Marie

I hadn't been to Kingsville in nearly fifteen years. It had grown quite a bit and all the old bars, the ones I used to stop in, were now game rooms. I was down here working again and had a few days off. On my way back to the rig, I made a pass down several of the major side streets looking for a bar. It was Saturday night and I figured there had to be one somewhere.

About halfway out of town, on the third street I tried, there was a place that looked like a bar on my right, a few buildings down a side street. I made a u-turn and ended up parking next door, in a closed gas station parking lot. The place seemed packed from all the cars in the lot. The banner across the front of the building said they had karaoke five nights a week. I wondered if this was one of them.

As I walked through the front door, I realized it was packed and that I was in the minority here. Ninety percent of the people in the place were of Mexican decent. This really wasn't a problem to me; I just hoped they felt the same way.

At the bar, I got another surprise; the place was BYOB, Bring Your Own Booze. I ordered a Seven Up and figured I'd check out the place a little closer before I made a run to the liquor store. There was a five-piece band playing on the corner stage and they were pretty good, as local bands go.

By the time I finished that Seven Up and ordered another, I was having fun watching the people. I'm a people watcher from way back. Drunks are some of the funniest and most fun people in the world to watch. Alcohol seems to make most of them happy and a few lose some of their inhibitions.

Such was the case now, I was watching a young couple dancing, and she was really whirling and twirling the flared skirt, she wore. The skirt was showing flashes of beautiful brown legs and thighs, with a flash of a bare butt thrown in for good measure. The peasant blouse she wore had slipped down on one side, baring her shoulder and threatening to expose her breast.

I was really enjoying the show, when someone roughly bumped into me from behind and spilled most of my drink. Luckily, it went on the floor instead of on someone. When I turned around, I found a rather large Mexican gentleman staring or was that glaring at me. Not wanting any trouble, I sat my glass on the bar and turned back to the couple dancing on the dance floor.

I was shoved roughly from behind and staggered a couple of steps forward. I was in the process of turning around, when the man sitting at the table in front of me stood up and stopped me. "Why don't you sit down over here with us, my friend," he said with a soft Mexican accent.

When I started to look over my shoulder at the guy at the bar, he said, "Don't even go there. He's an asshole and all he wants to do is to start a fight. Come, sit with us and there will be no problems, I promise you."

He sat me down in the chair he had been sitting in and moved over one to the left. My back was still to the guy at the bar and I didn't like that, he could blindside me and I'd never see it coming. Sensing my distress, the man leaned over and said, "Don't worry, me and my friend have your back and the guy at the bar knows it. He won't start anything as long as you are here with us." He grinned and then looked up at the man at the bar.

Looking back at me he said, "My name is Mario and this is my friend Thomas, his wife Mary and their daughter, Carla. This is my fiancé, Angela and her friend Marie."

I said, "Hello everyone, I'm glad to meet you all. My name is Randy and if you haven't guessed, I'm new around here."

Marie, who was sitting to my right, laughed and said, "I wonder what our first clue was, nothing to drink or your lost look earlier, when you came in." Everyone chuckled at her comment.

I looked over at her laughing, she smiled at me, and I sat there smiling back at her, totally lost in her dark eyes. Mario's touching my shoulder, broke the spell I was under. When I looked around at him, he was grinning as he asked, "Would you like a shot of Tequila?"

I shook my head and said, "No, thank you. Two shots of that stuff and I get like our friend at the bar, three and I don't even like me. I'll stick to my Seven Up, if you don't mind." Then I remembered it was setting on the bar and looked around for the waitress.

Mario grinned and said, "If you ask Marie very nicely, she might share her beer with you."

I looked over at Marie, who was pulling a cold bottle out of an ice bucket next to her; she turned and handed it to me saying, "I don't mind sharing."

She smiled again and I was almost lost again. The sound of a quick movement behind me, made me jerk to the side and a beer bottle hit the table very near to where my head had been. Mario and Thomas were up and moving in a flash. By the time, I got myself righted and my feet untangled from the chairs, they and three more men had the big guy from the bar headed out the back door.

