It Hurt Me Too

I sat in the diner the next morning, drinking coffee and eating toast with jam...
,Fred "Fried Fish" Collins ,Pastor John Struthers and Attorney Robert Foxworth sat with me...They were laughing and howling....

"Reed, you mean to tell me that that guy bought three women the same dress and they wore the same dress the same night and at the same place? ,Lawd have mercy...can anyone be that dumb?" said Pastor John Struthers.

"Unbeleivable...Now I've had my share of women, yes I have...and at the same time and I have never done anything like that." said Robert Foxworth

"Well, the one girl's dress was Red...but it was the same style." I laughed.

"Yeah...I saw her in that red dress...She was wearing that dress, you hear me..all
three of them gals was sayin a taste...I gotta hand it to the youngin...He does have good tastes...Ingrid Rhodes, That gal in the red dress and your girl's sister..ummmmph, ummmph,ummmph...they aint no slouches...all three of them gals is neck snappers." laughed Fred "Fried Fish" Collins.

We all laughed and slapped our knees....

"Hey ,Gus doesn't know it was Rob that tripped that alarm does he?" I asked.

"Nah, he don't know...but he was sure hoppin mad...He had to close Josies...and they was in there all night, dryin the place up...He doubled our pay and invited us back another night to play." said Fred "Fried Fish" Collins.

"Yall comin back? How did Baby girl take it??...She was really upset about her hair gettin messed up." I said.

"Yeah, she was...but she's a trooper...She wasn't mad at Gus...she knows that these things happen. She's on board with us comin back next Friday to do a set" said Fred.

"Oh that's good." I said.

"Speaking of neck snappers Reed..Look over there at who just walked in." said Robert Foxworth.

It was Cherry Johnson...She was still wearing the Red dress from the night before.. She had her hair in a ponytail now...With her was Baseball Player,
Johnny "Yankee Killer" Diamond of the Philadelphia Phillies...They took a seat in the middle of the diner and ordered Spanish Omelets ,Home Fries and Mimosas...They were laughing and talking like nothing had happened the night before...Made me wonder how these two wound up together.

"Didn't that used to be you playa?" asked Robert Foxworth.

"Yeah man, when I first came to Philly and before me, Fathead Newton and Chess, before he got married...She's been around." I said.

"Yeah...Looks like she got Diamond hooked." said Pastor Struthers.

I looked at them and smirked....Paid my tab and then tipped my hat to the guys

"Mornin Gents..I'm goin over and check on my babe..." I said.

"That's real talk Reed...Don't wanna wind up like the youngin."laughed Robert
Foxworth.

I rang Debbie's doorbell and she came to the door in her nightgown...She was yawning...

"Hey babe...what happened to you last night?" she asked.

" I went to my house...I figured Delores would need you after last night.." I said.

Debbie smiled that flirty ,pouty smile of hers..

"Dell is fine..beleive me...Just fine" she said.

"Hmmmm, I don't know how that sounds.." I smiled.

"Well, we couldn't find you....but that guitarist, Nate Howard came over with a towell and dried us off and he offered us a ride home...Dell sat up front and he talked to her the entire night...Told her how sexy she looked and how he had seen her around but didn't know if she was seeing somebody or not.." said Debbie.

"Let me guess, He dropped you off and they went to Dell's place right...hahahahaa, they don't call that boy Nate "the Snake" for nothin..He see
an opening and he move right in." I laughed...

"Well, he is smooth..He took us both to an after hours spot, bought us drinks and then we had Pizza and went to another spot for coffee...He was quite the gentlemen..then he dropped me off and took Dell home." said Debbie.

"Hmmmm, wanna bet he's still there?" I laughed.

"Well,if I know my sister, he's probably got a big smile on his face." she said and we both laughed..

"Well I need to smile...Been without my baby all night...Why don't you put a smile on my face?" I smiled.

''wwww poor baby." said Debbie and she leaned in and gave me a long passionate kiss. I grabbed her buttocks with both of my hands and squeezed them tight..

"Ouuuu Reed, now that puts a smile on MY face." she cooed.. Just then her blackberry buzzed.

She picked it up. She looked at me and winked. I smiled..I knew who it was.

"Oh hey Rob....No...She's not here...She should be at her place.....Well, you can imagine she's not too pleased with you right now after last night......She's probably not answering her phone, that's all... No , I haven't heard from her this
morning...it's still early...I know...I know...Well maybe when you see her you can tell her....No...I'm not getting involved...You do your own talking.....Bye Rob....
Nooo...Bye Rob." she said.

"Don't tell me...I don't want to know.." I laughed.

"He's on some beggin stuff right now...Talkin bout he so sorry and what not..." said Debbie.

"That's a shame....The girl in the red dress was at the diner with Johnny Diamond this morning." I said.

"I know, we saw them last night at the Pizza place." said Debbie.

"Oh my God....So I guess all the guys that was on the fringes made their move last night....They came to bury the king." I said.

"What?" she asked.

"It's just a saying." I said.

"Yeah, The king of players is dead." laughed Debbie.

"Well, he's still got Ingrid." I laughed as I continued kissing Debbie.

Epilouge-

"Hello..." said Ingrid

"Ingrid...heyyyy baby, this is Rob.....I just called to see how you were doin....That was such a terrible thing to happen last night...I felt so bad for you...Gus should
get a better alarm and sprinkler system." said Rob.

"What happened to you?" she asked.

"Oh,I had to leave early somethin came up." said Rob.

"Somethin came up huh?" said Ingrid.

"Uh yeah..I had to jet...but I was concerned about you...uh, that's why I called."
he said.

"Well it was nice of you to call..." she said.

"Sayyyy..listen..why don't we get together tonight...Go grab some food, a couple of drinks..and uh-"

"Oh I'm sorry Rob..I can't...I got a date tonight." she said.

(silence)

"A date?" he said.

"Yes...a nice gentleman from the club last night...an Attorney..His name is Robert Foxworth....He helped me dry off and he took me to a nice afterhours spot over in New Jersey after the gig and then gave me a ride home...We made arrangements to meet tonight for dinner and drinks." she exclaimed.

"Dinner and drinks? Then what?" asked Rob.

"Then what? That's not a question for you to ask...We aren't a couple..We are just friends....You know...you do your thing and I do mine.." she said.

"I thought we were more than , you know friends.." he said.

"Come on now Rob....I'm no fool..I have eyes, I can see...Don't talk to me like I'm stupid....I'm doing me and I'd advise you to do you...because it's going to be a lonngggg time before this dress goes up and these panties come down...At least for you...Take care." she said and hung up.

He dialed another number......

"Hi this is Delores...If you're listening to this...That means I'm not available to answer the phone....Leave me a message and I'll get back."

"Hey Delores, it's me. Rob..pick up the phone...Baby please...please...Come on now honey....I'm sorry...I lost my head..All that money I was making..Please..baby, I swear it'll never happen again...I've learned my lesson..
please...please..... it'll be just me and you...give me one more chance. This is hurtin me too... please...

please!"


(For Pat)