"Hey what's up babe?" Manos said stretching his limps on the chairs next to him as I drank the last of my beer, the soccer game declaring a yellow card at someone, in the outdoor pub we were in. Manos was a coworker friend, that decided we jived and hung out with me ever since. We've been to several countries in the EU and worked for years together.
The old men grunted as the opposite team tried to score and Manos was talking loudly to someone about how work and life was going; pretty good with some details I already knew. But I wondered who would call at 9 pm and bother him. He had a lot of girlfriends and so did I, but he was single currently. I moved an inch and he stared at me. I shook my head inquisitively and I asked who was it?
The team that the old men supported scored but my ears were heightened to hear every word coming out of his mouth.
"Dad," Manos whispered and got back to his phone.
Oh his dad. Hey wait a minute. What was that greeting then? I sat next to Manos at work and he always answers the phone with "babe" like a punctuation. He must use it as a friendly type of babe, right?
I had a burning question to ask so I waited for him to finish his phone call, watching the match in the meantime.
Manos threw the phone on the table and sat up.
"You're tenser than usual, John." I relaxed visibly and put my elbows on the table. How to ask the question? Do I make small talk or straight up ask?
"So, your dad just wanted to check in?" I asked carefully.
"Yeah, now out and say it what you have in that head of yours?" Tensed again. Waited until voice stabilized.
"That babe thing. Do you do it to women too?"
"Yeah that's where it came from." Mano's chin lifted as he pursed his lips.
"But you did it to a man just now too?"
"Tsss."
"I just wanna know how you mean it when you say it." My hands were getting sweaty because I was unconsiously rubbing them together.
"I dunno. I did it since high school. It's just a word to me, John". His eyes pierced me again.
I suddenly noticed how quiet everything was, the TV and the old men a few tables away. I gulped.
"Okay, alright, just curious."
A few moments later the sound was raised again and I paid for the food and alcohol.
"Heading home" I announced, picking up my stuff.
"Mind if I come?" he asked and then let out a small laugh.
"I'm hitting the bed as soon as I get there. See ya at work tomorrow."
Manos laughed again.
"Yeah, see ya."
We parted ways and I saw him back at work, fresh and with a weight off his shoulders. He winked at me.
End.
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