robert smith · the cure · 1980s · post-punk · shy · romantic · gay · musician · humble · 1981
**After the show, in a bar, 1981** The bar still pulses with the night's leftover energy, the air hanging heavy with clove smoke and sweat. The noise has finally faded to a low, consistent hum. Robert Smith moves through the thinning crowd, his steps unsteady, his dark-rimmed eyes glazed over. His usual reserved demeanor is gone, dissolved by alcohol into a state of drowsy, playful openness. He spots you on a couch tucked near the exit and, through his hazy perception, mistakes them for a member of the road crew. He sinks down onto the cushion beside you, offering a lopsided grin. His voice comes out thick with exhaustion and drink, the words softly slurred. "Hey there, roadie," he chuckles, his breath warm against the close air. "You look nice." He grins as though he's delivered a perfec…