Page 42 of Autumn in Sycamore Park
‘You think yours was long ago?’ Angela said. ‘Queen Victoria was on the throne when I was young. I bet I’ll still be first on the dancefloor, though.’
‘Is that a challenge?’
‘You bet it is.’
‘Then let’s go.’
The sky was clouding over,the sun about to set as they headed up the high street. A line of people stood outside Gossip Bar, waiting under an awning to gain entry. Jennifer stared. Except for one older couple who looked equally bemused, everyone standing in the queue wore either red, green or yellow. Jennifer glanced at Tom, who shrugged, then at Angela, who wore another impish smile.
‘Ah, what’s going on?’ Jennifer asked.
‘Oh, nothing much,’ Angela said. ‘It’s just traffic light night, that’s all.’
‘Uh, what?’
Tom was chuckling. ‘Oh my, I haven’t been to one of these in twenty years. So, that explains this god-awful set up you’ve got us wearing.’
‘It’ll be fun,’ Angela said.
‘Um, I’ve lived under a rock my whole life,’ Jennifer said. ‘Enlighten me, please.’
‘It’s a pick up night,’ Tom said. ‘Red means you’re taken, green that you’re available. Yellow means that you’re a maybe.’
‘A maybe?’
Tom nodded. ‘Potentially in a relationship, but willing to be swayed if the right person comes along.’
‘You have to wear yellow, otherwise you get swamped,’ Angela said.
Jennifer frowned. ‘Are you a regular at these things?’
Angela laughed. ‘Oh, not for a while. I was quite the raver in my youth, though.’
They joined the back of the queue as people filed inside. As they reached the entrance, the doorman stuck out a hand. ‘I.D.?’
Jennifer smiled. ‘Oh, wait—’
‘I mean her.’ The doorman frowned at Angela.
‘Oh, Gary, you’re such a tease.’
The doorman burst into laughter. ‘Come on in, folks. Oh, hey Tom. You’re on escort duty tonight?’
‘Escorting these two ladies home only,’ Tom said.
‘Well, have a good one.’
‘Thanks, mate.’
They headed into the club. A dancefloor in one corner was filled with people, the music a little quieter than Jennifer remembered from her last venture into a club, perhaps to appease the older audience. They got drinks from a bar and found a table in a corner.
‘Well, happy birthday,’ Jennifer said to Angela, and the three of them clinked glasses.
‘I think I might go and have a dance,’ Angela said, jumping up and heading for the dancefloor before the others could react.
‘She’s quite the livewire,’ Jennifer said to Tom. ‘I don’t know how she keeps it up.’
‘It’s all that healthy living,’ he said. ‘We should probably take a leaf out of her book.’
