Ricky returned and said ‘He’s waiting. Get your shoes back on and don’t forget the handbag. There is enough cash for a taxi. Wake me when you get home’
Matthew did as she was told and hurried out. She couldn’t run in the heels but fortunately Lebron waited.
‘Where are you planning to go?’ she asked.
‘I’se never been to da bar’s. Which do you recommend?’
Matthew had been to the bars. There were two in the strip. “Marnies” was a bit of a pick up joint. “The Pavilion” was a more upmarket venue.
‘The Pavilion is the nicer place. Let’s go there’
They walked the 500 yards to the corner and could see the shopping strip. It seemed busy. It was a Saturday night. Matthew realised she had felt quite safe walking in the protection of this big man. She wondered how she would have felt doing this walk on her own.
They had to walk past ‘Marnie’s’ to get to the Pavilion. There was clearly a band playing in “Marnies” with a lot of raucous singing. In contrast “The Pavilion” just a little further along the road seemed deserted.
‘Ise think that Marnies es were I’s goin’ said Lebron immediately reversing his walk and heading into “Marnies”. Matthew was left on her own for 30 seconds hoping for Lebron to change his mind and go with her to the other bar. He did not stop. She didn’t want to be alone so turned around and followed the tall black man.
There were two bouncers at the door both black men about Lebron’s height they had stopped him and were talking too him. She saw them give him a hi five and one opened the door to the bar. Lebron began to enter. Matthew called out ‘Wait! Lebron!’
He stopped and turned around. He smiled at the bouncers and made a quite joke. They laughed. They let her in following Lebron. One of the bouncers smiled at her as she went past. ‘Ladies got jungle fever real bad’. Matthew had no idea what he meant.
Inside the bar Lebron had soon bought two drinks. He handed her a rum and coke. She had to assume his drink was the same. Marcia knew that Matthew was partial to rum. She accepted the drink saying “I’ll pay you back’
‘No need. Ladies night. Your drink was for free’
Matthew guessed she needed a drink to get through the night. She was feeling rather anxious and like she had told Ricky, Lebron was too big for her to physically bring home. She just had to keep close to him and keep him out of trouble. She took a sip. It still tasted nice even with Christine’s tastebuds.
The place really was pumping. There were a lot of people on the dance floor. She caught several men looking at her and checking her out. She took a step closer to Lebron as if to say “Approach me if you dare”
Lebron’s eyes were gazing around the room no doubt he was checking out the females. Matthew took another sip.