An Angel In The Night

I remember the first time I saw her. She was standing outside of a club in the downtown business district. She was shadowed by the light of a street lamp and the light turned into magic as it cast a spell over her. She stood out to me because she was absolutely stunning. She was taller than most girls, certainly taller than the small group of girlfriends she was with. Her manner of dress was more on the Gothic side. She had raven black hair that was cut into bangs reminiscent of Betty Paige. She wore heavy dark eye makeup and that blueish, black lipstick that is popular with the punk crowd. Overall the effect was enthralling. She was wearing a black tank top and I could make out the tattoo of a rose growing up the side of her arm. The tank top was complemented by a short ruffled mini skirt that only exaggerated her height. Then there was the black fishnet hose and high top Army style boots with thick soles. I decided that I would approach her, but didn’t have a clue as to what I would say. I walked up to her and could smell the scent of her perfume.

“Is it alright if I tell you that you are gorgeous?”

She laughed at my clumsy attempt at being smooth. “I don’t know, is it?”

Then she looked me over as if she was sizing me up. “You’re short!”

I looked at her, raising one eyebrow. “So, you’re one of those girls are you?”

She looked at me a little puzzled. “And what kind of girl is that?”

“The kind of girl who doesn’t care about what’s inside a man as long as he is taller than you. Tell me, how has that been working out for you?” She lowered her eyes a little but quickly came back with an answer. “So does that mean you are my prince charming? You look more like the frog before the prince.”

I should have walked away at this point but something inside of me wouldn’t let me go.

“I may grow into a prince given the right circumstances, but why don’t we start with a drink first?”

For the first time she smiled at me. “You know I’m transgender,right? But if you still want to buy me a drink, I can always use another drink.”

I only shrugged my shoulders as I answered her. “I suspected it, but I wasn’t sure. All I know is that you are beautiful.

We turned together to walk into the bar. I don’t think I have ever been this excited to have a drink with someone. The idea of engaging in conversation with this beautiful creature was almost too much for me. As we walked I began my long quest to get to know her.

“By the way, is it okay if I ask you your name?” She smiled at me again. “Angel.”

Without saying a word I only looked at her. She responded to my look.

“Yes, it’s my real name. My father named me that after his grandfather. I was the last child out of three kids. And when I decided to transition I kept the name because it still works. By the way, what’s your name?”

“Craig.”

She laughed as if it was some kind of inside joke. “Wouldn’t you know it, it would be just my luck to get stuck with a boyfriend named Craig.”

“Well in that case you can call me Scar if it will help my standing with you.”

Once again she laughed at me. For some reason I loved it when she laughed at me. I actually jumped emotionally a little as I thought about what she had just let slip. Was it possible that I had even a small chance with this Angel?

As we walked inside the bar I took in the surroundings. The music was loud and the people were scattered everywhere. We found a table in the back of the bar that was more away from the heavy music that screamed through the room. Angel sat down at the table and told me she wanted a Manhattan. I left to go get our drink order. Still I kept her in my sight at all times, not because I didn’t trust her, but because I was taking her in with my eyes like a cool glass of water. After getting our drinks, I came back to the table and sat down.

“So tell me Angel, what do you do for a living?”

She took a drink before answering.  “Well Craig, I work as a hostess for a restaurant just down the street from here. But when I’m not working there I like to kill people and drink their blood.”

At first it took me a minute to realize that she was being sarcastic. However, I just played along with her.

“That’s an interesting hobby.”

She took another drink and once again she looked at me as if she was trying to find something. “So what is it you do? What are you, like some sort of banker?”

I laughed a little at that. She was actually reading me pretty well. “You’re pretty close. I’m an investment broker.”

She rolled her eyes upwards at that. “I don’t even know what that is.”

I smiled. “Basically, I spend other people’s money, and if I do it well; we both profit from it.”

Suddenly her face took on a more serious tone. “I wish you wouldn’t look at me that way.”

It was my turn to be puzzled. “What way is that?”

“Like You are seeing something more in me than just a drink. Listen I’m sure you are a nice guy, in fact; I’m sure my mother would like you. But we could never be anything more than just this drink, okay? I will never fit into your world, and you definitely won’t fit into mine. Besides, I made a promise to myself years ago that no one was going to tie me down unless they could see me for who I really am on the inside.”

I took a breath. “So you don’t think I can do that? Just because I think you’re beautiful and want to get to know you?”

Her face took on a stern look. “That’s only half of what I see in you. So then, after you stick me in that gilded cage; eventually I will become an embarrassment to you. The next thing you know, you will start looking for some neat little blonde with a large vocabulary and a good family. Leaving me to be just another divorced tattooed punk girl.”

I had to take a breath as I was taking all this in. “Wow, I guess you have me all figured out. Except there is one problem with your analysis: I thought I was supposed to marry the neat little blonde and have the affair with you? That is unless you think that’s what I’m doing now?”

She shook her head no. “No I don’t think so, you don’t act like you’re married. Besides, you don’t have a cheaters band.”

I laughed a little, “So, do married men act a certain way around you?”

She took another sip of her drink. “Yes, there’s always this depraved hungry look about them, but you; you just look at me with those puppy dog eyes.”

I shifted a little in my seat, and took a drink as I was trying to put my thoughts together. “What is it about me that makes you feel that I’m only here for a good time?”

“The way you are dressed. Everything from your pressed polo shirt, khaki pants down to your Christian Louboutin shoes. No one in your position is going to give up that life to be with a trans girl.”

I smiled seeing a new opportunity. “Who said I have to give up anything? If my friends don’t approve and decide not to stick with me, then they are not much of a friend to start with. And as far as my clients go, they don’t care what I do as long as I am making them money. Just give me a chance to prove my intentions. Have dinner with me. I will take you anywhere you want to go.”

