A Night Out

"Is it just me or does it seem like this winter is going to last forever?" Kip asks, tequila soda in hand.
"Yeah it's just one of those years," Levi replies.
"I need it to get warm, I'm tired of this shit."
"Ah come on, hot, cold, rain, snow…you're in the big city baby, and you're a single guy! The world is your oyster."
"Funny, I don't feel single."
"What did you tell me when I was going through my breakup?"
"Stop bringing her up."
"Right, so now I'm telling you the same thing: stop bringing her up."
Kip’s response is an audible groan; Levi remains unfazed.

"Lighten up, we're out, there are chicks everywhere, how can you be in a bad mood?"
"I'm not in a bad mood."
"You're in a bad mood. It's infecting me. I must get away. Oh look, a pretty girl!"
Levi abruptly turns his head to the taller woman ordering a drink at the bar. "Wonder if I am tall enough to ride. Let's put my 42-step seduction plan to the test and find out!"

Without giving it another thought Levi approaches the woman, and she’s moderately receptive.

Kips groans again, louder this time, subconsciously hoping someone would hear him.

He takes his drink and sits down at the other end of the bar next to a couple, but something’s off about them. The woman has her hands on the man's face as if he’s a baby, but the man looks twice the woman's age. It seems as if she’s toying with him. Kip tries to keep to himself to focus on his drink.

For some unknown reason, the woman starts laughing hysterically and flails her arm back directly into Kip. She turns around to apologize, and Kip locks eyes with her.

"So sorry."
"All good."

Then, instead of turning back to her man, the woman turns her body to face Kip and leans into him with a mercurial look. With the benefit of this closer vantage point, Kip determines she is beautiful.

"Sorry again but I have to ask, do you shave your eyebrows?" she asks.
"No," Kip replies.
"Yeah you do," she places her finger right between his eyebrows. "Why isn't there hair here?"
"I don't know, there just isn't."
"I don't believe you."
"Why would I lie?"
"To hide from the shame of shaving your eyebrows."
"But I don't shave my eyebrows."
"So you say."

"I'm Kip by the way," he extends his hand.
"Rachel." She shakes it. "You mean to tell me you have never shaved this spot?" Her hand is on his face again.
"I think I did once when I was a teenager, but I haven't since then."
"AHA!"
"It was just once a billion years ago."
"You mean to tell me those eyebrows are natural?"
"Yes. Aren't they so bushy?"
"Okay stop bragging."
"Who would brag about bushy eyebrows?"
"I would kill for those eyebrows. I mean, look at them!" Her hands are on his face again.

It occurs to Kip that Rachel had forgotten all about the man behind her, so much so that he had gotten up and left to take another seat at the opposite end of the bar. A little while later, Levi walks over.

"You two going to get a room or what?" he asks skipping the pleasantries. Levi’s always two steps ahead.

"Thank you! I've been hitting on your friend for an hour now. It's like he doesn't feel anything," Rachel says. Kip can’t help but smile for the first time in forever, or at least that’s what it feels like.

"You'll have to excuse him, he's a grump these days. Can you imagine looking like that and being in a bad mood? Unbelievable."
"Yeah, not to mention these gorgeously shaved eyebrows." Her hand is on the top of his eyes, again.
"I told you, I don't shave my eyebrows.”
"Screw this negative Nancy, why don't you and I get out of here and I'll let you shave whatever you want," Levi smirks, getting laughs out of both of them.

"See, why can't you be fun like your friend?" Rachel asks. Before Kip can answer, she looks over her shoulder and notices another girl halfway down the bar calling her over. "You boys will have to excuse me for a moment," and she walks away

"Dude! That chick is so hot! I would kill you just to pick her up at the funeral," Levi says as soon as she’s out of earshot
"I know," Kip says as he looks at Rachel across the bar.
"Are you going to do something about that?"
"I don't know."
"If you let her leave I will dick punch you, and then dick punch myself for being friends with you."
"I know."
"Mark my words, do not let her leave."
"How'd it go with that tall chick?”
"Let's just say we're on step 3."
"Which step is that?"
"The one where she tells me she's not interested."

Rachel and her friend suddenly approach the two of them. "It was lovely meeting the two of you, later eyebrows," she says as she puts her hand on Kip's face yet again.

The two women stroll out of the bar and Rachel pulls out a phone to call an Uber. Levi stares at Kip so intensely it’s like it’s searing his soul, and then he says:

"Look at me. I am older than you so listen and listen up well. Life is not about whatever is going on in your head. Life is about moments. Most of us don't know how significant a moment is until it's gone. But the great ones, they recognize the big moments, and they seize them. Get out of your head. Seize your moment.”

Kip looks at Levi, then out the window at Rachel. Her Uber is approaching. He looks back at Levi.

"Thank you."

He springs from his seat and rushes out of the bar. Rachel's friend is already in the car, and Rachel is halfway through the door.

"Hey! I literally never do this, and I apologize in advance for being so forward, but can we come with you? I don't care where we go as long as we go with you."

"Get in," Rachel replies with a smile.

Kip turns around and waves Levi over through the window. He struts out of the bar, taking a victory lap of sorts.

"Step number 4. Leave her wondering where you went."