A smoke of life

It was a hot and sunny weather for Seattle that day, somewhere near May 1960. Same old, same old, the ocean view was peaceful as any day, the sun was burning the flesh off of many people, each and one of them wearing different shirts, but with one thing in common : sweat. The temperature hadn’t been less than 40 degrees for days, fact which was worrying many of our Settlers.

Elizabeth was a fine lady, freshly divorced from a five year marriage. Although many were worried about her behavior, she was acting quite unusual for a fresh divorced lady, if we include the fact that she caught her husband in bed with the dog walker, just after a hard week of work, with 2 nights of sleep. Her face was even more lightened then it was for the past couple of years.

She was walking down Morrison Avenue, wearing her thin red dress, quite provocatively, going up her knee as she walked slowly. Her long brown hair was dancing through the air, although there wasn’t any wind, her blue eyes were sparkling into the sun light, her sweet perfume was noticeable from the corner of the street. While she was making her show, amazing everyone passing by her, she violently ran into a good friend from back when she was in college.

“How are you, Elizabeth? Haven’t seen you since the old 1950’s!”
“Yes, yes, my dear Karen. Well, I just got divorced from Bill.” She said while she was trying to arrange her dress.
“Shut up! How come?!”
“Well, let us just say our dog walker just received a big tip.”
“Uh. You poor thing. I’m sorry dear. Oh, we have so much to catch up. Please, you must come by my place this week.”
“Karen, I would, I really would, but I do have a lot of court files to sign, a lot of walking to do, and of course, a lot of men to find, if you know what I mean.” she smiled in the corner of her lips.
“Yes, yes, always the busy one. I won’t take a no for an answer. Tomorrow night, 7.30 pm. And don’t be late.”
“Karen, I do thank you for your generosity, but…”
“No but! My place, and don’t be late.”
“Fine, you filthy old hag. I’ll be there.”
“Hag you say? Hah!”

Elizabeth didn’t stay for another word, just flew off on her morning walk. She didn’t have a thing to do that next day, but she always liked to be the “hard to get” kind of girl, not only to men, but to women too.
Same weather, same sun, same temperature. But not that important for Elizabeth. She was dressing up, for her dinner at Karen’s, wearing a black dress, all sorts of accessories, hoping to meet a man, as she hadn’t had sex for over a year. No wonder.
As she entered, the crackling of some fingers came from the phonogram, quite in fashion at the time. It was Peggy Lee’s new song, “Fever”, just put out on the radio for a couple of days. It was a romantic atmosphere, with cigar smoke in the whole place. The ceiling was inexistent because of all the smoke.

“Come in dear! Please do take a seat. Cigar?”
“No, thanks.”
“Oh my God, you dirty girl, don’t tell me you quitted!”
“Oh Karen, it’s been years, I couldn’t afford smoking, and it’s not healthy you know”
“Yeah right! But to pay your husband to sleep with that nasty old dog walker you had all the money in the world. Come on now, have a smoke, drink some whiskey, have some fun!”
“Karen…”
“I insist!”
“Alright, alright, for the good days. Is anyone joining us?”
“Well, my brother should have come by now, but I think he’s late. Typical.”

Elizabeth was feeling quite uncomfortable, so she took a shot of tequila, not really knowing what she was doing. In about an hour, she was as joyful as she was in the past five years summed up.
While laughing and bragging, Karen was acting very strangely around Elizabeth. She was awfully close to her, and while holding a cigar in one hand, a glass of wine on the other, she was tickling her red high healed shoe on Elizabeth’s foot, from the ankle to the knees. But Elizabeth didn’t seem to mind.

“Oh dear! I just spilt some wine on you.” Said Karen laughing loudly.
“You idiot! Look what you just did! It was my favorite dress.”
“Oh c’mon now, you’ve had it since college, I still remember that dress as it was my own. You need to get some new clothes my dear friend.” Suddenly Karen was smiling stupidly, with no worry in the world.
“This is insane. Where is your brother?”
“Oh the hell with him. What does it matter? We’re having so much fun.”
“No we aren’t. Listen it was nice chatting with you but I have to run.”
“Where are you going?”
“Anywhere but here.”
“Stay!”

It was then when the two pair of lips interacted, the rest of the wine spilled all over the floor and the last cigar just went out. Elizabeth was shocked of her friend’s behavior.
“Oh c’mon, it’s just a little bit of fun. How long has it been since you’ve had any?”
“Karen, I don’t think this is…”
“Shut it! How long?”
“One year.”
“Well dear, my bedroom is fully prepared for these kinds of situations”

Elizabeth started crying, not understanding what she was feeling, what was happening.

“Calm down. I know what you feel. We’ve had it in the past. We still have it now.”
“Excuse me?!”
“Poor thing. Doesn’t even remember. You know our senior year? When we got really drunk? Remember the night?”
“I don’t think so and I’m not very sure I would like to remember.”
“It was just for fun! You were one naughty little person, I didn’t think I would see you in that way. I always thought you were a stiffed person, but it seems I was wrong.”
“Oh my God!”
“Shhhh, shhh, it’s alright Elizabeth. I understand you. Come on, what do you say we repeat that night? Eh? I’ll help you remember every little thing, with every little detail.”

The sheets were covered with the sin. Karen was smoking a cigar, Elizabeth was trembling, asking herself repeatedly what has she done.
Karen woke up, put out her cigar, put on her bra, started to dress up.
“Where are you going?”
“Going to meet my husband of course and to get myself some cigars.”
“You mean you’re married?!”
“Calm down, he knows I’m doing these stuff from time to time. He got used to it.”
“Wait a minute, you mean this was just pure lust? I was just something for you to get satisfied?”
“You didn’t think I’d still have feelings for you?”
“Actually, I did!”
“Oh. I’m sorry then. Anyway, I don’t love him, he’s just rich. At least I can afford a pack of cigars!”
“Does anybody mean anything to you? I don’t care if it’s a woman or a …”
“Honey. A woman’s just a woman, but a cigar…is a good smoke!”