I was still standing by the table when they returned. Mario shook his head as he walked up to me. "I'm sorry my friend, I took my eyes off him for only a second to kiss Angela. I'm glad you have eyes in the back of your head and move quickly; otherwise he would have hurt you. You have my deepest apologies; I misjudged just how crazy he was and failed to keep my word about watching your back."

I put my hand on his arm and smiled, "No harm done. I'm just glad to see him go; he was putting a damper on what appears to be a really nice time and place. I wasn't going to stay long but I think I've made some good friends, so if you don't mind, let's sit back down, and go back to enjoying ourselves."

Mario grinned and stuck out his hand, which I shook, as he slapped me on the other arm. "Let's party," he said and the three of us sat back down at the table.

Marie asked if I was all right. I answered, "Sure," but my hand shook slightly as I took a long swallow of my beer. I took a deep breath and tried to relax, my adrenaline was still pretty high, so I knew it would take some time for that to happen.

Marie reached over and put her hand on top of mine where it was laying on the table and gave it a gentle squeeze. When I looked at her, she smiled and said, "Good." The band started a two-step and she asked, "Do you dance?"

I grinned and started to stand up, as I replied, "I'm a little rust but I think I can handle this; that is if you take it easy on me."

I turned to Mario and asked, "Do you mind if I dance with Marie?"

He laughed and replied, "I'm not responsible for her tonight, and you look old enough and big enough to handle her. I thank you for the courtesy of asking but since she asked you, it's your problem." He laughed again.

I took Marie's hand and we made our way to the dance floor. It took me a few seconds to find the right order for my feet and then we were on our way. Marie was an excellent dancer and very easy to dance with. Near the end of the song, we tried a couple of turns. I have done them better in the far past but at least I didn't trip her or step on her feet.

When the song ended, we clapped for the band and then she said with a grin, "Not bad, we'll just have to scrap off a little more of that rust."

The band started a slow waltz and I grinned back at her, "How about right now?"

She smiled and moved toward me. As my arm went around her waist she said, "I thought you'd never ask." We both laughed and started across the floor.

This was more the dance of my youth and I was in my element. After about the third spinning turn Marie laughed and asked, "Are you trying to make me dizzier than I already am? You don't seem to be as rusty at this type of dancing."

I explained that I had danced this way all my life and had, had plenty of practice, even if not much of it was lately. I slowed the pace and just enjoyed dancing with her and holding her. She danced close but not quite touching me, very properly.

Back at the table after the dance, she opened us a fresh beer and eyed the bucket for a moment. "The bucket, it's getting empty," I said and grinned. When she chuckled and looked at me, I asked, "Where is the nearest liquor store, I'll make a run for us."

She glanced around at the clock behind the bar. "They all closed about halfway through that last song, but don't worry, I know where there is a new supply. All I have to do is to sweet talk Thomas into selling me some. He has a spare refrigerator on his side porch that he keeps stocked for emergencies. If this doesn't come under that heading, I don't know what does?"

"A lady in distress is always an emergency," I said and chuckled. Then I added, "Ok, you know the source but it's my turn to buy and I hope I can be your chauffer when we go get it."

She looked thoughtfully at me a second and then smiled, "I thought you'd never ask." Then she laughed.

We ended up dancing to about five or six more songs and as we were close to finishing Marie's last two beers, she leaned over and held a short discussion with Thomas's wife. Mary glanced at me a couple of times and although she didn't frown, she didn't smile either. They were talking softly and speaking Spanish, so I didn't understand but a couple of words of the conversation.

Finally, Mary did grin and then she shook her head. It wasn't a shake of negative but more of a "You're crazy or you should know better" type of shake.

Mary turned and talked to Thomas. Thomas looked from Marie to me and then back again all during their discussion. In the end he shrugged and said in English, "Hey, she's of age and knows her own mind, who am I to say anything."

He grinned over at Marie and said, "You know where the key is and where to put the money." He glanced at his daughter, who was sitting next to him, looking bored. He looked over at me and asked, "Could you do me a favor and drop Carla at home, her boyfriend left to go to work and she's bored."

