MISTY BLUE

Chapter 4: Playing In Traffic

Chapter 4: Playing In Traffic

The Parking Lot, Rocco's Bar and Grill, 5th And Grand Street, Baltiney, New York...

        The sound of a knock on the side of the window had startled Richard from his alcohol-induced slumber as he was only seconds from hitting his head against the steering wheel in reaction to being rudely awakened when he took notice of the cop standing outside his car. It wasn't a crime for him to be sitting in his car and even less of a crime if he was sleeping off being drunk, but the officer who had been a younger man with a naturally positive outlook had approached him to be on the safe side. Richard reeked of booze and sweat as he rolled down his window and looked over at the young officer. He was a reasonably good-looking lad with clear Asian descent and bright dark brown eyes. His face was smooth-shaven and he wore the hat along with the standard beat patrol blues that came with his position.

"Are you alright sir?" he asked with an arched brow and eyes full of genuine concern.

Richard took a moment to compose himself.

"Never better Officer," he replied casually. "What can I do for you this fine evening or whatever it is?"

"Well due to the overwhelming stench coming off you I'd say you were heavily intoxicated." said the officer.

"That I am," admitted Richard. "Which is why Rocco took my keys last night and allowed me to sleep it off until he came to give them back."

The officer seemed to be pleased to hear this.

"So you have permission from the owner of that establishment to be here after hours?" he asked.

"Looks that way," replied Richard. "Can't leave here without my keys and as you very well have noticed I am in no condition to walk home."

The officer smiled and nodded.

"Well that's true," he said. "At the very least, be careful out there there's been talk of a series of break-ins in the last month alone. "

Richard nodded as the officer went on his way.

The middle-aged man, with a semi-darkened complexion due to his more obvious old-world European heritage, sighed in relief as he once more leaned back in the driver seat of his sedan slowly awaiting the moment Rocco would arrive at the bar.

After several hours, Rocco's blue Mustang convertible pulled up to the bar and he seemed to be falling back into his usual morning routine. He pulled into his usual parking space and Richard took a moment to open his car door and step out into the cold morning air as it greeted him full on. He felt the slight wetness of the morning drizzle that hit him and wiped it away before closing the door to his car and heading toward Rocco's direction.

The bartender had not been surprised to see him although he was pleased with himself for having taken Richard's keys, to begin with. He may have made a living off watching people line up to destroy their livers but vehicular manslaughter wasn't something he was prepared to live with. Besides, Richard had been a loyal customer ever since his divorce and had even been a damn good neurosurgeon before his license was stripped and he was barred from practicing medicine.

"Nice to see you up and about this morning Richy Boy," said Rocco with a smile.

"Proud of yourself ain'tcha ya Rocky?" asked Richard with a slight hint of annoyance. "Do you get a kick out of leaving me for the cops to hassle in the morning?"

"Better than pulling your remains from a ditch somewhere." countered Rocco.

Richard made a show of touching his chest where his heart had been.

"I didn't know you cared," he replied mocking him due to shock.

"Shut up," remarked Rocco with a roll of his dark brown eyes. "I honestly don't know why I do, aside from myself and Donnie, everyone wrote you off a long time ago."

"Go play in traffic," growled Richard as Rocco proceeded to unlock the gates and bars that lined his building to keep out the riffraff.

Richard assisted him with lifting the gate despite his slow status in movement. Rocco smirked knowing that deep down he'd been a stand-up guy outside of the series of misfortunes and the tendency to overindulge in the drink.

"Shit you stink," growled Rocco getting a whiff of the booze and sweat that came off Richard in droves when he was nearby.

"Would have been able to shower if you hadn't taken my keys," replied Richard in his defense.

"I call bullshit, you ain't been home in two days," replied Rocco knowing full well that Richard was on a three-day bender before he'd taken his keys.

It was Richard's turn to roll his eyes as he followed Rocco inside the bar not at all minding the closed-in smell of the old wood and dust as they moved about the place. Rocco went back to his office and grabbed the drunken man's keys. He tossed them to Richard who had surprisingly caught them and turned his attention to the rest of the bar.

The drunken man smirked and put the keys into his pocket. He had always had good reflexes, it was one of the things that made him such a proficient surgeon.

"I'll be by when you open, that way I don't have to wait for you to get out the drinks," said Richard making his way toward the front door.

"Yeah, and you better treat yourself to a shower and a change of clothes," called Rocco after him. "No way I'm letting you in smelling like that with paying customers here."

Richard had one foot out the door before he flashed his concerned acquaintance the middle finger before stepping out into the open drizzle.

"Go play in traffic!" shouted Rocco before turning his attention to wiping down his bar and setting up for the evening.

Richard Henry Grant managed to make it back to his grey four-door sedan and proceeded to catch his breath after being in the biting cold only briefly after leaving the bar.

He knew he was starting to sober up because the icy chill was finally starting to get to him. As he left he heard Rocco's final words to him and grinned as he started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot. He was of the mind to do more than play in traffic but decided to head home for a shower and a change of clothes. It was a modest and cramped apartment but it was his, something his perfidious ex-wife couldn't take from him no matter which judges she'd allegedly slept with.