Isaac went to bar to get another bottle of Pinot.  Peter took his phone out of his pocket and set it to vibrate.  It was nearly eight and they had already drunk one bottle.  Peter knew his wife wouldn't worry.  He wasn't the type to do anything reckless.  But then, he would smell of booze when he got home.  He could make an excuse, someone's birthday.  He'd got dragged along and ended up staying longer than he had expected to.  That seemed plausible.  

"You don't have to rush off do you?" asked Isaac.

"No, just trying to work out what I will say to the wife."

"I'm sure you'll think of something Pete."

Isaac put cleans glasses on the table.  "I really hate drinking from dirty glasses.  I suppose it's one of my little quirks."

Peter smiled.  He liked little quirks.  They sere like wrinkles in a life, they made a person more interesting.

"Have you got any quirks Pete?  Those little oddities that you don't like to admit to?"

"Well, I don't think so.  I think I'm pretty normal."

"Really?  That surprises me.  I had you down as the kind of guy who liked to order his CDs or DVDs...something like that."

"Well, I do like all the tins in the cupboard to face the same way and I like to sit at the end of the row in the cinema."

"There!  Those are quirks.  I knew you would have some."

Peter took a sip of wine.  He was already feeling light headed.  Maybe that was way he then said "It's really good to see you.  I have been thinking of you a lot."

Isaac smiled.  "Me too.  You just looked so, I don't know what the word is, lost I suppose.  Maybe that is why I was there.  To give you a hand."

"Lost?  I suppose I was.  I guess I just got carried away with my life until I was drowning in it.  It was never what I wanted.  It just happened this way."

"That's normally the way.  How old are you?  35?  36?"

"I'm 29.  30 in a few weeks."

"Wow!  Didn't mean to offend.  We're the same age.  Maybe you need to think about escaping this life.  It's aging you."

"Are you the escape Isaac?"

"Who knows.  Tonight this is just a drink.  Tomorrow, well I don't know."

Peter looked up.  Isaac smiled and put his hand over Peter's.  

Peter could already feel the storm brewing.

RATE THIS CHAPTER!