Short Story Friends – A Special Night
Photo credit: nazka2002 from morguefile.com
“Hey what’s up Polska?” I said with an exciting voice and a shake of cold hands; since it was a cold windy night.
“Hey, what’s good for tonight?” Polska said.
“I just got a call from Dark Knight.”
We would call him dark knight because we would get drunk, play bell ringing game, you know we would go to any house, ring the bell and then run as fast as we could. We liked this game so much even though we were eighteen and dark knight was twenty one. Dark Knight was the fastest runner among us when he was drunk; we would just see a black shadow follow by a soft wind just like batman in the Dark Knight.
“And so where we going?”
“He said to meet him and Yogi by the liquor store.”
“Ok fine, so let’s get the bottles and then we out to the Goede Tijden.”
Goede Tijden was a bar, restaurant and Hookah was optional. It was place we all knew well because we would go for fun or celebrate a true friend birthday. The name was Dutch and it meant “good times”. Well to be honest it was this place in a basement, all dark and just a few lights, and then it was the smoke of the hookah coming out of people’s mouth; it was all over the place with different flavors apple, cherry and strawberry.
Polska and I headed to the liquor store passing through the place where all of us met playing soccer at the age of fourteen and Dark Knight again been the oldest with seventeen. There we would play and tell stories after each game. The place is a recreational park in Forest Hills, Queens which is a Russian Neighborhood. This park had a lot of trees and basketball fields where we would play during summer; by this year it was full of ice after the snow storms of winter. This park had a lot of good times like the battle of the century as we call it.
“Hey men remember the battle of the century?” Polska said.
“Oh sh*t, yes those Russians almost kill us but at the end we won” I said.
“We fight like never before but the cops came” Polska said.
“They know that Russians are always buying drugs” I said.
“Yeap, is like a stereotype, police already know Russians are the only drug dealers around this neighborhood. Cops always blame Russians for any crime in this neighborhood”
“Yeap, and guess what?” I said
“What?” Polska replied.
“I end up dating one of those guys’ girls.”
“Oh sh*t for real.”
“Yeap, she was this blonde chick with sexy curves, blue eyes, tall, that bottle looking body a wide start on top, slim in the middle and getting back to wide. She was this Russian chick with a strong accent”
“Sounds like something Dark Knight would get as he is the macho man of this group.” Polska said with a hard and deep laugh almost sounding like those witches on TV with an evil laugh.
“That’s true, as much as I like Dark Knight as a friend, I was afraid he might end up dating her before me so I never told him about her”
“Best decision ever. Good for you, but what happen to her?”
“I broke up with her a few weeks later. I find out that she was lesbian and had another relationship with another chick.”
“Wow, no comments on that” said Polska.
Dark Knight and Yogi were waiting for us by the liquor store. Yogi was also eighteen, and also played soccer back then in the same park but we actually met him playing on some video games machine by a store near the park. The Yogi name came from the Yogi Bear cartoon. Yogi was this big guy with beer belly and brown hairy skin just like Yogi Bear. At first he felt offended but then he just didn’t care.
“The fantastic four met again” Dark knight said with an excited face as we were celebrating his birthday.
“Look who it is, the birthday guy” I said to Dark Knight.
“Ok guys, let’s do this. Dark Knight you know the deal; get the drinks” Yogi said.
Dark Knight was the only of us who could buy alcohol now since he was twenty one. He was always our leader. Sometimes he would call himself the devil because he got us into the vice and the fact that he always had a smell of alcohol; alcohol was his energetic drink. He owned a business a Deli, and every time we would go there he would give us something for free. Depending on the season he would either give us hot coffee or cold beer. He had friends all over the neighborhood, but we were the real friends for him.
“Ok guys lets go to the Goede Tijden Bar” Yogi said with a soft clap.
As we walked to the place we were usually talking about the soccer games of the weekend. Polska had form a soccer team as we continue to play soccer like back then when we met. Since it was winter we would play inside a special gym with goals; we would play and then we would talk about each goal. We would insult each other for missing goals and not passing the ball, but then forget about it and shake hands again. Dark Knight was always talking about relationships; he was in three relationships at the same time. I always thought he had a talent for getting any chick; he would get her number in just seconds and in a week he was dating that chick.
We got to the Goede Tijden and enter. In front of the business was this tall brawny guy who was a UFC fighter but he was doing a favor for his brother the owner of the place; he was taking care of the business that night. He knew our names and he took us to the best seats; the ones in front of the big screen TV. We knew all this because Three days ago I saw Larry the guy in charge of the Goede Tijden. I told him that we were celebrating Dark Knight’s birthday and he told me who was in charge for this day.
“Thanks man” I said.
“No problem. Let me know if you guys need something, my name is Arjen; I’m Larry’s brother. He told me about you guys, and you guys are cool with me”
“Hey Arjen get us two Hookah please” Dark knight said.
“Ok, I’ll be back” Arjen said with a serious and strong voice almost sounding like Arnold Schwarzenegger in the movie terminator. His mouth didn’t move that much, I was glad that he knew us because I had mini heart attacks every time he would talked behind me.
We started talking on what we should do now. Yogi Came with the idea of a card game name black jack in which the player’s goal was to get 21 points exactly; if the person passed 21 he would lose.
“Brothers from another mother about we play some blackjack or Texas hold’em” Yogi said.
“Ok, blackjack it is” Polska said.
“Hey you, guess what?” Yogi said.
“What?” I said.
