{"id":7642,"date":"2024-04-08T17:55:17","date_gmt":"2024-04-08T17:55:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scadradio.org\/?p=7642"},"modified":"2024-04-08T17:56:58","modified_gmt":"2024-04-08T17:56:58","slug":"short-story-top-jimmy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scadradio.org\/2024\/04\/08\/short-story-top-jimmy\/","title":{"rendered":"Short Story: Top Jimmy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Illustration courtesy of Ava O’Connor.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every weekend, Jimmy waltzes into Lady Jane\u2019s wearing those stupid bell bottoms that ride up his ass, and those obnoxious Ray Bans (even though it\u2019s far past sundown), and a haircut that makes him look like a chick. He always shows up ten minutes after the Mets game ends, like clockwork. Then he places his chestnut leather jacket on the hook like he owns the joint, and orders the same thing every time: a Manhattan with two cherries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But nothing pisses me off like the sound of his dime going into the jukebox. He plays the same damn song every time and sings along, Ooh, my little pretty one, pretty one,<\/em> when you gonna give me some time, Sharona?!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I vigorously wipe the bar and focus on the wet streaks left behind by my rag, mouthing the words because I can\u2019t help myself. \u201cM\u2013m-m\u2013my Sharona. Fuck.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey, man,\u201d says Jimmy. He dips his head to look at me from below his sunglasses. Holding up an empty glass, he plucks the toothpick from its rim and sucks off the two cherries in one vulgar motion. \u201cRunning low.\u201d Two women seated at the very end of the bar giggle, entertained by his gesture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I whip up another Manhattan, listening in on Jimmy\u2019s effortless attempts at flirtation. Chicks dig him, I\u2019m not sure why. I grab the jar of cherries only to find an empty glass with nothing but a puddle of red juice at the bottom. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHere you go,\u201d I say, sliding the naked drink his way. \u201cWe\u2019re out of cherries though. Sorry about that.\u201d
\u201cCan\u2019t you check the back?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat back? We don\u2019t\u2026\u201d I withdraw my temper. \u201cWe don\u2019t have a \u2018back,\u2019 just an alleyway. With a dumpster. Where we put the garbage. Any extra stuff is gonna be right here, on the shelves.\u201d Jimmy examines his drink, sulking. He approaches me and I pretend not to see him, wiping down an already clean glass. \u201cListen, I got a deal for you,\u201d he says with a shit eating grin. \u201cThere\u2019s a late-night market on Hudson Street.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDude,\u201d I say, knowing exactly where this is going, \u201cwe\u2019re out of cherries. I\u2019m sure we\u2019ll restock them tomorrow. But I can\u2019t exactly leave the bar. I have customers. If you really want cherries, I\u2019ll watch your drink while you go get them.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut you don\u2019t understand,\u201d he says, an exaggerated pout across his face, \u201cthis cocktail isn\u2019t complete without the cherries. To finish a Manhattan without the sweet embrace of a cherry on your tongue is like pulling out right before you\u2019re about to shoot your load.\u201d I want to take the glass and smash it across his face. I\u2019m so amazed at the sheer douchebaggery of this individual that my red hot anger has frozen over, leaving me speechless. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the most I\u2019ve ever observed Jimmy since I started working here. I can\u2019t tell if he\u2019s 20 or 30, nor can I tell if the sheen in his roots is hairspray or grease. He\u2019s not even that good looking. His shirt\u2019s a little ragged with a peeling Van Halen logo across it. A mystery stain bleeds over the \u201cV.\u201d His head droops forward, lip hanging open ever so slightly as if his brain has taken a short break. I squint at him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCan\u2019t help you, pal,\u201d I say. \u201cI\u2019m not getting paid enough to run errands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the first time, he takes his sunglasses off. \u201cI\u2019ve had a rough day today,\u201d he says, \u201cand I\u2019d really like it if this drink came with cherries.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I realize I\u2019ve never really seen Jimmy anywhere outside of Lady Jane\u2019s. His life is a mystery. I\u2019ve only known him as the guy perched against the jukebox, drinking, and picking up girls of various ages. Strange, I think, how he looks kind of sad without the shield of his Ray Bans to protect his sunken eyes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps his wife is dead and he misses her. Or he\u2019s really a homeless dude with good style, or a college dropout, or a junkie, or all of the above. Maybe, I think, maybe I\u2019ll let him have this one, and perhaps the good karma will come back to me. \u201cFine,\u201d I say, \u201cI\u2019ll get you some cherries.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Right before I exit, he slides his sunglasses back on and I hear him say to the ladies at the end of the bar, \u201cYeah, I had a long fucking day alright.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy is that?\u201d One girl asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy wife caught me in the act.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Illustration courtesy of Ava O’Connor. Every weekend, Jimmy waltzes into Lady Jane\u2019s wearing those stupid bell bottoms that ride up his ass, and those obnoxious Ray Bans (even though it\u2019s far past sundown), and a haircut that makes him look like a chick. He always shows up ten minutes after the Mets game ends, like […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":114,"featured_media":7643,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1423,657],"tags":[122,1424,60,59,129],"yoast_head":"\nShort Story: Top Jimmy - SCAD Radio<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/scadradio.org\/2024\/04\/08\/short-story-top-jimmy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Short Story: Top Jimmy - SCAD Radio\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Illustration courtesy of Ava O’Connor. Every weekend, Jimmy waltzes into Lady Jane\u2019s wearing those stupid bell bottoms that ride up his ass, and those obnoxious Ray Bans (even though it\u2019s far past sundown), and a haircut that makes him look like a chick. 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