"That will be no problem, Thomas, and thanks for solving our beer problem." I replied smiling.

He grinned and looked over at Marie, "Beer is the least of your problems, my friend." Then he laughed as Marie said, "Hey!" sharply and his wife hit him on the arm.

When I looked over at Marie questioningly, she just smiled a shy smile and looked at me from under her long lashes. "Thomas just loves to tease me," she said with a glare and then a laugh in Thomas's direction.

Thomas's wife took his hand, grinned, and said, "You'd better come dance with me before she hurts you." He laughed and winked at Marie before he stood up and followed his wife to the dance floor.

Mario and his girl were already on the dance floor; Carla was watching her parents dance. Marie placed her hand over mine where it lay on the table, leaned over close to me, and whispered, "They know that by the time we get to their house and get the beer, it will be too late to come back here. This place closes at twelve."

She squeezed my hand and went on, "I don't want you to think badly of me but I want to spend a little more time with you. I want to get to know you better. We can drive out to a small park I know, where the police won't bother us. We can sit and talk." She pulled back and looked into my eyes for a moment and then asked, "If that is all right with you, that is?"

I smiled and replied, "I'd like nothing better. I noticed you noticing me when I came in and you're the reason I wanted to hang around." I looked toward the dance floor where her friends were dancing. Looking back at her I added, "I just don't want to cause any problems for you with your friends. I know I'm a little out of place here.

She grinned and said, "Yes, you are. A gringo with manners is rare around here, most of them still think Mexicans are peons, peasants. You are a good man, I think, and a gentleman. I think Thomas and Mario realize that too. You won't cause any problems." She grinned again and added, "Anyway, I'm a free woman and can do just about anything I think I'm big enough to do."

I chuckled and said, "No woman is free, us men pay for them all our lives, one way or another."

Marie laughed and said, "Ain't that the truth and don't we women know it." I nodded and laughed.

Mario and his girlfriend made it back to the table and Thomas and his wife were right behind them. Marie and I stood up, and as I shook hands with the two men, she hugged the two women. Mario told me to come back anytime and if I was out west of town, stop by and see him. He lived next door to Thomas. Thomas said the same thing. With our goodbyes said, the three of us headed for the door.

*****

Marie sat next to me and Carla sat next to the door as we left the bar. Following Marie's directions, I made the right at the corner and headed out of town the way I had been going when I saw the bar in the first place.

"We'll take the back roads around town; the cops here are really bad. I don't want to take any chances," Marie said.

"That's fine with me." I told her. We had to circle about a quarter of the way around town and then headed south on one of the main highways. About fifteen miles farther, we turned off on a county road and followed it for another five miles.

The land around here is flat with mesquite and brush for vegetation. What they call trees here you can almost jump over, except for a few in towns and around residences. That's how you know where the houses are out here, look for the tall trees.

We turned on another county road and after a mile or so, houses started to appear, scattered along each side of the road. Just past a small country store, Marie told me to turn into a drive. This was Thomas's place, she said and the next was Mario's.

I parked by the carport and we got out. Carla hugged Marie and told me goodnight. That was the first time I had heard her speak all night. She left, headed around toward the front of the house, while we went in the screen door of the porch between the house and the carport.

Marie turned and reached above the door and got a key. It fit the padlock on the icebox that was over against the wall of the house. There were half a dozen cases of canned beer and several six packs of bottles inside it. Marie took out one six pack and then glanced over at me and grinned as she took a second one out.

I chuckled and asked, "Are you planning on getting me drunk? As slow as I drink, that may take a while and anyway it would be hot long before we finished it."

She sat the beer on an old picnic table and grinned at me as she said, "Maybe and maybe not." Then she pulled a small Styrofoam cooler out from behind the icebox door. She opened the freezer and got out a bag of ice and a coffee can. "Here, put ten dollars in here while I pack the ice chest."

I stuck three fives in the can and put it back in the freezer and locked the icebox. Marie had the beer packed and turned around from the table, just as I turned around from the icebox. We ran into each other and my arms went automatically around her waist to make sure she didn't fall. Her left arm was around my waist and her other hand was pressed to my chest between us.

