Reading: "Rituals of the Antithetical" from RITUALS of the ANTITHETICAL (A.Glass 2023)

1985
Galleria Bar Noir
Basement,
Solow Building.

“How was work?” Sandra asks, sipping from a cosmopolitan cocktail, as Leana, D’adri’s mother does the same, with a Fourteen year old D’adri’s perched, sitting beside his mom, on a blush bar stool, sipping from the cola, eyeing the barman preparing the cocktails. Fascinated by the stylization of the bar setting, and its ochre colored interior, dim lighting and the array of spirits which line the center of the semicircular bar area.
“Hectic, very busy. But, it was good to get the job. I mean…” She turns and briefly looks at D’adri, returning her attention to Sandra. “...it’s a little late in the game, working with a lot of young people coming out of collage. I’m Ten years their senior.”
“Well, kudos to you. Going back to college after the divorce, getting a degree in finance and working here…” She points with her right finger up at the ceiling of the basement bar, referring to the Brokerage firm, Linus & Tirgus on the Fourteenth floor, to which Sandra holds out her glass and Leana taps it. “...A toast, to your achievements. Well done!”
“Thanks Sandra,” Leana replies, as both women sip from their glasses.
“Any workplace gossip?” Sandra asks, smiling at Leana.
“Yes…” She lowers her voice, leaning slightly closer to Sandra. “...Our floor manager is having an affair with one of the secretaries.”
“Really?”
“Yep, and he’s married,” Leana says, finishing her drink.
Sandra, without any personal correlation to Leana’s gossip, shakes her head in a feigned disapproving way. Also, finishing her drink, she pads her lips down with the serviette.
“It’s always the way...” she says, leaning forward and looking across at D’adri, who had finished his cola.
“...Black Forest cake?”
“Oh, Sandra. Very tempting, but…” She looks at her wrist watch. “...Date in Thirty minutes...”
“The Mr Lawyer man?”
Leana takes out of her handbag a small mirror and lipstick, checking her appearance.
“...That’s the one…” Applying the red lipstick and checking her hair, closing the small mirror. She places it back into her bag. “...And, I think he’s not married.”
Both women laugh.
Sandra leans forward again, as D’adri turns and faces her.
“I bet you would like some Black Forest cake?”
“Yes,” D’adri replies smiling.
“Then, we’ll share.”
“Lucky boy...” D’adri’s mother says, as she stands, wrapping her arms around D’adri, kissing him on the top of his head. “...I’m off. Gotta meet him in the foyer.”
Sandra also stands, both women embrace.
“Have a great evening,” Sandra says, sitting back down, as Leana waves, walking towards the spiral staircase which will take her to the foyer level.
“Come…” Sandra taps the empty seat with her open left palm, as D’adri moves across to where his mother was sitting. “...Well, you’re my date for the night…” She waves the barman over. “...A coffee and slice of Black Forest cake…” She turns and looks at D’adri. “...Lemonade?…”
He nods.
“...Lemonade also.”
The barman nods, as he prepares the order. Sandra, taking out her hand mirror, checking herself in the mirror as D’adri eyes her movements, studying her white shirt and the visible lace bra beneath. He also notes Sandra’s floral perfume.
The barman returns placing down a slice of Black Forest cake, a glass of iced lemonade and cup of coffee for Sandra.
“Look at that! So luxurious…” She lifts up the fork with her right hand, to which D’adri does the same, Sandra cuts down into the dark chocolate cake, placing a portion onto the tip of her folk. She places the piece into her mouth, closing her eyes. “...Oh, that is so nice...”
D’adri does the same.
“...Good?” She asks smiling, whilst looking at him. As he eats a portion of the decadent cake.
“Yeah, it’s really good,” he replies, relaying Sandra’s enthusiasm. D’adri’s slices off another part, to which Sandra continues to smile and watch him enjoy the cake.
“Hey Sandra.” A man says, as Sandra turn to her right eyeing a middle aged man dressed in a suit holding a leather sachet in his right arm.
“Hi Simon…” She replies, placing her folk onto the plate and turning around as the man peers over at the half eaten Black Forest cake.
“That looks good,”
“...Well, you do love food,” she replies, in a sarcastic manner.
“And you love sex.”
“Shhh…” she says, with her back turned to D’adri, using her eyes, gesturing to the man standing to her right, that D’adri may have overheard his comment.
“...Well, it’s better than food…” Sandra replies, sipping her cup of coffee. “...This is D’adri, my friend’s son. His mother started a new job here in this building.” Placing her left hand on D’adri’s right shoulder.
“Nice to meet you.” Acknowledging D’adri in a dismissive and arrogant manner. To which D’adri just nods, sipping from the glass of lemonade.
“So, what are you doing here?” Sandra smiles in a desiring way, eyeing the man’s paisley patterned necktie.
“Just took some people through to view a vacant level on the Forty Seventh floor.”
“You’re in commercial now?” Sandra asks, referring to the man’s newer role as a commercial real estate agent.
“Yeah, a lot of work at the moment. With a glut of office spaces to be filled, since the great recession of Nineteen Eighty. You wanna check it out? It has great views,” the man asks, hoping that Sandra will agree.
“Yes…” She turns to D’adri. “...Let’s check out that vacant space. It’ll be fun. I’ll drop you home later.”
“Ok,” D’adri replies, as Sandra and D’adri stand. D’adri follows behind as the man and Sandra walk towards the elevators.
D’adri studies Sandra’s movements, her flowing mid length skirt and heeled shoes. He then turns slightly, looking back at where they were sitting. As the barman lifts up the plate of the mostly eaten Black Forest cake, Sandra’s coffee and empty glass. They enter the waiting elevator, the lift doors close.
D’adri looks around at the ambient lit interior of the elevator, the down tempo jazz playing in the background, with its off sounding beats. The blush ochre interior and the carpeted walls, covered by three slim mirrors on each section of the lift’s panels.
He detects Sandra’s perfumed scent, yet this time overlaid with a spicier fragrance.
The lift doors open, as the man allows Sandra and D’adri to walk out first to the foyer area, in front of them is a large vacant space.
“This way...” he says, as they follow him to the main glass doors. Using his keys, he opens the doors. “...The level was used by an advertising company, that rented this whole space.”
Opening the door with his right hand, Sandra and D’adri walk into the vacant level.
“Wow! It’s a big space...” Sandra remarks in an excited way, looking around as D’adri also looks at large open area. Walking towards the large ceiling to floor windows.
“...Would you like to work in an office like this?” Sandra asks, as D’adri turns and looks at her.
“Yes, it would be awesome.”
Sandra walks towards D’adri, as he views the buildings from the large window, while the sun sets West of city. Leaving its golden sheen over New York.

___

Reading: "Rituals of the Antithetical" from RITUALS of the ANTITHETICAL (A.Glass 2023)