T--’s woman is away so he thought it would be a good idea to take me out to some “hip” bars to meet women. His word, not mine.

     I already forgot the name of the first place we went to, but there was an umlaut in the title. Most of the women in there wore short black dresses. They were closer to AJ in age than to me. There was one guy, talking to a woman at the bar, who had a serpent tattooed around his neck as if it were draped there. I called it a “death knell.” T-- told me I was old-fashioned. I said, “Says the guy who says ‘hip.’”

     I was in an irritable mood. We only stayed for a drink and then went to the place next door. All their beer had fruit, so I ordered a whiskey. Thei...

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