(It's a ) Small World

Another Friday Night at Josies.... It's been two days since I saw Honey Brown, my ex-wife and that clown ,Bo Killens at Aqua Bar....

She did call me that night.... Hours after I left... she told me about how she met Bo, when he visited Philadelphia to attend Brooke Taylor's concert...This was close to three years ago... She said he slipped her his cell number when she was bringing his drinks over...

She called him...They talked into the wee hours of the morning...She asked him if he was seeing Brooke...He assured her that he wasn't...Said he was a big jazz fan and a fan of hers...and had dropped in Philly, because he was on the east coast on business.

She said they had dinner, went to an after hours joint and then he dropped her off at home, alone! She emphasized..

She said , a few months later....when Brooke was back in town..She saw him again...but only briefly.. A month later...He was back in town again and he called her up...He took her to New York for the weekend..she said...

A few months later, Atlantic City and Baltimore... He showered her with gifts, expensive perfume, an expensive watch, jewelry...She tried to refuse...but he wouldn't hear of it...

So basically, he's been an off and on boyfriend.....In between his comings and goings she dated two other guys, Carlton and Samuel...She didn't mention them by name, but I figured it out.

I asked her was she serious about him and she told me emphatically "NO"....She said she was for a minute...but was certain now that he wasn't the one.

She proved it , I suppose...she came over that night....She came over and we both came a number of times.

"Ouuuuuuuuuuu B.....Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu....Ohhhh baby...I'm there...I'm right thereeeeeeeeee......Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh My godddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd...OuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuB." she yelled to the top of her lungs....as I plowed into her like nobodies business....

That night...It was my bed  that rocked from side to side...Those springs squeaked and that headboard slammed against the wall so hard ,I feared that either the bed was going to break down or we were going to knock a hole in the wall...

We made love until the early morning... As usual..Honey had a big smile on her face afterwords...I mean, it was fierce...intense....and I was totally satisfied and exhausted afterwords...so was she..

"My Goodness...I don't know what's gotten into you...You are really puttin it on me here of late..." she said.

"You aint no slouch yourself.." I laughed ,trying to catch my breath....

"B. What are we doin?" she asked.

"Having Good Sex." I exclaimed..

She punched my arm...

"I know that...silly rabbit...Are we a couple?? , Are we friends with benefits?? or just two horny people who used to be married?" she asked..

"Probably all of the above " I said.

She leaned over and kissed me and said no more.

II-

So that was two or three nights ago....I forget now...and I hadn't talked to or seen Honey since then...I'm in the bar and Honey is working, serving drinks..Bone Hampton and his band are playing...fronted by his girlfriend, Ella , who is a fantastic singer...

A tall guy, who looks like a basketball player is in Honey's ear...

"I mean...Come on Honey...I've changed...I'm making a little more money now... I'm bein looked at by scouts...I might even get a shot at the NBA....You and I could get together and really make it baby." he said.

"Carlton...Carlton...we tried that before...remember?  And you left me for Anita Jenkins remember??" said Honey...

"Yeah,yeah..but that was years ago...I'm over her.." he said.

"You mean, she's over you...She's engaged to that lawyer, Chance Howard." said Honey...

"I've changed." he said.

"So have I...I want somethin more than what you can offer....Plus ,I'm nine years older than you...You need somebody closer to your age.." she said.

"Nah...I need you." he said.

"Carlton, believe me...You don't....." she said and politely walked away...He stomped his foot and stormed out...

So that was Carlton, the semi pro basketball player....

Bo Killens walked in with Chris Thompson and Chess...He was talking fast....

"Chris....Chess baby...I can cover my action...I swear...I'm just goin through a rough patch..." he said.

"Rough patch?  You dropped 25G's on the crap table.....I'm making you quit as a friend before you get in any deeper." said Chris.

"Look...I can have 15 g's in your hands...tomorrow morning...I swear." he said.

Chess smiled...

"Okay...and we'll call it even....but no more gamblin for you..Go home...Go back to Frisco..dry out man..We are doin this for your own good..." said Chess..

"Ohhh Alright...thanks man..thanks." said Bo.....

Chris smiled ,patted him on the back and walked away...His partner, Chess followed him...

He spotted me and he walked over to me...

" Bernard right?" he said.

"Yeah." I said.

"Listen man....I was an asshole the other night....I was totally out of line with what I said to you...I had no right." he said and shook my hand..

"Forget about it." I said.

''What are you drinkin.?..Let me buy." he said.

"I like Corona." I said.

"TWO CORONAS....for this man..and one for me." he said.

III-

As luck would have it....Honey brought the drinks over....

''Aww baby, I didn't mean for you to bring these..."he said.

"It's my job...Hi B." she said and smiled.

"Hi Honey." I said.

"Baby, after we get married , you aint gonna have to work in here no more.." he said.

"Bo...don't start...okay? We don't even know each other that well.." she said.

"Known you for three years...how much longer I got to know you?" he asked.

"Come on now." she said.

"I really need to go home with you tonight...I had the worst night at the crap table at Chris and Chess's place.." he said.

"I heard...The high rollers over there are talking about how you got took by some guy from Chester named "Long Time Comin " Johnson..

"Yeah...he was a smoothie...I think he was cheatin." said Bo.

"Well anyway...I'm tired...Not tonight." she said...

"What? I only got one more night, then I got to go back to San-Francisco....I got to get a place for you and me to live.." he said.

"Hold up partner....Philly is my home...these are my friends..." she said.

''So....We can come back and visit...Who wouldn't want to live in Cali?" he said.

"I wouldn't.." she said.

"Look...we can discuss that later...When you get off?" he said.

"No..you aint goin home with me...and I'm not marryin you and I don't want to live in Cali." she said.

