The Vicious Black Corvette

Jack sat in the bar nursing what remained of his whiskey, nursing the bruised knuckles that had just administered a beating to an obnoxious fool. It would be mere minutes before he was asked to leave, a routine he was used to in many bars in many places.

Inspired by Keith Richards' great lyric - "gonna walk before they make me run", Jack downed the whiskey and walked towards the door just as the bouncer was making his way to the table. As he passed the Neanderthal, Jack whispered something sweet in the bouncer's ear, ducked under the punch wildly thrown and walked into the sun with shoulders back.

Grinning.

He walked to his car, a 1968 Corvette, viciously black with minimal chrome and a little worse for wear, and  reveled in the satisfaction of moments like these. As his ass hit the seat the emotion faded darker. It disappointed him that the satisfaction was always short lived. It disappointed him that these situations were so consistent in his life.

As the 'Vette came alive Jack thought for the hundredth time that he really needed to get this baby in shape. It was a little embarrassing to drive a legendary vehicle like this in the shape it was in. Or wasn't in. He could afford to buy it because it had not been lovingly tended to by the previous owner, and he always planned on bringing it back alive, enough to make sexy women drool, but he never had the money.

He never had a lot of things.

The sun was brilliant, the heat was high, it was three in the afternoon; time for a cruise. There were plenty of back roads around here, peaceful, inspired surroundings practically devoid of traffic.

A landscape conducive to reflection.

Jack's life was as rundown as his 'Vette and time was growing painfully short. Every tick of the clock was like a sledgehammer to the head.

At sixty he had a lot and he had nothing. It was the nothing that tortured him. No retirement fund, no way to get there, no idea in his head at all about how the hell he could turn things around.

When he was younger he imagined this stage of his life as easy going success sliding into entitled, and lengthy, retirement. Never even considered that things would not go his way. Now he shakes his head in wonder and disbelief at how quickly it all passes and how all decisions and non-decisions have far reaching consequences.

Jack punched the glove compartment and the door dropped open to reveal the flask that was sitting there. The flask that was always sitting there, always at the ready.

Sipping whiskey in the sun behind the wheel of a vicious black Corvette was supreme. It required no thought, sparked no remorse. It was always the right thing to do.

Violence was not in Jack's nature as a kid; it had been bred into him by life. He was never interested in being any kind of boss; telling people what to do was not his thing. He didn't have the confidence, he didn't have the patience.

He settled for the role of worker bee, quietly going about his business, trying to avoid the stupidity of others. But ignorant bosses and petty co-workers made Jack's blood boil.

Lashing out at work was not an acceptable solution, especially given the uncertain nature of the economy, although from time to time he did lose it. Any reasonable man would.

From time to time he searched for new employment.

Generally though he kept it all inside. Whiskey and dive bars provided relief.

People are stupid everywhere. This is a resource in no short supply. Booze makes  thoughtful people less sensitive; it reveals stupid people for the waste of breath that they are.

Initially, Jack was attracted to low life bars because they suited him. Nothing pretty or phony about them. They are gritty and real. He would choose a table in a corner and sip whiskey, listen to the jukebox and be amused by the fools.

Women hitting on men, men hitting on women, false bravado pouring out of bar glasses, people fooling themselves and trying to bring anyone else along for the ride.



(Editor's note: Just having some fun here. Maybe practicing. Hard to tell. If I have any initiative at all I will go ahead and finish the story. Make it sparkle. Until then.........................)