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He entered the Hi-Lo in Athens, Georgia USA like the erudite bar fly he was. Everyone recognized him - and those that didn't? well, unless they were hot chicks with no wedding rings, he didn't give a fuck. He was wearing his Spearfishing t-shirt and his signature sweat pants.
"Yo dudes. Whattup" he said in a self-ironic way.
"Leon" they all looked up.
He pulled up a place at the corner and asked the bartender to change the channel to the game. He was surprised it wasn't already on.
"What have y'all been up to today?"
Warren answered first, "ah just fishing and then working on my dissertation."
Skip the retired strategy director replied, "smokin' drinkin', never thinkin' - it's the holidays"
Lin was there too. Leon had had a thing with her before, but now they just played with sexual tension. He had a lot of female friends.
"Lin, how's it going with the new gig?" Lin had quit her job helping the troubled California senator and was now in a local gig for the university - PR or something. She nodded and answered "Corporate bullshit in the most lucrative way".
He replied, "that tracks".
It was a skeleton crew, but tonight was Tuesday trivia night so it would fill up.
Leon liked to do the oral zyn's now. He and Mary - a UGA art professor - had had a thing, and he had started smoking a bit a year or so ago, but that was done now and he had to keep the old ticker healthy. He wanted to live a long life and retire somewhere close to New York City as an awesome grandfather. It was very attractive. Leon had no trouble attracting the intelligentsia of Athens even though he looked a bit cartoon with his shock of white hair and top-heavy body. He had gone to Vassar and was a creative director for - as he put on the dating apps - "a big company". It was better than "tell ya later" which he had had before.
It was the eve before New Year's Eve.
He ordered a craft beer and three tacos from Shelburne the bartender he didn't like because it was a guy. Leon loved the food here.
After a while, Mary herself stopped by. She was kind of mousy, but had a hot body and tons of cool points. Leon's face lit up. All of his crew were in the house.
It was kind of like his family, but he would never say anything like that. He'd more call it his church group. He liked to fuck with religion to keep a jab at his mother who had abandoned him for Scientology.
They chatted about politics and how it was all going to hell - the latest travesty was digested thoroughly - something about a senator and the Epstein files. They checked in briefly on sports - everyone looking forward to the action packed New Years Day football bliss. The Hi-Lo wasn't closing. They'd be here.
Warren was the one who asked "so, what's going on with that lady friend in Macon? Is she going to grace us with her presence her tomorrow?"
Mary finished a sip of her beer and chimed in "Yeah, do we finally get to meet her?"
Leon smugly ordered another beer then said "I knew I shouldn't tell you guys anything. What's with the questions?"
Skip came back in from his smoke. "What we talking about?" Lin smirked, "Leon was going to tell us about his latest side piece."
Leon answered the obvious play, "it's none ya, but turns out kind of nutty and drinks too much. She was good for the puns."
"And the blow jobs."
Noel shook his head.
Mary nodded in confirmation, "I guess she was useful to take to Florida with you and kill some time. Oh well. another one with father issues?"
Leon smiled without showing his teeth "the uschzue". (a clever word he made for 'the usual')
Warren took his eyes of the screen, "well, you're back on the market. Welcome. Her loss of course."
Leon quickly replied, "you know I've never been off the market. But it's been such slim Pickens on the apps."
Skip replied "you can say that again."
Leon finished a taco, and mentioned, "I've do have one lined up, but she's got kids. You never know. I'm going to play it. I've always wanted a daughter."
Skip nodded, "that tracks."
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