But without work to go to today he couldn't bury himself in another project to stop himself from thinking about Barbara. Stupidly, he didn't get her phone number or arrange a future meeting so how was he going to find her again? The only thing he could think to do was go back to the Waterside Warble to see if she was a regular there. Maybe someone there knows her? He put on his jacket and made his way downtown.
Inside was very busy. He picked his way through the crowd towards the bar. He recognised the girl with the long blonde hair who ran away from him last time he was in this place. She took a look at him and immediately went to the bathroom. "Great" Jeremy thought. "She still remembers me with disgust!"
He went up to the bar and ordered a drink. When he gave the bartender the money, he said "hey, I don't suppose you know a regular around here: She's a strawberry blonde with bright green eyes...likes to wear orange?"
The bartender thought. "I don't know anyone who looks like that...but I'm new here. Maybe one of the other bartenders knows her. I'll ask around"
Jeremy sighed and drank his drink, all the while looking around to see if Barbara was there. Once he finished drinking, and feeling he was clogging up space at the bar, he took a walk around the place to see if he could see her. He could hear one of the customers singing...it was that girl who reacted badly to his presence and she was singing to "Day Tripper" by The Beatles. He wondered what would happen if she saw him watching her performance. She had a pretty good voice and Jeremy was impressed...so much so he didn't notice the person standing next to him.
"Hello...is it Jeremy?" said the person.
"Barbara!" said an all too pleased Jeremy. "Yes, it's me...fancy bumping into you here?" he added. Barbara looked down. "Oh no, I hope nothing's wrong?"
"Oh...well...I'm feeling better for seeing you here" she replied, cheering up. "Don't worry, just work hassle really...so are you a regular here?"
She nodded and they went off to the bar to get a round in. The noise was getting louder with ever more people arriving. Every time Jeremy and Barbara tried to start a conversation, people would jump in or get in the way.
"Say..." said Jeremy. "How about we go somewhere more quiet?"
Barbara nodded "I thought you'd never ask" she replied.
They headed over to the nearby park, which was the opposite to where they'd been: Quiet and with no one around. They sat on a bench together near a fountain.
"I'm glad you came to the bar today" she said, smiling and swinging her legs on the bench. "I was hoping you would"
"Really? I went hoping to see you again" he replied.
"I must have made a good impression" she said.
"Without a doubt. Even though we've only met twice I feel like I've known you for a lot longer"
"Is that a good thing or bad?" she asked, tilting her head whilst smiling.
"Oh definitely good" he said.
She looked up at the sky..."The sun's setting...I love the different hues of evening. Say, do you like to cloud gaze?" she asked.
"I've been known to" he replied.
"Let's just lay here and watch the clouds and how the evening sun colours them!" she said, grabbing his hand and leading him to a flat piece of ground.
They lay there for a while...how long, neither of them knew. They talked, told jokes and enjoyed the view. Eventually the park janitor arrived on the scene. "Do you kids know the Romance Festival is going on in the Fashion District? Looks like you could do with visiting it."
It was news to Jeremy and Barbara. "What do you say?" she asked Jeremy.
"Well...I don't know...I mean...it's a bit...cheesy, isn't it?" he replied, haltingly.
"Come on...it's a laugh...I've never been before!" she said, pulling him to his feet.
The Romance Festival? Jeremy wondered if this was all happening too fast. He didn't want to blow it with Barbara like he did with Bianca. But this girl was pretty keen on going...
The Fashion District was decked out in pinks, purples and brilliant white. There were literally flowers everywhere: People were dancing on them or throwing petals around. The two of them were swept up in the crowds and before they knew it they were right in the centre of the festival.
"Try the uplifting effects of Sakura Tea" said an old lady in a traditional Indian outfit. "Blended from the most aromatic and mysterious tea flowers known to grow only on the steeps slopes of Sakura mountainside...they say once sampled it opens your mind to possibilities and frees you of inhibitions!"
"Hngh..." he uttered, trying to talk to Barbara.
"I feel warm..." she replied. "Do you feel warm as well?"
"Hngh" he replied.
"I'm sooooooooooo glad I bumped in to you today...you have wonderfully clear, blue eyes, Jeremy"
"Hngh"
"Are you seeing anyone special?" she said, fluttering her eyelashes at him.
"Hnnnngggghhhh"
"Me neither....hmmmm, I feel sooooooooo goooooood" she said, feeling the collar of her top.
"Hngh!!!!!"
Then both of them started to feel giddy. Jeremy looked around; the old lady who gave them the tea smiled at him and he noticed that Geoffrey and Nancy Landgraab were already passionately kissing one another. What the heck was in that tea?
"I'm....getting tired..." said Barbara.
"Hngh...I mean, so am I...I'm having the best time" he saw someone handing out roses and he grabbed one in an instant, presenting it to her.
"That's lovely, thank you" she replied. "But I hate to break this up...I've got an early start tomorrow. Can we continue this another time?" she said, apologetically.
"Definitely!" he replied. "I'll take you out to lunch, yes?" She nodded. "Oh, before we go....phone numbers!" he said, taking out his notebook and scribbling his number on it. She took the number and the book and wrote hers down before handing the book and pen back to him.
They embraced and promised to see each other again. Jeremy was on cloud 9...he was determined not to mess things up next time.
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