call it Kinky Quizzo," Amber said with a chuckle but keeping her eyes on Michael.

"Guess so," Michael said quietly "Excuse me but I have to go use the restroom."

With that he got up and made his way to the restroom but not before hearing Jason ask what was the matter and Amber responding that nothing was.

The moment Michael got into the bathroom, he got out his phone and texted his roommate telling him to fake an emergency to get him out of this awkward situation. He got a text saying no problem, but he better spill when he gets home. Michael then splashed some cold water on his face, used the restroom and went back to the table where he was sitting.

What he came back to was Amber and Jason sucking face, with Jason facing away and Amber facing Michael. They stopped kissing and were hugging with Amber mouthing to Michael "He's mine."

At this point Michael sat down at the table and grabbed his drink and started to sip at it, only to be interrupted by his cellphone ringing. He picked it up and true to his word it was his roommate saying that there was an emergency at home and he needed to come back and help out. Michael immediately stood up, fear and shock plastered on his face "I have to run, Drew has an emergency and needs my help."

"You want me to help out?" Jason asked quickly concern etching his face.

"It's cool." Michael said quickly.

"Well call me when it's resolved," Jason said standing up to give him a hug. Michael glanced over at Amber who frowned at this contact between Michael and Jason.

Michael took off with speed and grace telling them that he'll pay Jason back. He left the bar and hopped into his car and sped home, trying to get as far from the bar as he could. When he got home, he spilled everything to Dan and just broke down. Dan comforted him and before Michael knew it, he was asleep on the couch.

The next day Michael and Dan were sitting at breakfast when Dan told Michael about the party that was happening that night and Michael quickly agreed to go. He ignored his phone for the day and soon left with Dan for the party later that day.

"And that's how I ended up here." Michael told me with sadness creeping across his face.

"Hey man, you're not a home wrecker, you're just someone who didn't know any better and took a chance on someone you liked." I told him, pouring a shot of jagermeister.

"That's true," Michael said after a pause "I mean why is it that people who are bisexual seem to be only interested in getting laid? You're with someone you supposedly love, yet fooling around with what seems like anything with two legs and a willing hole."

I just looked at him, a bit shocked at this outburst. I took a moment to collect my thoughts before responding. "I don't think it's fair to judge a group of people based on one person's actions. Honestly that's a bit bigoted and rude."

Michael seemed to take that in because he paused, munching on another pig in a blanket. "I guess so, just because he was a dochebag doesn't mean all bisexual guys are."

"Exactly," I told him with a smile "You never know who might come along now. You can't let one bad experience get you down."

"Yea you're right" Michael said with a smile "I feel a bit better after talking this out and getting some good advice. Have you thought about going into counseling?"

I smiled at this and told him simply, "I may be a bartender but part of this job is counseling and it's cheaper than going to school for eight years and getting a doctorate in psychology."

"This is true," Michael said with a laugh "But really, you're pretty good with the advice."

"Thanks," I said blushing "And now I shall impart on your one last bit of advice. There's a guy sitting three stools down who's been checking you out for the past half-hour. I say go talk to him and see where it goes. Oh, before I forget make sure he's single."

After talking with Michael, I watched as he got up and dropped a twenty dollar bill in my tip jar. He took a seat next to the guy who was checking him out and I smiled watching as they interacted and a sense of genuine happiness filled the air around them. I watched as Michael came over to me and ordered two more drinks and mouthed the words "Thank you" to me and walked back to the guy, drinks in hand.

I watched Michael sat back down and started talking again with the guy, handing the guy his drink. I smiled as I saw the guy take the drink offered to him, his hand lingering a little to long on Michaels. I went back to doing my bit and started to clean up the ashtrays and cups that were strewn about on the empty tables. As I walked by where Michael and the guy were sitting I couldn't help but overhear Michael asking "Are you with someone because it's shocking to me that you're sitting hear by yourself."

"Nope, I'm as single as the number one." The guy responded with a dopey grin.

"Alanzo that was so corny," Michael said shaking his head and chuckling.

I watched as they talked some more and they exchanged numbers and for a moment I felt proud. I returned to behind the bar, and went back to working and getting people their drinks and hoped that things would work out between Michael and Alanzo.

The one thing that kept echoing through my mind however was the old Shakespeare line of 'the course of true love never did run smooth' and I really hoped that with Michael and Alanzo that wouldn't apply to them.