Her eyes lit up a little. “Anywhere?”

“Yes Angel,anywhere.”

This time she seemed to be motivated by something. “There is a little place in my neighborhood called Charlie’s. They have all beef hotdogs that take up the whole bun, and hand cut fries. They are so good. But I can never seem to afford the milkshake. Their milkshakes are like six dollars. Are you gonna buy me the milkshake too?

I laughed out loud this time. “What kind of shake do you want?”

She answered gleefully. “Chocolate malt, with extra malt.”

I would have given her the world at this point. “You got it.”

To which she replied, “Well, if you’re going to be this accommodating: I want chili and cheese too, no onions.”

I couldn’t believe my luck. She had actually just accepted my invitation. “Great, where and when do you want me to pick you up?”

She thought for a minute. “Tomorrow night, after I get off work. I get off at ten. Unless of course investment brokers have to be in bed by that time.”

I think I can stay awake long enough for an opportunity like this. It’s not everyday I get to go to Charlie’s with a woman like you.”

Her eyes began to brighten. “You’ve been to Charlie’s?”

“No, not yet. But I’m sure they are wonderful. So what’s the name of the restaurant you work at?”

“It’s called, The Comancheros Brazilian steakhouse”

I was suddenly impressed by this.“I actually know the place. I was there for lunch once. Very swanky, but I don’t remember seeing you. And trust me I would have remembered you.”

She just smiled, “Must have been my day off.”

For the first time that night I felt as if I had bridged the great cultural divide between us. The more we talked, the more I wanted to know everything I could about her.

“You speak very dramatically. Did you read a lot of books as a young girl?” Suddenly a great sadness fell across her as if I had made her remember something she would rather forget.

“Yes I did. For me it was a way to escape my life and the way it was back then. I always felt as if I didn’t belong anywhere. My father was very loving but he worked all the time to try to support our family. He never finished school and worked hard as a janitor for almost nothing. My mother was an alcoholic and went from one extreme to the other. When she was nearly sober she was loving and understanding, but when she drank she was mean and verbally abusive. The problem was that she was never totally sober.”

I wasn’t sure how to react to this new piece of information. I tried to be as sincere and understanding as I possibly could be. “I’m sorry to hear that. It must have affected you very deeply.”

Still the sadness hung onto her. “Yes it did. Hey listen, like I said I need to work tomorrow.”

Then her eyes seemed a little troubled, almost pleading. “See you tomorrow after work?”

“Yes Angel, I wouldn’t miss it for anything. Not even for a neat little blonde with a large vocabulary.”

She stood up, smiled at me, then kissed me on the cheek. “Okay, I’ll see you then.”

I continued to sit there as I watched her until she was out the door. I think I knew then that I was already in love. After a long and torturous day, ten o’clock finally came. I drove to the neighborhood, but had to circle the block three different times to find a place to park. I walked into the restaurant and immediately , someone reminded me that they were closed. Just then I heard Angel tell the bus boy, “ It’s okay, he is here for me.” With a certain surprise in his voice I overheard him say to her, ”That guy?” Angel came up to me and gave me a hug. She looked at me and rolled her eyes to one side.

“Never mind him, I’m glad you’re here.”

She had on a bright red lipstick that I knew instantly would be my favorite. She was wearing a black velvet choker, A white ruffled shirt with a gold plastic name tag pinned to it, black polyester stretch pants and black ballet shoes.We went outside to the sidewalk. Angel was holding my hand. Then she said to me, “Since you obviously parked your Mercedes already, it’s best to just leave it where it’s at.. Anyway, Charlie’s is only just a couple blocks down the street from here. We can walk there with no trouble.”

Still holding her hand I backed away just a step as I asked her, “Mercedes? Is that what you think I drive? I want you to know I only drive a Lincoln, and it’s 2 years old.”

She was beaming now, “Sorry, I thought you were a better broker than that. We will have to work on it.”

We laughed, as we walked together. We came to Charlie’s. It reminded me of the kind of food stand you would find at one of those summer theme parks. The building had an unassuming atmosphere that put you in the mood for this type of food. Angel and I walked up to the counter. I asked her If she wanted me to order for the both of us. She simply nodded her head yes. I looked at the man behind the counter and in a authoritarian voice I said to him,

“We’ll have two of your all beef hotdogs with chili and cheese, no onions, the ginormous basket of fries, and two milkshakes. She will have a chocolate malt with extra malt, and I will have the strawberry shake, you know, I think I will try a little malt in that myself.”

The man behind the counter looked at me for several minutes, Then looked at my date. “Hey angel, where’d you get the suit?”

Angel laughed. “I’m trying him on to see if he fits. Charlie this is Scar, Scar this is Charlie. He owns the place.”

With a look of concern, he said to Angel, “He don’t look like no Scar. Still I approve cause what you been doing ain’t working out none too good.

Then he looked at me. “Listen buddy, you better be good to her. She’s been my best customer since she was sixteen.”

We turned at this point to find a table and let Charlie get our order ready. Charlie brought our food out to us and just left us alone. We started eating and I have to say she was right. The food was really good. I started the conversation again, “So you have been coming here since you were sixteen?”

“Yes, my father brought me here for my sixteenth birthday. He couldn’t afford the shake either, but he bought one for me anyway.”

The rest of the night was absolutely perfect. She let me walk her to her door. Turns out she lived in the neighborhood. Then she gave me a kiss, a real kiss. Once again that look of uncertainty came back into her eyes. “If I give you my number, will you promise to call me?”

“Angel, nothing could stop me from seeing you again, Not even a neat little blonde with a large vocabulary.

Tags: featured, fiction, Transgender

Category: Fiction