“You know what I mean?”  The intoxicated man asked me, leaning too close into my personal space. “These fuckin liberals’r fuckin up everything.  With their PC bullshit, a guy can’t even make a joke anymore.”

“You want another?” I asked, leaning forward so he’d get a good look down my shirt.

“Make it a double.” He said, his eyes almost falling into my cleavage.

I poured half a shot of rail whisky over ice and slipped water in while he ogled my tits.  I hated this piece of shit, but I wasn’t going to be responsible for him getting alcohol poisoning.  Maybe I’d change my mind after I saw what he tipped.

I’d found that being a bank teller didn’t pay well enough for me to meet my obligations, so I’d tarted myself up and went to a bar just down the street from where I worked 9-5 and asked if they needed help.  I knew I wasn’t the hottest thing on two legs, but I was fairly confident my boobs would land me a bartending job as long as the person interviewing me was a man.

My suspicions had been confirmed when Jordan had hired me without even asking me if I’d bartended before.  I wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about the patriarchy, but I was damned if I wasn’t going to take advantage of whatever I could.

“Hey.  Your break time?” Mel asked, glancing between me and the drunk patron.  I grinned, she really was the best.

“Yeah, I’m about due.”  I said, giving her my best smile.  I blinked when she blushed slightly.  Oh my, maybe this was going to be a better night than I’d thought.

Mel couldn’t keep her eyes from glancing down at my chest when I squeezed between her and the beer taps and I resisted the urge to grab her head and plant it in my cleavage.  I was floating on clouds as I slipped out the back of the pizza joint and lit an American Spirit.

“Hey.  Gotta smoke?”  A man in dirty clothes and a backpack stuffed with random possessions.  

“Damn straight.”  I said, offering him the pack.  “Hell you know what, you can have what’s left of this pack.  I have a feeling this is gonna be a good night for tips and I’ve got another pack in my purse inside.”

“Appreciate it.”  He said, taking the proffered cigarettes and fumbling one out.  “I’ve hit a rough patch you know. Been homeless for a couple months.  It’s hard to get a job when you can’t get regular showers.”

I reached into my pocket and pulled out my YMCA card and held it out.  “Hey, take this man. I’ll report it lost next month; I don’t have time to go to the gym right now anyway.  At least someone will get some use out of it.”

He stared at me for a few seconds before taking it with a slightly shaking hand.  “You sure?” He asked, “I mean, nobody does anything for nothing.”

“Well, I’m not nobody.”  I said with a grin, and exhaled smoke from my nostrils.  “Good luck out there man.”  

He walked down the alley, glancing at me over his shoulder once and waving with a huge grin on his face.  I felt even more like a million bucks when I went back into the bar. I walked past Mel as I came back in and let my hand slide across her back and felt my heart thrill at the blush and widening of her eyes.  I hadn’t been wrong then.

“Can I get a peach hazy?”  A man asked the second I was in view. 

“Sorry, Blacklist only has that on seasonal, we have their CraHazy right now though.”  I said, “It’s like if cranberries and an IPA got together in a mosh pit.”

“Sounds good.”  He said with a smile.

I pulled his pint and looked over my shoulder, “You starting a tab hon?”

He fumbled with his wallet and I was able to get drinks for three others while he found the card he wanted to use and handed it over.  I swiped it and handed it back along with his pint. The night continued on and by the time my shift was over I was exhausted.

“Hey.  You heading out?” Mel asked, wiping the bar.  

“Yeah, I need to get home so I can get some sleep.”  I said, “I gotta get up for work early.”

“What?  You’re working the morning shift?”  Mel’s face creased into a frown. “I’ll talk to Jordan, you shouldn’t have to work the late night and the morning shift!”

“Nah, this is my second job, even if it’s the one I like better.”  I said, lowering my lashes, “It comes with better perks.”

“Perks?”  She asked, brow still furrowed.

“You know.  More friendly working environment.”  I said with a tiny smile.

“Ah.” Her cheeks reddened again, “Well, yeah.  I get that.”

“Anyway, I’m getting an uber home.  To my cabin. On Park Point. Where I live alone.”  I said, letting the invitation in my voice hang between us.  

My heart raced, I’d never done anything like this before.  I’d never even considered it. Suddenly my confidence crumbled and I all but ran out the door, fumbling for my cigarettes.  I opened the fresh pack, flipped the front center one over for luck and shoved it back in before snagging another at random and flicking my Zippo to life.

My ride showed up in less than five minutes and I was actually relieved that Mel didn’t come to find me. What had gotten into me in there?

–

“I think my work is nearly done here.” Said Lust.

“You’re making my life difficult, but at least she didn’t walk home.  And she gave away that damn gym card.” Said Sloth.

“It’s good to see someone who is good at what they do and knows it.” Said Pride.

“Channeling her anger at drunks into better tips is amusing.” Said Wrath.

“You and I play well of one another.” Said Greed.

“They didn’t deserve their money anyway.” Said Envy.

“Since Lust struck out I’m sure that pint of Ben and Jerry’s won’t last long once she gets home!” Said Gluttony.