Nyla was working furiously behind the bar. Happy hour was in full swing. The Cantina was packed with dockworkers, longshoremen and tugboat crews. There were even a handful of bikers. There weren’t a lot of girls in the bar. The Chinaman had created some of his specialty, Mexican egg rolls and fried won ton instead of chips with his specialty, a sweet and sour salsa. The jute box was blaring and the televisions were covering the latest sporting events.
Tina was still wired to the stops and Mandy was holding her own bouncing from table to table. Marko had control of the interior and watched the exterior and parking lot for strange behavior. It was early yet, the sun was just beginning to dip behind the Palos Verdes Peninsula. The sky was full of crimson clouds and golden streaks. The Cantina was noted for its view of the harbor and massive freighters that languished on the water under the power of sea-going tugs. Customers got a bird’s eye view of any vessels entering or leaving the main channel.
Jimbo pulled up on his bike and parked it near the entrance. Marko, behind Bandit’s rules, made sure that bikers got the prime spots and that all riding stock was carefully watched. Jimbo entered through the large oak doors and immediately spotted Tina waiting tables. This usually wasn’t her shift. He made his way to the bar and ordered a beer. “What’s Tina doing here?” Jimbo asked Nyla.
“She’s working a double shift,” Nyla said bouncing from one station to another. She looked hot in her little outfit and every time she bent over to prepare a drink customers were afforded soft entertainment in the form of her jiggling tits. Jimbo looked down her blouse and let out a long sigh then took a swallow from his beer. “You should make your move tonight. She’s prime,” Nyla whispered.
“I’ll give it a shot,” Jimbo said. “Any reason why tonight?”
“That asshole Steve isn’t around,” Nyla said pouring four shots of Jack Daniels, “And she’s been taking Spanish Fly all day.”
“What?” Jimbo said.
“Stick around, you’ll see,” Nyla said moving to another section of the bar to deal with shouting customers.
Tina came to the bar with her tray and bellied up to the waitress station to unload glasses and enter another order.
“Hi Tina,” Jimbo said
“Hi Jimbo,” Tina returned, “Nyla, baby, I need some drinks,” She shouted across the island to where Nyla was working. Tina unloaded her tray of the empties and stepped away from the bar to the busboy station to grab a clean towel and wipe down her sloppy tray.
Nyla bussed around the bar and when she saw Jimbo and Tina’s proximity was clear she leaned over the bar sticking her large breasts under his nose,” Give her something,” Nyla whispered.
“Are you sure?” Jimbo said. He wasn’t a forward kind of guy, but he wanted a woman bad and Tina even worse. He had a hankerin’ that he could straighten her out if only he could make the connection.
Nyla was too busy to answer she just raised her cute eyebrows and started to fill Tina’s drink order. Tina was back in a flash, standing at the waitress station.
Jimbo left his beer on the bar and ran out to Harbor Blvd in front of the Cantina. There was usually a small Mexican kid on the island selling roses to the motorists who were trying to make a left onto the Vincent Thomas Bridge. The kid was standing on the island as cars whizzed past holding an arm full of red roses. Jimbo ran up to the curb and hollered, “Gimme a dozen.”
The kid was at his side in minute exchanging cash and roses. Jimbo returned to the bar as Nyla was finishing the last of Tina’s drink order. At the site of a dozen roses she raised her eyebrows and jiggled her tits, “Impressive.”
Jimbo leaned forward and put one hand on the railing that separated the rest of the bar from the waitresses and leaned forward. “Here’s just a little something to let you know that I care.” He handed her the dozen crimson roses and for some reason the notion flew around the bar and half the brothers stood up and applauded. Tina was completely caught off guard. No one had treated her with such kindness in as long as she could remember. No one had given her a romantic present in just as long.
For the first time she looked at Jimbo with open eyes. “I don’t know what to say,” she muttered as the crowd applauded.
“Let’s have a cup of coffee later,” Jimbo said.
“I have a break coming up in a few minutes, and I need it,” Tina said.
“I’ll be here,” Jimbo said. “Now, deliver the goddamn drinks, Tina,” Bandit said wandering through the Cantina and spotting the action. “Nice work, Jimbo.”
“Thanks, brother,” Jimbo said and smiled like he hadn’t in months. Ten minutes passed quickly and Tina grabbed a long coat she had in the back to cover her uniform. She followed Jimbo to his bike, “I’ve got to be back in an hour,” Tina said.
“No problem,” Jimbo said, “Get on.”
Tina hadn’t done much riding and Jimbo warned her about getting the coat caught in the rear wheel. He rolled up Harbor Boulevard to the 22nd Street Landing and pulled into the restaurant parking lot. He asked the Host for a booth overlooking the harbor so that Tina would be comfortable and she noticed the care he took for her. “Thank you, Jimbo, that’s very kind,” she said slipping her arm in his.
The booth was a padded horseshoe and they moved to the back to watch the sunset as they ordered dinner. Tina was rambling mentally. It was a day from some other planet. She had experienced a woman for the first time, received roses for the first time in years, got a lift on a motorcycle and for the first time got a real look at one of the good guys who came around the Cantina. She was amazed and still wired. She found comfort in talking to the big guy with kind eyes. He listened intently as she poured forth with her problems and rugged past. She only ate soup and had a glass of wine, while he had a slab of broiled Salmon and a Caesars salad. He kept and eye on his watch and made sure the tab was paid and they were walking back to his scoot in plenty of time.
When they rumbled up to the Cantina, Jimbo helped her off the bike. “I’m not going back in right now, but if you want me to come back at closing I will. I’ll take you some place where you can rest, but no drugs.” “Please,” she said and kissed him gently then strolled quickly back inside.
