darker_london | Think not of it

Ryan walked to Chances Are... with little knowledge of what to expect. He'd heard about a piano bar from some guy in one of his uni lectures and he'd had an interest in going since then. New rage against his own anti-sociability had him venturing outside the house that night, and lack of interest from Jocelin and Justine had him venturing alone.

It was well past dark by the time he saw the glowing lights that announced the bar's name. Narrowing his eyes, he reflected on hindsight that maybe setting out to the piano bar on a Saturday night hadn't been his most wondrous of ideas. It looked busy. People were smoking out the front, and that kind of destroyed his niche. Sniffing, and then inhaling heavily on the half cigarette he had left, Ryan advanced the rest of the way.

The bar wasn't large. Instead, it was cozy. There were a couple of nights when it was open specifically for cheap drinks for uni students, but Saturday nights were a sort of free for all. There were ages from 18 year olds to 65 year olds, and most ages in between. Someone was playing a lively tune on the piano, and singing along in a loud voice that the conversations of others didn't overtake. Ryan stubbed his smoke in a clay bowl just outside the door, and walked in.

Large, wrought iron candelabras, with thick, lit candles, told Ryan immediately that this was his kind of place. He smiled, as he excused himself through a couple of people to get to a free place at the bar.

"Just a beer thanks. I don't really care which one." He was drinking a lot of beer recently. It wasn't something he'd always done, but since Steph had taught him not to despise the taste quite so much, he'd figured it was cheaper, and it got the job done.

As he handed over his money, in exchange for a bottle of beer, Ryan looked from the bar to a place where he could watch the pianist entertain his crowd. He obviously played here often enough.

"Is there anyone who has a song request?" he asked, coming to the end of an especially seedy sounding song. "No one willing to speak up after that? Have I killed my crowd, then?"

Ryan smiled as customers called out various things in reply. His sleeve was touched by someone, and he half turned to get out of their way.

"I thought it was you." Charlie's friend Anna smiled up at him in easy recognition, which Ryan soon after returned. "Have you found a place to sit yet?"

"No, I just came from the bar," Ryan said. "I didn't think I'd know anyone here tonight."

"Come, you can sit with us." Anna indicated through a small crowd, and Ryan noticed her holding a juice and vodka, or gin, or maybe just juice, up above other peoples' heads to keep from getting it spilled.

After a quick round of introductions around the table, Anna gestured Ryan to take a seat on the couch before her. After he did so, she squeezed in beside him.

"Oh, you're going to love this. Sometimes, to get a reaction, he'll put poetry to music. Byron, and Donne, and all sorts." Anna looked at Ryan again, and her face was flushed, and keen. "Charlie told me you liked poetry."

"I do," Ryan agreed, glancing back at the pianist as wondered if the pianist would manage such a thing as Anna said, without making it cringe worthy.

"Alright, alright, alright. I know you all have your favorites." The pianist lifted his hands from the keys, and managed to get relative quiet. Not complete quiet, of course. "Now, I think I heard someone back there call out The Highway Man. So the question becomes, have you all got 10 minutes and more of your life time to give freely to me?"

He grinned, and winked at one of the waitresses on her way back behind the bar. Moments later, after a show of stretching his fingers, he started. And Ryan watched, and did not cringe.

At the close of the song, a couple of Anna's friends got up and made their way over to the bar. Ryan looked at Anna, and found her grinning.

"Did I tell you?" she asked.

"You did," Ryan said. "Okay, I'm impressed."

Anna just sat back in her seat and sipped some of her juice. Ryan took a swig of beer. The pianist was taking a break, but promised to be back after a suitable amount of 're-hydration'.

"So what subjects are you taking?" Anna asked, in a lull.

"Well, poetry, of course. Donne, Byron, and Shakespeare, to name a few of the greats. And obviously we look at some of the more obscure poets as well."

"Of course," Anna said, with a smile around her straw.

"And I'm also doing screenwriting. I had some experience directing in a theatre in London, but I always wanted to put on one of my plays. They're not good enough yet, but maybe one day."

"I'm sure they're not bad now," Anna replied. "If you have a passion for it?"

"I have a passion for a lot of things. It's finding the time that's a problem." Ryan grinned.

"Ah, I know that one," Anna said. "Sometimes I can't believe that so much of the school year has passed already. It's completely insane."

"And the time has no consideration for how quickly it's going."

Anna laughed. "I'm sure it has much more on its mind," she said.

"Very likely," Ryan replied.

A couple of her friends returned, but they were in conversation with each other, and Anna's attention remained with Ryan. "So tell me, cause I'm already thinking of my second year subjects for next year. In your poetry class, do you get to look at Keats?"

Ryan's jaw sort of slackened for a moment, to find himself verging towards a conversation with another person, out of a class or recent lecture, on the topic of poetry. He lifted his beer to his lips to cover his falter, but his lips were already set to a smile before he swallowed.

"They might," he said slowly, and warming to his topic. "And we have to submit an essay on a chosen poet before the end of the year. Do you think I should do it on Keats?"

"Thou mayest, and bid it go," Anna said, with a little wave of her hand.

Then she ducked her head in embarrassment, that he might think her a total geek, and not even get the reference, but he picked it up seemlessly.

"Think not of it, sweet one, so..." He was smiling knowingly at her when her eyes lifted to his once again. In the moment that followed, they shared a laugh, an enjoyment over a reference only the two of them got.

"Well I'm impressed," Anna declared, taking another drink of her juice. "And I'm also out of gin."

"Can I get you another?" Ryan said.

"Oh please, that would be lovely," Anna said, standing up so that he could get out first.