The Best Day of My Life
It was 11.23pm, 31st December 2002. It was Flinders street station, Melbourne. It was my frickin 21st birthday. The love of my life had walked away, without reason, showing me the middle finger. It was the worst goddamn day of my life. I wanted to vanish, disappear. I shut my eyes for like eternity (31/2 minutes). When I opened them I saw the - Young & Jackson - bar across the road. I jumped the red light & stormed into the bar. It was filled wall-to-wall. A local band was playing live rock music.
At the side-bar, a delicate, pretty, gray eyed brunette sat caressing her martini glass. The guy next to her got up & started to walk away. The seat was empty. I had about 7 seconds. I pounced on it like a cheetah on freshly killed deer. I made it.
"I'll have what she's having" I said to the bartender as I settled in next to her.
"Not in a million years" she said
"What" I asked
"I'm not having sex with you in a million years"
"A million years huh" I said wryly. "I can sure wait, I'm in no hurry" I assured her. She smiled. Jackpot. "Emily" she extended her hand. "Gav" I said shaking her hand. She asked "So what brings ya here, alone". "Well, long story short. My girlfriend ran away with someone else & it's my damn 21st birthday". "Wow" she said & turned toward the bartender without wishing me. "6 shots of mind-eraser, thanks". She looked at me "Drinks are on me, Gav. Happy b'day". Bartender lined up the brown-iced shots in front of us. "Alrite - one shot, one gulp - bottoms up, do it". We gulped down three each. I felt my brain freeze. Whoa!. We also pulled down a Tequila shot for good measure. Boy! was I feeling good.
"Let's get outta here before my boyfriend comes back"
"You gonna bail out on your BF"
"Don't worry he won't even notice" she said. I didn't know what that meant. I didn't care.
She grabbed my arm & off we went. "Do you smoke" she asked. I didn't. "I do now" I retorted. "I like your attitude". She said & lit up two sticks. They were no ordinary cigarettes. My brain was already frozen, now I was flying. Flying frozen. Days like this is what we live for. Gospel Truth.
She took me to the roof of the tallest building in Melbourne, Rialto Towers. There we lay staring (not counting) at stars & smoking whatever that was. Soon, we were at the St. Kilda Beach, skinny dipping. My first.
Emily asked if I knew Anisha's address. I did. We hailed a yellow cab, bought 2 dozen eggs and showered them on her house. Boy, was this the best break up night or what.
Then, we landed at the best place, the mecca of debauchery: Chapel Street. We drank cheap red wine, hugged & clicked pictures with strange strangers, ate chicken souvlaki and didn't even pay. We did everything but sleep. My memory fades of the events after 4am. The last thing I recall is Emily & me dancing on the street to the soulful tunes of the sidewalk guitarist-singer. Magical.
Next morning I woke up tucked nicely in my polka dot sheets in my bed, alone. Emily kept her promise of "not in a million years". But I know she kissed me, I don't remember it (damn) but evidence was aplenty. I could see the marks on & around my lips. I could still taste her strawberry lipgloss. I clicked a picture, for all times' sake
I never saw Emily again. Like never ever. But that night stays with me, will forever. Like the first kiss.
That was 10 years ago. I'm 31 now, married with two kids. Girl is brilliant, boy is a dumbass. My wife blames it on genes, mine.
I do not have any regrets from life. I recall both Anisha & Emily with equal fondness. Frankly, had Anisha not dumped me like garbage, I wouldn't have met Emily. Had Emily not gone away I wouldn't have met Parul, my wife.
Life is like chocolate, just eat it already :)
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