"I'm sorry." I said quickly.

She grinned up at me and said, "I'm not."

I looked into her dark brown eyes, smiled, and replied, "Actually, I'm not either."

The next thing I know, I was kissing her softly. Her lips were warm and soft as mine pressed against hers. When the tip of my tongue brushed across her lips, her tongue came out to teasingly flick mine. I nibbled lightly at her full bottom lip and she shivered. A second later she pressed against my chest and I relaxed my hold on her and she stepped back.

She smiled rather shyly and then grinned. "Grab that ice chest, and let's get out of here before Thomas and the rest show up. If we don't, we'll be here for the rest of the night with them and I want to have you to myself for a while."

"We ain't left yet?" I asked and then chuckled. Marie laughed and we headed for the truck.

*****

About another five miles past Mario's house, Marie had me turn into an old driveway and follow the narrow road. She was now sitting right next to me, my arm around her shoulders. About half a mile farther on, the road entered an open area that looked park like, with large trees scattered about a green grassy area. A telephone pole to the right side of this area had a small mercury vapor light on it. There were a number of picnic tables scattered around under the trees.

Marie pointed to the left front and said, "Over that way, the picnic table by that last large tree." I headed that way and parked a short ways from the table.

As I shut off the motor, Marie turned and kissed me on the cheek. "I shouldn't have kissed you like I did earlier but I was curious and the opportunity seemed too good to waste. It was almost as if it were meant to be."

"I thought I kissed you?" I said, softly. "Maybe we kissed each other."

Marie laughed, her laugh a soft merry sound in the quiet of the park. "Of course we kissed each other. Who else would we kiss?"

I chuckled and answered, "I meant the kiss was mutual, more than just one or the other of us."

"Yes," she said and smiled.

I almost found myself kissing her again but this time her hand on my chest stopped me. She looked at me for a moment and then sighed. "I had better not. You kiss so sweetly and tenderly, I could get lost in it very easily and then we would be in trouble." She sighed and then grinned, "It would be wonderful trouble, but we better not go there."

I grinned back at her and nodded as I opened my door and got out of the truck. "Maybe we should go sit on that table, the cool night air will do us both some good." I told her.

Sliding over to get out on my side, the full knee length skirt she wore rode up on her thighs, my eyes dropped automatically to look at her legs and I grinned again as I said softly, "Nice, very nice."

She smiled and stopped at the edge of the seat as she saw the direction of my eyes, saying, "Thank you." She tilted her head slightly and added, "Normally, I would jerk my skirt down but the look I see on your face is only appreciation for what you see, not the normal leering look I would get from gringos."

I chuckled and said, "I should be more discreet I guess but when I stop looking at a pretty girls legs or anything else for that matter, someone will need to start shoveling dirt, because I'll be dead."

She laughed and climbed on down out of the truck. "You are a very charming man in your own homespun way." She stood there looking at me for a moment in the dim light from across the park. "Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Sure, fire away." I replied.

"How old are you? One minute I think you're my age and then the next I think you're older. You look like you're maybe forty five but I feel like you are older," she said.

I chuckled and answered, "I'm fifty six, not married, not living with anyone, I've got a job, I own my own house, my kids are grown, I don't do drugs, I drink in moderation, most of the time, and I'm down here working for the next few months. Ok, that should fill in a few of the blanks on the questionnaire." I ended with a laugh.

She laughed with me and then said, "Hey, that's no fair, you're taking the fun of it for me. I wanted to see if my female wiles still work."

I chuckled and told her, "Sorry, I forgot how the game was played. I work a lot and I don't date much, so I'm a little out of practice. The few women I do date are all old friends and for the most part, we've know each other forever it seems like."

Marie laughed and said, "There you go again, giving me answers to questions, I haven't even gotten around to." She grinned and added, "Let's grab a couple of beer and sit down; I'm getting a crick in my neck looking up at you. I'm five one and you're what, six foot? I'd need a ladder to kiss you."

I reached out, put my hands on her lower rib cage and sides, and picked her up. When her head was even with mine, I kissed her lightly on the lips and then grinned before I said, "I don't see a problem?"