Origins of a Song: Suzanne Vega’s Luka

“Cheers”

“Cheers”

“Indeed, I do live around here. I live in the building actually, just above this dump on the second floor,” she explains sarcastically while shaking off the zap of her tequila shot.

“Oh riiiiight, of course. I see you doing laundry next door from time to time. I’m Eddie,” the bartender retorts extending his hand for a shake.

“Luka,” reciprocating the shake.

“Nice to make your acquaintance, Luka. Hey, not that it’s any of my business, but from time to time I hear some pretty loud noises coming from the second floor. Is everything alright up there? I mean, are you ok? It sounds like fighting a lot of the time.”

She sheepishly returns, “Yeah, well I tend to be pretty clumsy. And my boyfriend and I, we both talk really loud. Plus, you are probably thinking of the other night. I walked right smack into my damn pantry door again and dinged my head pretty good. It was loud as hell; I’m such a klutz.”

As the bartender processes the response, he’s clearly giving the rest of her body the once over to look for bruises or other signs of abuse.

“Again, I know it’s absolutely none of my business, but just so you know if there is anything you ever need to get away from or if you need help or anything, you are always welcome down here. There’s a spare room in back. I really don’t mean to overstep my bounds, but just so you know.”

Luka slams her Bud Light bottle down on the bar and blurts, “Look man. You’re right. It absolutely is none of your fucking business. I don’t like what you are getting at and I sure as shit don’t need your fucking charity. So how about you pour me another tequila shot and then leave me the fuck alone.”

The barkeep raises his eyebrows, pulls his face back a few inches, and raises his hands as if to proclaim his innocence, “Hey oh!!! You just sit over there and get drunker than a poet on payday and we’ll just stay right over here (gesturing his head to other side of the bar)… on this side… far away from you.”

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