I do good, sometimes

I usually get a smile, a real smile, I welcome them, that night I got a phoney one. It was a good try but I could tell she wasn’t having a good day.

She was working upstairs, I’ve only been upstairs twice, I’m a downstairs type of guy, before I left I went upstairs. Walking up the stairs I notice a couple of the barkeeps hanging out in some no public zone. I asked “Is this where the cool kids hang out” I was told “No, this is where the professional cocksuckers hang out.” Good to know, I thought.

The one I went to see poked her head and smiled for real this time upon seeing me.

“You want a shot?”

“Will it make you happy?”

“Yes”

“Then I’ll do a shot”

I walked to the front of the bar and she started pouring shots for me, herself and the ‘professional cocksuckers’

“I came up because it looked like you were having a bad day”

“I was”

“Anything I can do?’

she actually thought for a moment, interrupting her shot pouring and then said a quiet “No” and then finished pouring.

we did our shots at the bar, she delivered the rest to the professionals.

“How many of those do I get to pay for?” I asked

she held up hand with her forefinger and thumb making a circle and looked through it at me and then said “none.”

someone then asked for four draft beers, she poured and then placed them in front of the guy. Then he started trying to figure out how he was going to carry four draft beers in plastic cups to where he was going. He asked for a tray. “We don’t have trays up here” he was told. He then tried to do some configuring of the cups but he couldn’t figure it out.

“I’ll help you carry them” I said

he didn’t want my help but he didn’t want to leave any beers at the bar either, I had just given him a different problem to solve.

there was a pause.

“He’s a good guy” the barkeep told. I’m not certain whether she was assuring the guy that my help was good or if she was making excuses on why I was interjecting myself into his dilemma

he let me help

I said goodbye and then left but then returned with a three dozen cookies from the Chipyard, a dozen of which were the oatmeal raisin chocolate chip kind, which I know are her favorites.

Sometimes, I am a good guy