It was a rather gloomy day as Larry Butz entered the local bar. He sighed. The bartender sighed.
"Let me guess," he said. "You want the usual." Larry nodded as he sat down. The bartender started making Larry's drink. "So who was the girl this time?"
"Miharu," Larry said. "She just left me for her boss. What a cliché." The bartender rolled his eyes. "So what's new?"
"Nothing much Butz," he said. "You were only here last week." Larry nodded. "Butz as much as I get from you every week you got to stop torturing yourself. The perfect woman isn't out there."
"I know," Larry said. The door opened. A woman came to sit next to Larry. Larry didn't even bother paying attention.
"Can I get something a soda?" she said. The bartender nodded. "Ginger Ale."
"What's eating you toots?" the bartender asked. The woman shrugged.
"Men suck," she said. The bartender nodded. "Here's too." She looked at Larry. "Here's to you."
"Thanks," he said. "So what's with men."
"I really got to stop falling for men I know I can't have," she said. "Like this guard I saw a week back he was so stern looking and so handsome. But he wasn't available."
"I hear you there," Larry said. "Women keep leaving me for other boys." The woman nodded.
"My last official boyfriend was a jerk though," she said. "But he was so nice to me. I don't even know what went wrong."
"Let me guess," Larry started. "He left you for someone else he liked."
"No but maybe that would have been better," The woman stated. She sniffled. "He framed me for murder." Larry looked over at the woman for the first time.
She was a shy looking woman. The back of her hair was cut off. But her hair in front of her shoulders was long and it curled at the end. And her outfit looked like something belonging in a mansion.
"Sounds like my ex Belle," Larry said. "Only dated me for an alibi." The woman nodded.
"At least she didn't make you think you actually killed someone," she said. "I mean Lance made me feel like I shot my father." She put her hands over her face. "Oh Lauren stop blaming yourself. It wasn't your fault."
"Sounds like a jerk," Larry said. "But it's nice you were found innocent." Lauren nodded.
"But he gave me a lollypop ring and I thought he really," she said. "Oh Lance why did you have to do it?" She pulled out scissors at made to cut her hair. Larry stopped her in time. "Sorry force of habit."
"Don't worry about it," Larry said. Lauren sipped her soda. "But I think I got you beat on failed relationships. One time I got punched in the nose by my old ex's boyfriend." Lauren nodded.
"Love can stink," she said. Larry nodded. "I'm Lauren."
"Larry," Larry said. Lauren nodded. "Want another drink it's on me." Lauren smiled and nodded. Larry smiled too. "Bartender another round."