Am I Better Than Everyone? Local Woman Refuses to Enjoy Hometown Bar the Wednesday Before Thanksgiving
A messy chorus of “Sweet Caroline” echoed outside of the local bar
November 23, 2021
By: Andal Paul
GREAT FALLS, VA – On the night before Thanksgiving, a low thrum of bass and a messy chorus of “Sweet Caroline” echoed outside of the local bar, so loud that neighbors could hear if they opened their windows and craned their ears enough. Tons of young adults flocked to the establishment to drink and reminisce with their high school buds, hoping to maybe catch a glimpse of an old fling or a class clown. Anyone passing would assume the bar’s patrons were having more than just a laugh – the bar oozed pleasure. The scene was nirvana.
“This was such a good idea!” Yelled Katie to her friends over the pounding of the music. “I just need to find sweaty Peter and tell him he was the one that got away!”
Daniela crooned. Emily cheered. But Maria felt like fog over her brain was lifting – her friends were acting strange. The music was too loud, the space too tight, the lights hot and imposing on her face. How long had they been here?
“I don’t know,” Maria said. Her eyes were scanning for some sign of time, of anything to ground her. “You hated sweaty Peter our senior year. He would wipe the sweat off his forehead and stick his disgusting, sweat-laden fingers in your mouth. You reported him for harassment to our guidance counselor.”
Katie’s face contorted, twisting with rage. “Shut up Maria. You’re just jealous because you’re in a relationship with someone you met postgrad. He’s not even from around here. That’s so fucking embarassing.”
The music got louder. Someone thrusts a drink into her hand, a boy, someone she had freshman biology with. Daniela pulled Emily and Katie to the dance floor, and as they bobbed to the music, their bodies moved more and more frantically, as if they couldn’t move fast enough. When they realized Maria hadn’t followed them, they pulled her onto the dancefloor.
“Quit being a buzzkill!” Emily shouted in her ear. Maria yanked her hand away, running to what she thought was the exit – only the door had disappeared. She ran her hands against the wall searching against hope for an exit that was no longer there.
“Maria, what are you doing?” She turned, tears in her eyes. It was Daniel, the hottest, coolest, funniest, hottest dude from high school. “Hook up with me Maria,” Daniel’s eyes were red, his movements robotic. “Hook up with me.”
Maria backed against the wall. “What time is it?”
Daniel blinked. “It’s 12:27 am.”
Maria let out a sigh of relief. So they had only been there for a few hours.
Daniel suddenly cackled. “You’re asking the wrong questions. Ask me what year it is.”
Maria’s heart plummeted to her stomach. “What-what year is it?”
Daniel grinned maliciously. “2030. It’s 12:27 am, on November 23, 2030.”
Maria swooned, nearly fainted. Time was different here, and she was stuck, forced to reminisce eternally while the world ticked on without her.