“I’m going out with this Italian chick” Yogi said.
“I just can’t believe you until I see evidence and by evidence I mean her, show me a picture of you kissing her” I said.
“I don’t have any but I’m telling you the true.”
“Nah, you’re a liar Yogi” I said.
“I can talk to her right now.”
“Call her then. I bet you’re calling your mom, and make us think is that Italian chick” I said starting to laugh.
We all laugh about Yogi. Yogi used to talk about him getting European chicks, but we never saw him dating any European girl. Polska was that guy whose laugh was so funny that keeps as laughing for a few more seconds. He would laugh and clap at the same time looking like one of those monkey toys; with a creepy smile and clapping every time it was turn on.
“Oh man, Polska your laugh is priceless”. Dark Knight said.
“Throw the cards I feel lucky today”. I said.
Yogi was the dealer as we call the guy who was giving out the cards. He gave two cards to each one of us including him. I was the first one to get my cards, and take a look to what I had.
“Here we go, oh bullsh*t I got twenty two” I said.
“Kiss my ass bi**hes, I got twenty one and I’m the dealer, I won”. Yogi said.
“Lucky ass Yogi”. I said laughing; enjoying the time with my second family.
As Arjen approached with the Hookah machines on his muscular arm; you could see those disgusting veins but of course if you said something about it the next day you would probably be 5 meters underground. As he left we all responded with a thank you to show respect.
“Ok hookahs are here. I got apple and cherry” Dark Knight said.
“Yogi and Dark Knight get the apple one first. Polska and I share the cherry one.”
“I also got a little surprised for all of you” Dark Knight said.
“What is it?” I said.
He took this big bottle of Aguardiente Caleno as he knew I was Colombian. Arguardiente Caleno is one of the strongest drinks made in Colombia and the most popular. I always said to him that he was more Colombian than Indian because he loves those Colombian chicks with big ass and pretty face. He also liked our Bandeja Paisa with rice, beans, Chicharron, and salad.
“Oh wow, you bought that one. We are going to get drunk in just minutes” I said.
“That’s the point; you smoke Hookah and enjoy the special drink. By the way I got my car parked a street away from here”. Dark Knight said.
“Oh great, It’s your birthday man so you enjoy it but someone has to stay clear cause we got to drive back home” I said.
“Even though is my Birthday, I’ll stay clear”
“Really?” Polska said
“Well that’s weird but ok I trust you man” I said.
Arjen walk into our table and got our attention right away with the creepy voice he had. Moving his hands and explaining things just like in Italy.
“Hey, you guys want a picture to remember. I usually charge $10 but this one goes by the house.”
“Sure thing, Thanks”. I said as we all gather together for the photo.
“Say Vodka and smile”. Polska said as we smile.
“It came out just right, ok guys thanks again for coming and enjoy the night”. Arjen said as he left to check for new people waiting for a table.
“Thanks again man, you’re doing great tonight”. Polska said to Arjen as he left.
“Hey guys, we have to leave soon. I have to do something tomorrow” Yogi said.
“Yea man, we’ll live in 5 minutes”
We were all drunk and Dark knight was drunk too as he didn’t keep his word of no Alcohol. The world just keep going around for me follow by a headache and nauseas from the alcohol. As the 5 minutes pass we left the bar and like it was supposed to be all business around the bar were closed. We headed to Dark Knight’s car parked a street away from the bar.
“Guys wait for me”. Yogi said as he went to a corner and threw up even the first meal after he was born.
“Hey man’ are you ok?” I said.
“Yeah I’m ok, let’s get in the car”
Dark Knight was the driver; his car was a Honda Civic. His condition was the worst even though I always believed aside from getting any kind of woman on the street or club; he could drink a lot without getting so drunk. That night he had taken more than half of the battle plus some shots of whisky.
“Hey man, you’re going to fast” Polska said.
“I’m f**king Jenson Button the guy on F1” Dark Knight said.
“Oh sh*t!” Polska scream.
I woke up a few minutes feeling dizzy and still moving from one side to another after the Alcohol in my system. I felt some liquid coming out of head; it was blood and it was coming out like a river on my head.
“Oh God, what happen?” I said in a soft voice getting out of the car.
“You, over here! I can’t talk too much right now but we have to wait for the ambulance” Yogi said with pain on his voice and with blood all over his head and right arm.
I realized that we had an accident after a few minutes of the crash. The Ambulance came as it was reported by the only witness of the accident. The crash was like seeing those car derbies; the cars were completely destroyed with parts on the floor and blood all over the place. I knew the car we crash was a taxi cab by the yellow color. The paramedic in charge told me the cab driver was dead, and the only survivors were all us in the Honda Civic. He also told us Dark Knight was in critical condition as well as Polska. That’s all I can remember.
The next day I woke up in a bed with breakfast on the side, the classic breakfast of the hospital eggs, pancakes and oranges.
Now I’m writing this story with my heart broken after watching the funeral of my two friends Polska and Dark Knight. I have decided to put the title of special night because it was the last night I enjoyed their company. At the funeral I saw their families crying; the priest saying the last words to them before getting buried in a heavy rain. The only item I got to remember them is the picture taken at the bar; which I put in my pocket right before we left the bar. Every time I look at that picture a lot of flashbacks from the accident come to my head. Yogi did survive but doctors amputated his right arm because he had an infected wound that couldn’t be control. I feel guilty sometimes as I should have been the one driving but without alcohol, then they would still be alive.
__END__
