Friday March 29th 2024

Firecracker Flo

punkgirl

Firecracker Flo
(A Short Story by Jim Slimedog)

 

“Yeah, buy me one of those firecrackers, hon,” Flo says to Joey beside her.

She’s swaying to the music of the jukebox playing some oldie from the seventies best forgotten. But it doesn’t take much to get Flo going, the crack in her bloodstream just calls for some expression, some need. She dances above her swivel seat near the bar. Her hands pulled back to her ears, her hips dipping side to side. She’s got a too tight, too high above the knees, black linen dress with little yellow flowers on it and tall black pumps with thick straps around the ankle.

“Here you go, Flo,” Joey says giving her the drink made mostly of Peppermint Schnapps, as he tokes from his long necked Miller Genuine Draft.

She tilts her head back and raises the big shot glass past her lips and drops the liquid down her throat, not even touching her mouth, and the drink goes straight to her gut and brings a bit of glow to her thin cheeks. She’s thin everywhere, seems she’s quite fond of her diet supplement.

“I still don’t know how you do it,” Joey says to her.

“Well, it’s  one of the advantages of deep throatin’,” she laughs, “it just opens you all up back there, honey.”

Flo’s sister works behind the bar, she’s married to the owner and Flo plies her trade in the bar, making just enough money to keep the party going. Hell, it beats working at the chocolate factory like she used to, she figures, in this small Ohio town twenty miles from Cincinnati.

A couple of fellows are here tonight from the trucking company training site across the way. They’re only here for a few months and have been warned about this place. So, of course, this is where they hang.

“So, what’s the price again, Flo?” Tim asks smirking.

“Twenty dollars for a blowjob, fifty dollars for a lay,” she says all business like and they all get a laugh as she runs down her itinerary.

“But Tommy says you blew him for nothing” Tim says, which Tommy, who’s not there yet, did tell him.

“That’s a goddamn lie,” she says loudly,” I had to work hard on him, that fucker, I had to earn my money with him.” She says, “How about a firecracker for Flo the ‘ho, honey?” shaking her teased blond hair, winking her heavily made up eyes.

“No, it was Joey you did,” someone says and they all laugh. Joey’s a young guy with a speech impediment, slumped shoulders and glasses. He has straight black hair and a long sleeved plaid shirt. He’s twenty-three and is kind of the bar mascot, he’s also a virgin.

“Let’s get Joey laid,” Tim says, “I want ten from everyone, ante up, fellars.”

The boys get the money up as Joey looks shyly down. He’s known Flo awhile now and is excited and scared of the situation at the same time. They manage to scrape up the fifty from eight guys and give it to Flo.

Tim slaps Joey on the back and grins ,”This is your big night, boy.” And everyone cheers, word going around the bar, as Flo and Joey head out the back entrance to Flo’s place, a little bit across the way on the third floor of an old apartment building.

Flo puts the key in the doorway, fumbling in the darkness because the light in the hall’s out again.

“Wooh, hee, look at us, honey,” Flo giggles, dancing around her sparse apartment. “Can you believe this? Did you read your horoscope today? Honey, I read mine and it said “business meetings will be fruitful” but it said nothing about this.” she laughs. A little later Joey and Flo are getting down to the business at hand.

“C’mon, Joey, Oh, I want you, you know it fee-eels so good. C’mon, give it to Flo, I want it, honey.” Flo squirms with her eyes closed on the bed. Not excited but just going with the flow. Repeating the script. It’s not so much Joey, it’s just sex for her’s about exciting as doing the laundry, it’s just another chore. Joey’s sweating up above, his elbows are starting to hurt, too many drinks and really too much excitement are holding up the works now for at least the last half hour. Finally Joey lies down next to her on the bed.

“You know Joey,” Flo says in the darkness, lighting a cigarette that lights up against the window shade with the streetlight peering in, “We don’t have to do this, I can get you some other time.”

“But I want to,” Joey says,” You’re so b-b-b-beautiful, Flo. I just never thought, you know, I’ve dreamed of this moment for so long a-a-a-and as the dream comes true my apparatus fails,” he grimaces, then grins,” I got a broken prick, I guess, Flo. I guess you should take me to the doctor.”

“That’s all right,” Flo smiles,” Your hearts workin’ fine. You know, all the time everyone treats me like dirt and you treat me like a queen. Why is that, hon?”

“Well, you’re so beautiful, Flo, and you never did harm to no one. I think you’re nicer and smarter than all those idiots back at the bar. Remember when that guy called you a whore and I stood up for ya. It seems guys call girls whores as an insult and then curse them when they don’t put out. I just think you’re the most beauty I’ve seen in my life, Flo. What’s money got to do with sex and what’s love got to do with sex, anyways? I wish, I could…. you know.”

You don’t need the doctor, Joey. I’m the one that’s got to go. I got somethin’ broken inside. Somethin’ nothin’ or no one can fix, anymore. And it’s been broken for so long that I’ve got used to it and I’ve even forgotten what it is. You can’t raise the dead, can’t heal somethin’ with no feelin’. But you give me somethin’, honey, a slight glimpse, of light through the shadows. You’re one of the few things in life, other than a firecracker or coke, that can still make me smile.”

Joey and Flo head back into the bar, Joey is all smiles.

“This is one man who makes me scream for real, honey,” Flo says, tossing the bills down on the bar. “Drinks for everyone, a round on the house.” Flo yells in the air. Joey’s all grins and everyone’s cheering again, moving up to the bar. A sixties song called “Do You Love Me” is playing on the jukebox. “Do you love me, now that I can dance?” the music wails in the background.

“I can’t take no money for an experience as awesome as that, sugar,” she kisses Joey on the cheek.

“You did him and you don’t want no money, you’re shittin’ me,” Tommy comes up to her.

“He was a whole lot better than you,” Flo says, eyes wide,” A hell of a lot better than you.”

Tim comes over with her firecracker, Flo raises the drink above her head, ”Here’s to love, true love don’t come every time,” she winks at Joey.

As the liquid glides effortlessly down the back of her throat, the party is on. The goddamn party is on. And excuse me, but I think I’ve got a drink waiting for me up at the bar.

 

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