Blue Hour

Saturday Night Fever

Without music and dance, life is a journey through a desert - Pat Conroy

**********************************************************************************************

I turned right to walk to the end of the line when Alex pulled me in the other direction. 

Without hesitating he walked straight to the entrance where he politely nodded towards the bouncers. 

As if coordinated they immediately stepped out of the way. Three of them moved in front of the waiting line to shield us from curious eyes.

"Good evening, Sir." They all greeted with a respectful nod back. 

Within seconds we entered the most insuperable door in NYC. 

Okeeey?! Welcome to the crazy Alex world, Charlie.

Where usually behind the door a grim and dirty staircase awaited to lead down to a club I found myself behind dark red velvet curtains that opened to an exclusive lobby. Featuring dark brown leather seatings and an elegant walnut bar it looked nothing like the clubs I had ever seen. And it sounded different, too. Lounge music drifted softly in the background. 

In the centre below a spectacular chandelier a staircase draped in dark blue carpet led down to what must be the main club.

Holding his hand up in greeting towards the barkeepers Alex went down the stairs. Did he come here often? Fin had mentioned he rarely went out? That didn't make sense. 

We continued down the staircase where the next surprise awaited. 

Again, two bouncers stood on the staircase platform in front of a ceiling high double-door made of dark wood and golden decorations. On my right the stairs continued down and for the first time I heard distant music pulsing up.

Like magic the bouncers once more stepped with a demur nod to the side. Thereby both took one of the door handles and opened us the way.

"You have made quite an impression around here." I raised my eyebrows while we walked into an elegant hallway. 

It did not even remotely look like a club, it literally looked like a palace. 

The walls were boarded with again walnut wood now accompanied by a cream-coloured silk tapestry and elegant black-and-white art showed dancing people. On the right side of the corridor every few meters were doors with a golden sign. Each stated names like "Ruby Suite", the next one was "Sapphire", then came "Emerald" and so on.

We stopped at a suite called "Alexandrite Suite". THIS name for sure was no coincidence. What was an Alexandrite? In my head I added it to my research list.

Damian opened the doors and I found myself in a luxurious lounge with honey-golden oak floor, a dark oriental rug and night-grey walls. The seating arrangements were in deep green or ruby red with matching pillows. 

Walking deeper into the large room I noticed that everything was adorned with these two colours in a very subtle way. The dark rug had the colours swirled throughout the design. The vases on the tables sported a mosaic of it as well as the napkins behind the bar. 

Watching from behind I noticed that even Alex's SHIRT matched the suite! The sleeves he just rolled up did not only show his trained forearms but also had a ruby red ornament on the inside. Show-off.

"Impressive. Let me guess this suite is called Alexandrite because of you?" I tapped on his chest trying to hide my intimidation. This was so far away from my reality and any club I had ever seen.