A bar is a magical place especially one like this. The calm art deco design, the soothing music, the silent customers staring into their drinks while diving into their thoughts. It's a place where people come to relax, and think. Maybe they ponder life, or think "what if" as well all do from time to time, but sometimes they come out of sorrow, or loss.
I comfort those I can, but only I can do so much. Truth be told, the drink does the work along with the atmosphere of course. I just lend an ear, and tend to her needs. The bar that is. All my shifts are usually the same. Late night with the same people, but for some reason. I wouldn't give it up for anything. It's almost like the world pauses, and we get to sit, drink, and think for a while.
It feels unique like a moment barely anyone else gets to experience, but me. After all what is life but experiences.
Tonight though was different. A woman entered dressed in a classy outfit mostly consisting of dark colors. She sat at the bar ordered a whiskey, and that was it. She never said the type, so I just got the cheapest we had, and poured her a double.
She sat like the rest of the patrons looking into her glass, and taking small sips. I had to ask this woman why she was here as she looked like she just came from a photo shoot. I asked "what brings you here". She simply looked up, giggled a little, and said "life did".
I figured something went wrong, so I nodded, and went about my business. It wasn't hours later after she drank about seven whiskys that she spoke. "Nice little place this isn't it". I nodded saying "yes it's pretty unique". The woman smiled, and asked for one more whiskey.
I looked at her noting that she didn't appear drunk at all. I poured her another, and she smiled saying thanks. I said "how are you not drunk?". She replied simply saying "wouldn't make sense if I could get drunk would it?".
I was confused, and she laughed a little to herself. She began to speak after everyone left, but her about life. She spoke of the old times how people where more social, friendly, how the world was a vibrant place full of potential, and she went on to say how disappointed she was in the way the world turned out.
"We all expected the future, but it feels like the future still hasn't arrived." I looked, and replied "What do you mean?". She said "Well I personally expected far more class, and sophistication, but seems the future has a shortage of both and common decency. I also expected flying cars, but I would have settled for the other things I just said".
I looked saying "You speak as if you are 90, but you're about what late twenties?" She smiled saying "I am 32, and I always will be, but thank you for flattering me". She lifted her glass, and finished her drink. Not one part of her red lipstick seemed to be smeared or smudged.
She looked at me, and spoke "At least this place is still as classy as the day it opened"; and with that she left. She stood up paid with some necklace she had which must be worth at least £1000, and she left walking into the night.
I never saw her again that mysterious woman not until years later. I was going through the bars cellar when I came across an old picture of its opening day which was around the 1940s. There she was. In the same outfit as that day. It was as if she walked out that picture to see this place.
I was stunned. I asked around the bar with some older regulars, and one named John who is a very old man by now told me who she was. "Her name was Catherine" said john. "She was the singer in the band until she vanished. Her voice was the best I have ever heard in my life. It was uncanny."
I spoke of her coming in, and he didn't believe me, so I went to the safe as I still had not got around to selling the necklace, and I showed him it. John looked at me confused, and took it into his hand to inspect it. "My god it's Catherine's necklace". "How do you know it's hers" I asked. John spoke "She wore it constantly it had a certain way of shining in the night, and thinking of it that was the only time I ever really saw her."
I asked him "so you never saw her once out in the day?" John took a sip of his rum, and simply replied "No. I don't think anyone did. Why don't you check the cameras if she was really here, and this isn't some windup." I said to John "Not a bad idea it's quiet, so I will check if we still have the footage".
I had a quick look through the system since everything is digital it's quite easy to find. The system erases footage automatically after so long to preserve memory, but the owner being as paranoid as he is makes sure years worth of footage is kept.
I entered the month as I could not remember the date. I eventually found it there she was sat in the chair talking to me. I recorded the screen using my phone, and I showed John. "Look she here she is". He adjusted his glasses, took the phone in his hand, and looked at me in a mocking way. "What. I just see you talking to yourself" I took the phone, and I could see her, but yet he could not.
"John" I said " This makes no sense she is here, she was there, I have her damn necklace you even know it's hers what's going on". John just looked at me. "No idea my friend she was always a bit mysterious. If you did really see here maybe she was more mysterious than any of us new. Anyway pour me another will you?"
I poured it, and felt confused. Who was this Catherine? Or what was she? Maybe we will never know, or maybe we shouldn't. Either way it made an interesting experience, and after all that's what life is all about.