Excerpt
“How about a cup at the spot?”
“I’m having one right now. Want to shoot some pool?”
“Sure. Meet you there in about half an hour?”
“Yeah.”
He finishes his coffee quickly, eats his sandwich, and steps into the shower.
Today is Saturday, and the rest of his day is free. He puts on his jeans, a t-shirt,
and a light jacket. The days of September are getting cooler; a sign of fall
approaching.
In the elevator he meets the lady from 406, a middle-aged blonde who likes
him and always exchanges a few words with him. Today is no exception.
“Out again?” she asks, with a smile.
“Yeah, for a while.”
“Girls, girls, as always!”
She says nothing more as they reach the lobby and they go their separate
ways.
He walks to the parking lot, gets into his car, and drives to the pool hall. Talal
is already there and has ordered his coffee. Hakim buys a bottle of water and they
start their game.
“Anything on the job-front?” Hakim asks.
“Nothing yet, man.”
“Well, something will come together sooner or later.” He tries to encourage
his friend.
“I hope so, man; I’m getting frustrated.”
Hakim’s phone rings. It’s Jennifer.
“Hi, how are you?” he says.
“Hi, I’m okay. You remember, I promised to call you.”
“Yeah, I know, but—”
“What? You don’t want to go out with me? Is that it?” she interrupts him.
“No, that’s not what I mean. I’m having a game of pool with Talal.”
She hesitates on the other end of the phone, so he tells her, “I’ll see you later,
okay?”
“You promise?”
“Yeah, I promise. I’ll call you and meet you later.”
He puts his phone away; it’s his turn to play.
“She really wants to know where you are all the time, eh?” asks Talal.
“No, that’s not it. She called earlier, and I told her to call me back.”
“Women, you know, they are all the same. That’s why my style is no
commitment, you know? Casual sex as often as possible, but none of this
nonsense!”
Manolis Aligizakis 