Denmark: Girls Last Night Out

I circle hard and pull into the parking space,
jerking to a stop
"Sorry," I say to Marie
"Its alright, go right ahead and make me nauseaus," she shoots

And I love it, love the bitchiness.
We've known each other 2 weeks.

The BBQ pit is the size of a picnic table,
racks of ribs are being caramelised
succulent tiger prawns turn deep orange
whole fish in foil, juicy steaks running red

In my head I already know this is where we will eat
and later I expertly maneuver
my aunt, BF, Sean & Marie there

Everything is served with a hugelicious green salad
aioli and baked potato

My rack of porkribs contain at least a dozen
when there are 5 left, I look up
My puppy dog eyes don't work on
Marie, aunt or Per

No, no tapau.

I am interrupted by a few phonecalls
as I am on the phone I can read Marie's
gestures, its the first time she is meeting them
and she is moving her face this way and that
hand in front of her as if holding a camera
miming me

bitch.

When I left, Sean showed a rare moment
of emotion. Leaning out of the window
as I walked into the street
"I'll miss you Aja! Goodbye!"

"I'll miss you too Sean, I'll see you soon."

"How many days more Aja?"

Actually, now, its more like 30 days

Its is the Dragor Music Fest
Tonight's concerts are throwbacks
to Wham! and ABBA

Free concerts, sea-breeze and dancing by the sea
kinda makes one want to stay.

Look! cute beer holding thingies!

Marie and I drive back to my aunt's
I have the place to myself tonight
we get changed and ready to go out
we share make up like we've known
each other 10 yrs


The sultry voice of the jazz vocalist fills the room
I stand transfixed, wishing I had discovered this earlier
the bar/lounge/club had warm, woodsy hues
charming, classy
I sip my vodka lime.


Marie is speaking in Danish to some guy
I should be feeling lonely, maybe offended
but sipping my Caipiroska at the bar
I am lost in a world of my own

Men come up to talk, some ask to dance
and I make polite conversation or decline
but I am clearly not 'there'
and I know this, know that I am not
being particularly warm or friendly
but not hostile either, just uninterested
I do nothing about it, simply stand there analysing it
marvelling at how I could be in the centre of a packed club
yet be so totally removed from it

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Marie, do you mind if I take my shoes off?"
I say as I take them off
"Yeah go ahead, as though I am not already used
to you taking your shoes off everywhere!"
(you try walking in heels on cobbles!)
I'd rather brave the broken glass.

Danes are lying on the sidewalks
they never get violent when drunk
they sing and dance
or lie on the gound and sleep,
still clutching bottles.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The first night out with her
a guy came up to me, lifted an eyebrow
and said "How you doing?" ala Joey Tribiani

Today as we leave the club, we pass
a bunch of danish hunks
one looks my way
"How you doing?" he slurs
I burst into hysterical laughter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I tell Marie that I need to try a Copenhagen 'Pol-ser'
"Huh? Are you trying to say 'Phul-sher'? (or something)
she says, nose wrinkling
"I don't eat that shit"

"But I have to its an authentic CPH experience!"
We find a stall, I have one and am in love.
Marie and I part ways,
I sneak off to buy another hot-dog,
when I let myself into the apartment, its 4.30am

The night is young, people here party til 6
I roll into the duvet
the sun is coming up.