Kilney had no expectations when Ramshackle asked him if he liked a Pinot Noir. Being invited to a pub is not something he would have guessed was Ramshackle’s idea of fun.
He has not heard of this pub before, even though he has made it a point to visit all well-known drinking places. But Ramshackle informs him this pub, called The Rising Dragon, does not come in any popular lists.
It is rather small; like a corridor has been closed off at both ends, one long wall turned into a window and six tables put next to the window to form a train. The bar is as long as the corridor. It is all browns and yellows and it at once feels cosy and claustrophobic. The tables are empty when the two enter the Dragon. Ramshackle orders a bottle of Pinot Noir and Kilney, who does not allow anyone else to order for him because it is a sure-shot way of ordering something too expensive, allows it.
Ramshackle pours the wine delicately and with full attention. Kilney smiles. It is good to know he takes his alcohol seriously.
“Cheers,” he says, “to a fruitful friendship.”
Kilney had no intention of befriending Ramshackle. He is a lawyer and if there is one thing he has been told since he started working at his firm, it is that he needs to care for the company he keeps.
With the wine glass in hand and the Dragon as his surroundings, Kilney finds that notion atrocious. He clinks his glass with Ramshackle’s and takes a sip. He holds the wine in his mouth for a moment before swallowing. His eyes close automatically in bliss.
“Good?” asks Ramshackle.
He sounds proud. There are a few things he likes about being on Earth. Food and alcohol are two of his favourites. He can almost commit murder for dessert, any kind of dessert. He is particularly partial towards a classic cheesecake. He has tried so many, he knows just how easy it is to get it wrong.
“Very.”
They drink the first glass in silence. As Ramshackle pours the second, a couple enters the Dragon. The girl giggles seeing the two of them at a table but Kilney ignores it. He is already feeling a buzz.
Between glasses two and three, the Dragon fills up and music starts to emanate from the speakers. It’s soothing because it is familiar. While Kilney stays at the table, Ramshackle goes to the tiny square beyond the bar that is a makeshift dance floor. From his vantage point, Kilney cannot imagine how five people can fit, let alone dance on it.
Ramshackle beckons to him once but Kilney shrugs and then shakes his head. He pours himself a final glass. He is glad the bottle is empty. He knows he could have drunk more. He also knows he shouldn’t.
Once the Pinot Noir is gone, Kilney turns his attention to Ramshackle. The man is swaying to the music, it is a slow number, one that makes your body move in waves. His arms are wide like he wants to embrace the universe. He does not look self-conscious, only free. He doesn’t think he could ever do what the man is doing.
Ramshackle comes back after two songs. He orders another bottle and Kilney offers only a token protest. With their glasses filled once more, Kilney asks, “What does it feel like, to be immortal?”
“Depends. When I’m alone in the house, it’s lonely. When people tell me their stories, it feels exhausting. Centuries and still so few of you have learnt how to live a fulfilling life. With you…it seems filled with possibilities.”
Kilney blushes. No one has said something so nice to him. “Am I your first friend?”
Ramshackle grins. “The house is my first friend.”
“The house. You say it like it exists beyond you?”
“I don’t actually know. We’re one but we also exist apart. It’s all very confusing and muddled at this point.”
They grow quiet and after a sip or two Ramshackle ambles his way towards the dance floor again. He takes his previous pose, arms wide, swaying gently. Today, Kilney muses, he seems more alive. Generally, Kilney gets the sense that he is wearing a costume. But not today. He should ask, Kilney thinks, about that. What kind of identity does Ramshackle have?
The song changes and the next one he recognizes because Gimby used to sing it all the time. He cannot not think about her now and he goes over everything he has unearthed so far.
That’s when he understands the lesson.
The discovery is so visceral that it demands expression. He gets up from the table and walks towards Ramshackle. The man turns, looks at Kilney and gives him a wide smile.
“You made it.”
“I know,” Kilney says, not moving onto the dance floor, which seems a whole lot bigger. He loves this pub, he thinks suddenly.
At Ramshackle’s quizzical look, he says, “I know the lesson. Yes, perhaps I was responsible but so was she. If I made decisions for her, she would also let me.”
He pokes Ramshackle on his left shoulder and says, “And here’s something amazing. I also changed myself for her. It was a mutual thing. That’s what you do in relationships. You accommodate each other and their quirks. But she chose the coward’s way out.”
“She chose to walk away, and like this, without even talking to me first. Yes, of course, I would have said no. But if she thought I would not have even listened, then she didn’t know me at all.”
Ramshackle knows this needs acknowledgement so he says, “Well done. Although, I wouldn’t call it cowardice.”
He ignores that and expresses his desire to go home. Ramshackle helps him get a taxi. He knows Kilney is unhappy but he is satisfied he has made the right decision. It was time.
17 of 26 of an ongoing series The Dream Maker. You can read all posts here. Written as part of #BlogchatterA2Z.
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