Library Book

I remember sitting in a small cafe for my lunch break, stressing over the amount of work I had to get done today for my boss. I had taken a book from his personal law library for study and I had it with me that day and I was in the middle of taking some notes when I heard some people randomly cheering outside.

I looked up and saw a group of women riding a “something” that read “pedal tavern” and I got curious.

“Refill, hon?”, the brunette waitress said, holding fresh pot of coffee, it's tantalizing brew breaking me away from the window.

“Oh, sure..Thanx!”, I said to her. “Say, could you tell me what that thing was that I just saw with the women that were all cheering?”

The waitress sighed a bit and said, *oh yeah. It's called a party bike. Women get in, start pedaling through town while drinking and going “whooohooo!”, like they're on some roller coaster.”. She sighed and shook her head.

I nodded my head and thanked her for the info and the refill.   

The rest of my time in the cafe was uneventful. I finished my cup, paid the tab and left to head back to the firm. As I walked back down the hill, with the book under my arm and a small briefcase in my hand, I heard the cheering party bike coming behind me.

“Whoooooooooo!”, they all cheered as they came down. It was at that moment, I tripped on a crack in the sidewalk and stumbled forward and almost fell, face down, but I managed to catch myself, but not the library book,. which fell miraculously (or not) onto the platform of the party bike.

I gazed in horror as the whooo girls continued their pub crawl through the city, with that book!

What to do? 

Should I chase after the party bike or go to the boss and beg for mercy, kissing his feet while he tortures me with the burning glare from his eyes?

I chose to chase after the bike; it was better to be late coming back from lunch than to lose your boss’s book.

I started to quicken my pace to catch up and cursed myself for not working out more (as if I had the time for that!). As I passed the entrance to a parking garage, I heard the squeal of some tires and a curse from it's driver. Apparently, I had gotten in the way.

I didn't stop to greet anyone or apologize for anything. I had to keep after it.

The party bike made a left turn up ahead, whoo girls cheering all the way. I was surprised to note that the book was still there on the platform and no one seemed to have noticed it.

I decided to take a shortcut through an alleyway on my left. If I was right, I should have ended up around 5th avenue. I hoped I would be able to catch up to it.  

The alley was littered with broken bottles and trash cans that had been overturned. I think I saw a raccoon scurrying around as well.  

“Hey buddy,.can I have some bud?”

I heard the random person speaking and a glanced to my right. In that moment, I saw an older man with a stubble beard wearing a Hawaiian shirt that has seen better days. It had holes in it. I feared that I would become him, if I didn't find that book.

I continued my chase and laughed at my predicament. Here I am, an aspiring lawyer and instead of chasing an ambulance, I'm chasing a pedal tavern. That's rich!

I reached 5th avenue after 5 minutes of sprinting and sweating and I saw the party bike about a block away from me and it had stopped at a bar. I broke into a run, saying “excuse me! excuse me! Sorry!" multiple times, bumping into trash cans, trees and newsstands on the way until I finally caught up to it.

I immediately got on the bike and looked for the book on the platform and ……. nothing! All that chasing and the book isn't there. Just my luck. I sat down on one of the seats to catch my breath and then suddenly the “whooo girls” returned.

“Ooh! Look, y'all! A gatecrasher! Whoohoooo!”. 

With that, the brunette who announced my presence mounted the back with all of her peers and they all started pedaling and cheering.

My stomach turned and twisted in protest. I tried to get off to see if the book dropped elsewhere, but no such luck. I had no choice but to pedal with them. 

I was definitely late and I wasn't sure how well an explanation of, “Sorry sir! I was stuck on a pedal tavern!”, was going to work.  

“Hey,” the brunette called. “Did you lose a law book?”

I looked up suddenly feeling a surge of hope rising. “ Oh yes! I tripped and it fell onto this bike! If I don't find it, I'd be lucky to get a job as a custodian in the public defender’s office! Thank you so much!”

The brunette cocked her head a bit and said “ummm, yeah, well, it's not here!”

My stomach sank to the ground.

“Yeah one of our regulars took it a few blocks back. I think her name was Charlotte??”

Charlotte! Oh no! She was a paralegal at the office and very sneaky too. I sighed and got off at the next stop and headed back to the office, covered in sweat. This would not look good for me.

I made it back to the office…only a half hour late! The boss took a moment to give me his evil eye, then went back to work.

Charlotte was in the law library, her back turned away from me. Her head, barely glanced my way as I entered.

“Welcome back.”, her deadpan voice intoned.  

“Yeah.. thanks…..” I murmured as I approached. I didn't even have to ask. The book was already shelved properly.  

She glanced at me again through her large, round glasses. “The boss is having us inventory his library. It seems that one the books was …misplaced?”

I nodded and started looking at the list she handed me.  

We spent the rest of the day in the library making sure that every book was in its place. Then, the boss had us leave so he could lock up.

I was about to head back to my apartment, when Charlotte called out to me.

“Hey, you wanna get somethin to eat? My treat!”

I was a bit surprised by this invite but I took her up on it as she mounted the party bike.

“Come on!”

I shook my head and mounted the bike also. She grinned at me through those glasses. I think it was the first time I saw her smile. I wondered though if this smile was the one that said “I like you” or the one that said “come into my parlor?”. Only time would tell.