Sitting on the couch not bothering anyone, not bothering a soul is Henry Hemmington. Fresh off a late night of exhilarating fun with a couple of friends of mine around the Blue Nile. The Blue Nile was the place to be on a Friday night if looking for some fun in New Orleans. Excellent music, great atmosphere, and all of the most vivacious women in all of southern Louisiana are located at The Blue Nile. You could say that’s where anyone who is anyone would go on a Friday or Saturday night. Therein which we find our source of the story. A young man who stands out nearly anywhere he goes. At 6’11” and 303 pounds, it’s easy to see why he’s the stand out when he walks into the room.

The youngest of four brothers, Henry found it hard to live up to the infamous Hemmington name. His father was a doctor in New Orleans who had his own practice. Many large names in the industry would go to him for invasive surgeries. His three brothers? His eldest was a big time lawyer in the Los Angeles area. Henry could only imagine the kind of lawsuits he had to deal with out there. His second brother is a Chemical Engineering for a company founded in New Orleans. The third brother was on his final year of school at the University of Florida for Economics.

Meanwhile Henry Hemmington had gone to college at the local Tulane University on an athletic scholarship. His classes just didn’t interest Henry as much as the girls, dancing, and a little extra stuff to top off his night. Henry never partook in the act of drinking despite his closest friends always encouraging him to join in. Vices of a different color… well he couldn’t say he was so innocent. Henry smiled to himself as Dr. Dre’s “Beats” played “Farewell to the Former World” by Noir. He leans back and his mind begins to drift to the last time he’d had a smoking session.

In fact, just last night he had partaken in such an act with his friends.








Double H!

Henry’s attention diverts from the dance floor as he sees his group of friends sitting in a corner booth with a group of girls interwoven between them. Displaying that beautiful grin, Henry steps up off the dance floor and takes his seat beside his best friend since elementary school, Phoenix Manning.

No his real name wasn’t Phoenix, but you’d rename yourself too if your parents named you Peter Griffin Manning. Yes, Peter Griffin just like the character from the hit adult cartoon show, Family Guy. The kid was born in 1990 though. Long before that show was even thought of by Seth McFarlane. Regardless, the nickname of Peter Griffin stuck so much that when Phoenix got to high school, he changed it to Phoenix. Not that it helped a lot, but it made Phoenix happier and no one liked the hothead when he was on his man-cycle.

How are you, bro?! I see you found the loveliest of ladies to join us at the Circle Booth tonight.

Bro-man. You know that. Ain’t that right TM?

TM smiled and nodded in his direction obviously more transfixed on the rack set before him. The woman attached to them was either too drunk to care or just enjoyed the attention to her, obviously store-bought, tits.

TM as you may have guessed stands for Titty-Master. You’d think that TM was a great lay in bed. From the way he talks though, you’d swear the guy was an absolute virgin. He’s never said anything to discredit the notion either. The nickname didn’t come from his sexual prowess, no. It was bestowed upon him due to his absolute 100% certainty on guessing the cup size of women’s boobs.

Seemingly on command, TM looks up at the girl’s eyes and mouths some words to her and her eyes light up! She hugs TM tightly and TM lays back with a confident smile on his face. He looks across the booth at Henry and winks. Henry shakes his head and turns to the other guy at the other end of the booth, Jacques.

Jacques was probably the sore thumb of the group in terms of not quite fittin the motif. He wasn’t rich and he wasn’t related to anyone famous like the other three. He also didn’t quite… talk like the rest of them either.

Bonjour, Henry.

Henry rolls his eyes as he sees the sly smile spread across the face of Jacques.

Bonjour, Jay.

It’s then that another girl comes up to the table and immediately sits in the lap of Henry. Jacques laughs in his very Creole ‘hu-hu-hu.’ The girl wraps her arm around the back of Henry’s head pulling his dirty blonde-haired head down to her neck. A brief waft of her perfume hits his nose and his eyes dilate as a shark smelling blood in the water.

Henry allow me to introduce you to Alma. Alma this is Henry Hemmington. Henry, Alma grew up in the public schools around New Orleans-

Nahlans, twat.

Jay and Phoenix have a brief stare-off before Phoenix raises his glass of alcohol to Jacques and drinks it down.

Whatever the fuck you want to call it bro-man. Henry! Where the fuck is your drink? Bartender! Get this man a drink!

A young woman who happened to be passing by nods and walks over to the counter and makes a drink fairly quickly. All the while, Alma is rubbing and bumping on Henry’s long lap. Henry can’t help but smirk when the cute bartender walks up and hands him a mixed drink. Flashing those chompers made the woman blush as she quickly set down the drink and scurried off. Something about that bartender…

Hey…

Alma whispered in his ear. She stood up showing off her gorgeous ebony skin scantily clad by her ‘dress’ if you want to call it that. The vixen swayed over to him, reached over, and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, pulling him towards the dance floor. They began to dance with Henry holding her waist while she bent over and twerked on him. This didn’t last long as she abruptly turned around and as she neared time seemed to slow down. Her mouth inching ever forward at an exhausting rate towards his towering head. Finally their li-

Ow-what the fuck?

Henry rubs his neck where the newspaper had hit him and turns around to see his father standing over him looking incredibly irritated. Hemmington decided to take the headphones off in case his dad had anything new to yell at him for.

What the fuck? Did you just say, ‘what the fuck?’ To me?

Sorry pops. You scared the sh- poop out of me. I was thinking about last night.

