Aaron had had those dreams too. Aaron had come to this barren destination hoping to earn enough money to start his own bar and restaurant on this sandy topography. He even met an almost showgirl and although she was married, she accepted Aaron’s marriage proposal the first night they spent together.

Desiree was her name and she wandered into the bar one night when Aaron was working.

She always arrived alone but never left alone. Men were continually buying her drinks and the drinks quickly made Desiree the life of the party.

For about a week Aaron silently nodded a greeting to Desiree and said nothing more.

She seemed out of his league. She was tall and curvy with a mane of golden blonde hair. Her teeth were very straight and she held her cigarettes with slender fingers. There was something unattainable and dreamlike about Desiree. They was also something wild and free about her.

But one night when it was quieter than usual at the Tiki Bar, Desiree spoke to Aaron.

“Hey can I have another one of these?” She said as she pointed to her empty glass.

Aaron quickly refilled her drink and pretty soon she just started talking nonstop.

It was good that it was a slow night.

“You married?” Desiree asked Aaron.

Aaron shook his head. “Nope, I haven’t met the right girl yet.”

“Well marriage sucks and what is your name?”

“Aaron Flynn and you are Desiree.”

Desiree started laughing, “Aaron Flynn isn’t that a movie star name or something?”

“Yes” admitted Aaron. “My grandmother named me and she was a bit of a movie buff” Aaron answered as he felt his face redden.

“Just don’t get married Aaron Flynn promise me that” slurred Desiree slightly intoxicated.

“I promise then” said Aaron.

At the end of the evening, Desiree asked Aaron to take her home and so he did.

The following morning Desiree was gone. She must have crawled out of his bed with the morning light. She did not return to the bar that night or the night after.

When Desiree did return she was in the company of several older men who were buying a round of drinks for the entire bar.

Aaron caught Desiree’s eye, but she avoided him most of the evening. Aaron could not help but watch Desiree. He watched her flit between the men shelling out rolls of cash and handing them to her.

He watched as Desiree’s delicate manicured hand firmly grasped all the cash that was offered to her. She sat on the laps of all the men and even nuzzled a few of them. Once or twice she met the gaze of Aaron and barely smiled.

When the men ambled over to the pool table, Desiree strolled up to the bar.

“Busy night for you Aaron Flynn I see,” said Desiree batting her long lashes and crossing her endless legs as she sat on the stool.

“Busy for you too” Aaron replied not missing a beat and eyeing the television.

“Oh I know what you think of me Aaron Flynn” Desiree said.

“Why don’t you tell me what I think then” replied Aaron in a flat voice.

“You think I am some cheap one night stand looking for love in a desert.”

“Well, actually yeah that thought has crossed my mind.”

“You don’t understand Aaron what it is like being in a loveless marriage in the middle of nowhere. I want to be rich and famous. I deserve it.”

“So any rich guy will do then and I guess I am not qualified.”

Desiree laughed, “You never were qualified. You are cute but you can’t sustain me in the manner that I deserve. You have nothing to offer me.”

With that last comment Desiree strutted over to the pool table and said something that made the men laugh.

Later that evening, Aaron watched Desiree leave holding the arms of two of the men. One of the men opened the door instantly inviting another cloud of dust to settle on the bar counter.

Aaron automatically wiped the counter clean just as the door firmly shut. It was at that moment that he felt like just another speck of dust, blowing through the open door, in the middle of an oasis called the “Tiki Bar.”