Alice Harper
it was a slow night to start off, my first two hours there I had only made 15 dollars in tips. everything was just dragging on.
there was supposed to be a band here tonight but they hadn't showed up, I'm not sure if they will.
I was bored out of my mind, we were almost never this slow, especially when there's live music, or going to be, in this case.
time ticks by and more people start coming in, finally.
I plaster on the biggest smile that I could possibly manage and work my way around. a band is finally setting up.
I didn't pay any attention to them but once they had started, the people were a lot less lifeless.
the night was still a drag for whatever reason, but I did my part and when it was time to go home I didn't hang around.
walking to my car at night always gave me anxiety considering the area that I was in, but nothing has happened to me yet.
I start up my car and make sure I have everything before pulling out.
I see someone that looks familiar walking down the street, "hey," I shout out the window.
he turns and I realize it's the guy that lives above me. honestly he wasn't going to hurt me or anything.
"you need a ride?" I ask.
it's not like it would be going out of my way. plus it's literally in between the earliest hours of the morning and the latest hours of the night.
I see he had his guitar with him, he must've been playing with the band from earlier.
"i'm good." he calls back and keeps walking.
"are you sure?" I ask, slightly pulling forward.
it had started to drizzle outside and it was already pretty cold.
"shit!" he mumbles when the water starts to hit him and his guitar case.
"you literally live at the same place as I do, just get in before you get sick or ruin your instrument," I insist.
helping people meant a lot to me. I was known to push things, but I really didn't want him to have to walk home this way, besides, it would probably take him an hour at the very least.
plus he could get jumped or something, I know instruments are expensive.
he hesitates and then walks up to my drivers side window, "you sure?" he asks.
"I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't, you shouldn't walk home like this anyways, plus it would take you forever." I tell him and he walks around to the other side of my car.
he gets in and gently places his guitar in the back, "honestly, thank you," he stutters out.
"yeah, no problem." I tell him and start to drive, I turned the radio on and put the volume on low before finally rolling up my window.
we are both completely silent until some song that I don't know comes on and he starts humming along.
I don't acknowledge it, figuring he would probably stop if he knew that I was paying attention.