Oh is that so? Why don’t you tell me all about it? Start first with how you went to Taco Bell and bought $150 worth of food? Or how you managed to spend $200 at the club last night? On MY credit card?

The hot, searing flame fills his cheeks as Henry tries to hide his embarrassment. Of course he remembered doing both things, but obviously hadn’t thought his dad would care. He hadn’t ever before. In fact, this was the first time he’d seen his raven-haired father with gray sprinkled down the sides in almost two weeks. His business kept him busy and away at the same time. Henry dreaded seeing his father’s face so full of fury like this.

Did you do this or am I going to have to call the cops saying some person stole my identity and bought all of that at two of your favorite locations?

Okay, Dad. It was me, okay? Just be cool.

Be cool. You’re right. You’re so damn right. I’m the one in the wrong here. Not you. How about this? How about you’ve got a job interview on Monday? How about that, huh? Trust me, son, you’ll need this job. You want to know why? If you don’t turn this storm around, it’s going to sink your ship.

With that last statement, Henry’s father turned about face and stormed from the room stomping the floor as if his life depended on it with each step. Henry turned around and laid back on the sofa staring straight ahead at the fireplace crackling.

A job interview? Where’s a guy of my size going to work?

---

It later turned out that the job place was none other than the Blue Nile. He got the job of course as he knew the manager from his many weekends spending money there. By the end of the meeting, the two were laughing at old instances that had occurred in the club. Henry would start the next day.

Wearing all black, Henry stood over the bar much like a basketball player would. He wiped down the bar while waiting for further instructions. Henry’s head looks up as he hears the sound of a laugh. A young, bubbly blonde girl comes through the doorway and makes her way to the counter. Her eyes look up and find themselves locked onto the eyes of Henry Hemmington. At that moment, they both instantly remember one another from the other night. With eyes wide open, she blushes and slowly extends her hand. Henry leans down, flashes that smile before shaking her hand.

So you’re going to be teaching me the ropes?

It… it appears so. Welcome to Blue Nile. Let’s not waste a second.

The two begin going through the daily motions of getting the bar and club ready for before the rushes. They laugh and makes jokes as they quickly go through their work. It gets to the end of the line. One hour before the big waves comes through. Henry has two different bottles in each hand and is flipping from one to another.

What the fuck? Remind me again how to make this Gilmour on a Beach?

You take the oldest beer, the strongest vodka, and a bit of Jack Daniels. That’s it.

Okay. What about that bottle over there? What is it used for?

The young girl, who formally introduced herself earlier as Samantha Sellick, picked up the largest bottle which had no label on it anymore. She holds it up and smiles a mischievous grin.

This is calOH! Oh no! Ohnoohnoohnoohnoohno!

The bottle falls to the ground and shatters, spreading liquor all over the floor. Samantha quickly raises her hands to her head and looks ashamed and fearful. She looks faint and tries to use the bar to hold her standing. Henry leaps forward and holds her close, making sure she stays standing. Tears begin flowing from her eyes.

You don’t understand. He’ll fire me for this. I need this job! I have a kid and I…

Her next few words are drowned out by sobbing. Henry hears some heavy footsteps behind him and suddenly the owner is standing there looking down at the enormous mess.

What the hell happened?

I’m so sorry Mr. Wilson. I just picked up that bottle in the corner, and I accidentally dropped it. I’m so sorry.

Which…

His voice trails off as he sees which bottle has been dropped. His face doesn’t turn red with anger, but white with fear.

You’re fired Hemmington.

But sir I..

FIRED! Get out now!

Henry assures that Samantha is fine before he leaves out of the bar. As he takes a deep breath outside of the club, the youngest Hemmington boy begins to walk over to his car when suddenly Samantha comes running out of the club with tear stains down her cheeks. Henry barely has time to turn around before she plows into him with a tight embrace.

Why did you do that?

I did ask you what that was for so it was my fault that you picked it up.

But you didn’t break it! I did. Why did you take up for me?

She looks up into his eyes with sheer gratitude. Her blue eyes shining bright against the contrast of her pale skin through her wired rims of her glasses.

It just seemed like the right thing to do. No sweat Sam.

They hold eye contact for a few seconds longer before they separate as Henry headed home to face the father he dreaded more than anything.

---

Henry gets home and sees his father sitting on the bench outside of his home. The older man has his right leg folded onto his left with a newspaper spread out across his lap. On his nose are his reading glasses in which he very seldom wears.

As he tries to slip by him, Henry’s dad clears his throat and indicates the seat next to him. Henry sighs and moves over to the bench. His father puts his arm around the shoulders of Henry and looks at his face.

So fired, huh? Your first job and you’re fired before you even get started? I warned you son that you were on a sinking ship. It appears as though S.S. Henry has finally capsized.

His father removes his arm and resumes his dissection of the paper.

Now go collect your things. I want you out of my house in 30 minutes.

But, but Dad!

No buts! You’re wasting what little time you have. Go now. If not, I’ll have Arcadia (the maid from the house) throw your shit into the street. Go to Los Angeles. Oh I got another job offer for you by the way. This time, it’s with the XWF. The X-treme Wrestling Federation. You’re going to their development program. There you will hone your craft until you make your way onto the main roster. If you try to quit or screw up, they’ll beat the shit out of you. They’ll make you a man. Now go.

Henry got his things together and began driving down the road. He got approximately twenty miles down the road before he pulled over and just punched the steering wheel. Leaning back, he exhaled a long, deep breath.

What have I gotten myself into?