A Night To Forget

I raise my head up from my pillow; my head still pounding from the night before. Did I have that fourth drink? Or was it five? I place my hands on my head and rub my temples. I really need to stop doing this. Dragging myself out of bed I make my way to the kitchen. Sitting at a small table scattered with my unpaid bills, what a dump. Pulling out my phone I decide to check my bank statement. My eyes pop out of my head; I spent $500 last night at the club! That’s way more than five drinks.

A flash pops into my head of a red headed woman sitting across from me at the club. Sipping her drink with a precarious smile. She is holding a small black book and slowly places it upon the table. With a gentle nudge she pushes it towards me.

What happened last night? I have been known to slip up on occasion but this was way worse. How am I supposed to pay my bills? Let alone have gas money to get to work now. My body slumps down in the chair. Images of last night swirling through my mind like a tornado.

The woman’s image burned clearly into my mind. Who was she? She was dressed entirely too nice for a night out at the club; she was classy.

My stomach let out a loud grumble; I need hangover food. Opening my fridge to a bare dry desert; apparently I didn’t go shopping before this spending spree either. My body is still aching in need of sustenance. I decided one trip to Mcdonalds won't hurt; well at least as much as last night did. Stumbling out the door I began the few block walk to my local McD’s. Pulling out my wallet I begin to access the damage from last. All of my cash is gone; so great I spent even more money. God damn it! I screamed out loud. My credit card is gone. Apparently I will not be getting breakfast.

The club is just another 12 blocks down the road. I begin my journey and focus on trying to remember last night. This woman, I keep seeing flashes of me with her. Some I would swear that we weren’t in the club anymore; but a party of some sort was still happening.

As I knock on the front door of the club I can feel my memories coming back to me. Slowly but surely. I remember leaving the club with the mystery redhead. I get a flash of us walking out. She was a few steps ahead of me; turned around and said “are you ready for some real fun”?

An employee opens the door and lets me in. Forget something? He asks as if he has said it a million times. Yeah I think I left my credit card here, I say. Sure let me get the stack, he says, oh and pull out your ID. I comply and he finds my missing card. Thanking him I head towards the door. As I walk through it my night comes back to me more. I can see the path we took after leaving the club; the redhead and I. Without even thinking about it I begin following my memories. The night was too interesting to not know what had happened.

Everything looks different in the day but certain key features cannot be mistaken and they lead me to a set of stairs leading down to a basement. Under a local butcher shop nonetheless.

I can see the night before. The redhead smiled as she led me down the stairs. Do you like to gamble? She says with a smirk. As the doors open my eyes are hit by a bright light. The sound of chatter fills my ears and my eyes begin to adjust. Is this - an underground casino? I say softly to the redhead. Something like that she says, taking my hand and leading me into the room.

Standing at the bottom of the stairs I try to peek into the only window. The place seems almost cleaned out. A bare shell to what it was the night before. Well I guess I know where all of my cash went then. A dead end. No new memories are coming up anymore. Like a dog with its tail between its legs; I begin my walk home. How could I be so stupid! A guy with money problems hanging out at a club to feel better; as if that has ever helped me in the past. Coming up to my shabby apartment I make a vow to do better for myself. This isn’t where I thought I would be at 25. I hate my job. My love life is non-existent. I need a real change. But change cost money. I have to work and with double shifts I hardly have time to think. Which is maybe why I drink. People say money can’t buy happiness but you know what I do believe it provides stability. If I wasn’t so stressed all the time maybe I could figure out what I really want to do.

As I come through the front door my phone begins to ring. Hey this is Sam, I say. A woman’s voice comes through, Hello Sam, did you have a good night? Immediately I’m alert. Her voice, I know it. You’re the woman from last night, I say a little firm. Darling Sam you sound like hell, she says quite casually, my my you had a lot to drink last night didn’t you. Well yeah, I say, I guess I did. So do you remember the night then? She asks again. Actually that is what I am trying to piece together, I say, what happened? I know I met you. Beth, my name is Beth, she adds. Beth, I say, I’m sorry, I’m a little scatterbrained right now. I spent a lot more money than - she cuts me off, oh dear come on now how could you be worried about money. You really don’t remember anything do you, she laughs, let me tell you what happened.

We met at the club and had a few drinks, being the gentlemen you paid for mine - even though I insisted you didn’t need to. We talked for hours and you gave me your number - remember? You wrote it in my book? I immediately jump in, that I do remember. Then we left right? To some casino event or something? Ah! See you do remember something, she says. Yes a friend of mine puts on private events; and well we had so much fun I thought it shouldn’t end. We had some more drinks and went up to the roulette table. The excitement in the room was electrifying. You pulled all the money out of your wallet, and looked me in the eyes and do you remember what you said? Half bewildered with what I was hearing I simply said no. You said being with you makes me feel like the luckiest man alive, and put everything on 33 black.

My heart is pounding out of my chest. Then you won Sam, $20,000! Wait what! I half scream. I won that? Yes you did! She says. Then we stayed a bit longer and danced, and eventually you walked me home. Then you asked to take me out to dinner next week. You left and that's all that I know. I remember that you had given me your number, but I know you never got mine, she sighs I know there is supposed to be some 3 day rule for calling. But I just can’t explain how much fun I had with you, Sam. Even if you didn’t remember my name, she laughs.

My mind is racing but this time with excitement. I … well …. I mean wow. I laugh, sorry that is just not what I was expecting to hear. Especially with how my morning started. But yes, let's go out again. But maybe I'll hold off on the drinks this time. I pick a restaurant off of the top of my head and she agrees.

After I get off the phone; I make my way into my bedroom. In the closet I keep a shoebox with some cash for emergencies and some random collectibles. Since there doesn’t seem to be a pile of money anywhere else obvious in my apartment. Slowly I open the door, this almost doesn’t feel real. How could it be? As I click on the lightbulb above I see on the floor cash, very poorly I might add, crammed into the shoebox.