BJ's Karaoke Bar
My Week #8 Submission
The mid-day Caribbean sun was beating down the middle aged couple — so they decided to duck into the first open doorway they saw.
“G’day mates, I’m Brian. What can I get’cha?”
“What!?” The woman screamed, fanning herself manically.
“A Red Stripe, and a daiquiri,” the husband said as he wiped sweat from his brow. “Is it always this loud in here?”
“Not always,” I said, and slid the drinks to him.
Hells Bells was winding down, so I went ahead and made Tommy’s double-ginto — two limes just like he likes it. The American couple figured to be high maintenance — needing a bit of a buffer, I lit a spliff and took a few tokes. Ah😁much better.
“So what brings ya to Nassau?”
“She’s been on me about a Bahamas cruise for years,” the man said.
The wife cut in now, “Hal doesn’t want to do anything but watch the Cowboys — this daiquiri is great — we’ve been married 35 years and this is the first time we’ve left the States. This is, the most curious little bar — what’s with all the AC/DC stuff? Do you always play the metal music? Why does it have to be so loud? I’ve never heard of singing heavy metal at a karaoke bar — when we do it at home, we sing good old country classics like Luke Bryan or that new girl. What’s her name Hal?”
“You mean Taylor Swift, honey?” The husband offered. “Janice fancies herself as a ‘Swifty’, he said while making air quotation marks.
“She’ll be right, mate. You want another stubby?” I said, and pointed at his half drank bottle.
“You gotta any Bud Light? I just wanted to try the Red Stripe, you know since they are made here and all.”
“Sure mate, no worries,” I didn’t bother correcting him. “How about you miss, you want another?”
“Yes pleassse,” she slurred, so I made her a virgin and charged’em double.
“Where are you from?” The bloke asked me.
“Straya, originally mate. But, I was a bit of a nomad before I washed up on the Point.”
“Hey BJ — are you gonna chat with the yanks all night, or can I get another one?”
“Coming right up, mate!”
Tommy took this one with him on stage, as the iconic rift of Back in Black began to play over the sound system. The Americans then turned to me with a quizzy look.
“What’s with all the AC/DC memorabilia? Is that all you play in here?”
“Haha not at all mate, but Tommy’s on a real ripper today. He always gets like this when he returns from the States.”
“But it’s barely afternoon yet, and he’s wasted,” the man added.
“Na, no worries mate. Tommy’s a beauty. He’s just getting started.”
“Why all the AC/DC merch?” He asked again.
“Well, because the album was recorded in this very spot mate.”
“Huh?” The bloke looked to be more confused now, than before he’d asked the question.
“Yeah so back in ‘92 a bloody terrible cyclone forced me to beach my catamaran in this bay — I have been stranded ever since. But before the storm washed it away with my tinny, the Compass Point Studio had been located on this very spot! It’s where the band wrote and recorded the Back in Black album. So I thought, why not open a...”
Unfortunately, I don’t think the bloke heard that last part — his misses, was trying to make her way up on the stage now with Tommy. Who was all to happy to assist her aboard!
Oh, yeah Oh, yeah
Take my love
Oh, yeah, yeah
Oh, yeah, yeah, ooh, yeah
Well, I’m back
Back (I’m back) Back (I’m back)
Back (I’m back) Back (I’m back)
Back, Back in black
Yes, I’m back in black
I’ve hit the sack
Unable to get her down until the song ended — the couple hurriedly paid their tab, and made their exit just as another couple was entering. The man wiped sweat from his brow, while his misses fanned herself.
I already had Tommy’s Ginto ready for him as he reclaimed his stool — two limes, just like he likes it.
“G’day mates, I’m Brian. What can I get’cha?”
Thanks for reading! If you’re a writer, I hope this’ll inspire you to make your own submission!
If you enjoyed this fictional short story, please consider sharing it and clicking that ❤ button, and I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments. Oh and if you’re an email reader, just hit reply—I want to hear from you too!
This publication is currently free. If you still want to support my writing, you can make a one-time contribution here.
Fun story! loved the dialogue and the idea of where Brian might’ve ended up. And I LOLed to making a Virgin and charging for a double. Feel like someone has probably done that to me before. Haha! Great read! 🤠
Well, that was fun!