Where is my mind?

Chapter 4.

Lou's Tavern Bar. Took me a while but I found it.

I felt out of place. Dressed in a skirt, some boots, a shirt and my hand sewn, expensive tailored blazer. Tyler sits opposite chugging his beer with his red leather jacket and open shirt underneath.

"You want a beer?" Raising his eyebrows at me. I nodded. I've never been the biggest drinker but right now I wish I was. He whistles over at the bar man to bring 3 beers over. I hope he realises I don't have the money and i'm sure not paying anyway.

"I had everything Tyler. That apartment was my life." I hold back my tears. "It's just when you buy furniture, you tell yourself: "That's it, that's the last sofa i'm gonna need, whatever else happens, I got that sofa problem handled" Now I have no sofa to handle." I rant and rant as Tyler just gazed into me with his head in his palm. No thought in his mind, I could tell.

"Shit baby now it's all gone. All gone." All gone. "Do you know what a duvet is?"

"A comforter?"

"It's a blanket. Just a blanket. So why does a man like me, Tyler, and a girl like you-"

"Ashley." I interrupt,

"Ashley, why do we know what a duvet is? Is this essential to our survival in the hunter-gatherer sense? No. What are we then?"

"I don't know Tyler! Consumers?"

"Right! We're consumers. We are by-products of a lifestyle obsession. Murder, crime and poverty don't concern me. What concerns me are celebrity magazines, televisions with 500 channels and some guys name on my underwear. So fuck off with your sofa units and Strinne green stripe patterns! I say never be complete. I say stop being perfect Ash, I say let's evolve. Let the chips fall where they may. But that's me, and I could be wrong. Maybe it's a terrible tragedy."

"It's just stuff Ty, it's not a tragedy. My insurance will probably cover it so." I dont know what to reply to his manly speech, but he can keep saying my name. He offers his cigarettes and I pinch one out the box. "What? Why the staring?"

"The things you own Ash, end up owning you."

—

We stood in the car park. I adjust my skirt awkwardly. "Oh it's very late. Thank you for the drinks" I smile. "Right, I should find a hotel" Tyler scoffs at me and nudges my arm. "What?"

"A hotel?"

"Yeah?"

"Just ask Ashley."

"What are you talking about?"

"Three drinks down and you still can't ask." He turns me to face him holding my shoulders. I stare confused. "You called me because you need a place to stay."

"Oh no Tyler that's fine!"

"Yes you did, so just ask. Either way a drunk, pretty lady like you is not walking around in this darkness with a skirt that's as short as a belt. So cut the foreplay, and ask me."

"Would it be a problem?"

"Is it a problem for you to ask?"

"Could I stay at your place?"

"Yeah!"

He puts his arm around me, dragging me along and puts his cigarette in my mouth for me to take a drag.

"I want you to do me a favour." He stops me in my tracks moving me again to face him.

Oh god, I don't know what i'm getting into with this man.