The Fourteen Years War - 1995 - Volume I

1995 started out with Jeff going to Atlanta for polygraph school. I was unemployed and my parents were spending a lot of time at their new farm, which left me with a lot of time on my hands. I spent most of my days with my friend Markie (female), who was my neighbor and is deaf. We would drink coffee, smoke, and watch the O.J. Simpson trial. With Jeff gone, I was free also to go out. I spent many evenings at AZ’s bar. He had purchased the bar with a friend of his (Mike). I didn’t drink much while there, I spent more time talking to the blind guy and reading a book. AZ was dating, well, I’ll call her Jean. One night I went in and sat down as usual. AZ wasn’t there but the Mike was and he asked what I had planned, was I busy etc. I said I wasn’t and didn’t have any plans and he asked me to work because a couple of waitresses had called off. So, I threw on a t-shirt and started waiting tables. AZ came in a little later and the crowd thickened. It was a busy night but around 1 a.m., AZ said he had to back to the radio station to do some work. He asked me to come down after we closed. I said I would. After Mike and I finally shooed all the drunks out the door at 2:00 or so, we cleaned up. Mike was a very good looking guy but had a steady girlfriend. I liked him though and he liked me and we were somewhat attracted to each other. We ended up laying on the pool table together, not touching, talking about how he had his girlfriend (who I believe he actually married) and how I had Jeff and we shouldn’t even be contemplating doing anything at all. We laughed and I told him I had to get out of there so I could go see AZ. Mike went ballistic. "No, no, no, no, you can’t go see AZ. I have to go see AZ and if he knew that you and I were here together this late he would be pissed (upset? jealous? - can’t remember his exact words). I stared at Mike and then laughed, "Mike, AZ is not going to be jealous. He knows if I’m going to cheat on Jeff, it will be with him. It’s not a big deal. AZ will not be mad." Mike persisted in a dead panic about AZ not knowing we were there so long together and alone. I finally relented and went home, while Mike went to the radio station. The following evening the phone rang. It was AZ. Practically the first words out of his mouth were, "What happened between you and Mike?" My mouth dropped open, "Nothing! And if he said any different then he’s lying! We didn’t even touch each other. Didn’t kiss, nothing!" I recounted the entire evening after he left, including mine and Mike’s conversation. There was a pause and AZ said, "What makes you think I wouldn’t be jealous?" My mouth dropped open again. "I, well, I don’t know, you just never acted jealous before." "Just because I don’t act jealous doesn’t mean that I’m not." *Gulp* Reminder: I’m seeing Jeff and AZ is seeing Jean. Jean is important later on. "Can you work tonight?" "Sure." "Are you going to come and see me after work?" "Yes."