She leaned over and commended Cole for being such a good friend by putting her breasts in his face, then told him to roll Charles over for a budget lap dance, “Annie ing or ans oh Enchorage ochay, spesiary a Thomas other!” They were busy and making okay money for the night, she tried to explain through her wired jaw, so she could comp their dances. They just needed to buy a single drink, which Cole picked up. Mary, the girl with her jaw wired shut, called over the younger version of herself—the one that preceded her on the stage—and they treated Charles and Cole to a long lap dance time warp from two beautiful women at entirely different points in their life. The girls switched between them and the young girl straddled Charles carefully. “Does this hurt?” she asked. “No,” he lied a little. Cole leaned over and tapped the young girl on the shoulder with the back of his hand, “You probably won’t feel his dick,” he said, “because he lost it in a motorcycle accident.” Mary gave him a playful slap on the face and Cole leaned back and relaxed for a moment.
“That whole thing’s kind of weird, huh?” Cole said on the ride back home, “Ladies doing that for work? We’re kind of idiots aren’t we? I mean, men are kind of idiots, huh?” Charles nodded. “I mean, I like tail as much as the next guy, but what a weird barter system.” Charles resigned to silence. He kept hearing Mary’s words, “At east ew ere eh one at ade eh decisssion,” in his head. “You alright, man?” Cole asked. “Yeah,” Charles said, “ Just tired.” “I hear you man,” Cole responded. “I’m gonna go grab some cigarettes,” he said, pulling the van off of Colfax Blvd, “then I’ll take you home.” Cole rolled the van to a stop at a parking spot in front of the gas station. Charles adjusted himself in the seat to look at Cole, “Don’t do anything fucking stupid, Cole. Just buy some cigarettes and let’s go.” “Alright, man,” he said, shutting the door.
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