"Damn girl..you cold." said Bo.

Just then Carlton walked over to the table...He was oblivious to both Bo Killens and me..

"Honey...Can I just talk to you a minute...Baby please...I need to go home with you tonight...I need you..." he exclaimed.

I was amused by all of this...Bo was taken aback ...

''Who the hell are you?" he asked... Carlton looked at him...

"Who the hell are you?" he asked.

''Awww LAWDDD JEsussss." said Honey and she walked away.....

I saw Gus laughing and I heard him say to her...

"Damn girl, you the hottest thing in here tonight...got two men fightin over you."

"Yeah and I don't want neither of them...The one I think I want is the only one NOT fightin over me." she said...

I wondered what she meant by that?  Just then, my phone vibrated....

It was Brooke??

"Hey sexy, what's up?" I said, imaging her the last time I saw her in those tight leopard print pants.

"Heyyy B. Sounds like you're in Josies..." she said.

"I am..." I said.

"I'm in San-Francisco." she said.

"I thought you were getting ready to fly out to Japan?" I asked.

"I am...but I had some lag time...so I went to San-Francisco hoping to hook up with my guy and they said he still hasn't come back from his business trip." she said..."So I'm here all alone." she pouted.

"Poor Baby....You know it's funny...There is somebody here you might know...Was a big fan of yours he says....He's from San-Francisco." I said.

''Oh yeah? A guy?" she asked.

"Yeah...his name is Bo Killens...he's a big time gambler....He's visiting." I said.

"BO KILLENS??" she said.

"Yeah, you know him?" I asked innocently...

"That's my boyfriend?? I-I-I mean , my gentleman friend."she said.

"Huh? WHAT??  The guy you said you are semi-serious with?" I asked.

"Yes...He's asked me to marry him..I told him I wasn't sure...I've been seeing him off and on for awhile now." she said.

I was silent for awhile....

"Small world." I said.

''What's he doin in Philly? He knew I'd be coming through here?? I gave him my concert schedule!!" she said.

"There was a big crap game...High stakes...Chris and Chess had it.." I said.

"A man doesn't fly halfway across the country to play craps....Were you aware that he was rumored to have a thing for your ex-wife?" she said.

"Uh no..."I lied...

"That no good lying ,cheating bastard.." she said under her breath..

"Does this mean I'll be seeing you soon?" I asked... I admit, the thought of having Brooke in my bed again did kind of intrigue me...

"I can't B.   I got to honor this contract...I'm leaving for Japan in a few days...and like I told you doll...I had a great time with you...but I just don't feel you like that...you know...in a relationship...My love life is complicated enough...Can't we just be friends...???" she asked.

"Sure Brooke..sure..."I said.

"You sound like you're mad." she said.

"Me...Mad/??? Nahhh..I'm good." I said.

"There's a woman for you B...And she'll be one lucky somebody too....but it's just not me right now...but anything could happen."she said.

"Okay.." I said.

"Take Care B." she said.

"You hangin up?" I asked...

"Yeah...I gotta get my head together....I can't believe Bo." she said.

IV-

Bone Hampton called me up to the stage.....

"Ladies and Gentlemen...I would like an old friend of mine to join me on the stage...We've known each other since we were kids...He's a great organist....We gonna play an old Buddy Miles tune we used to jam on when we were teenagers...Ladies and Gentlemen...show your love for Bernard "B-Flat" Brown..." he said.

The Josie's crowd knew me and they applauded wildly as I took to the stage and we played our number....
People were up on their feet dancing...I looked out in the crowd and Gus was dancing with Honey Brown...
Carlton, the basketball player, stomped his foot and stormed out again... Bo Killens stood and watched them, then he stomped his foot and walked out the bar....

All I could do was laugh...

After Josie's closed... I met Honey out in the parking lot...

''How you gettin home?" she asked.

"I'm waitin for the bus.."I said.

"Don't be silly B.  My car is over there,Get in..." she said.

I got in her car....She put her head down....

"B. Are you serious about wantin to be with me?" she asked.

"Yeah...I told you I was....And look..I'll have me a car in a couple of weeks." I said.

"I don't care about that....I want to know are you serious?? No other women or runnin around..No Nonsense??" she said.

"I told you I'm serious...All the way." I said.

She drove me to her place.....

"You mind crashin here tonight?? I'm too tired to drive all the way to your place and then back." She said.

"You do what I want and it can be your place too.." I said.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"I want you..I want you to be my wife again." I said.

"What about Brooke?"she asked.

"What about her?  She aint got nothin to do with this." I said.

"Hmmmm." she said.

"What about Bo? , Carlton??" I asked.

"Oh you saw that huh?" she said with a devilish grin..

"Yup." I said.

"You watch me a lot huh?" she laughed.

"Yes indeed." I said..

We both laughed.......

"I don't want neither of em...." she said.

"Now it's my turn...What do you want?" I asked.

"I think I want you...I'm thinkin about it." she said.

"Well I'll tell you what I want right now..."I said.

"Awww B. Not tonight...I'm tired baby..We can do it another night." she said.

"I aint talkin about that..I'm tired as a dog...I want somethin to eat..."I said.

"I got a couple of steaks in the frig." she said.

"Good...If you don't mind...I'll scramble us some eggs, put some coffee on and fix them steaks." I said.

She smiled....

"Right now, right this minute...you are scoring big points with me." she laughed...

I smiled at her...and went in the kitchen...I fixed the Steak, the eggs and the coffee..
but when I walked back in the living room, Honey was asleep... I just put some cover over her..kissed her on the cheek and went back in the kitchen...I devoured the food , made her a plate and slipped it in the microwave.

(CONCLUSION NEXT)