After a few days of rain the sun is out and doing one of the things that the sun is good at and that's heating things up. It's 12:48PM and it's 76 degree outside.

I'm inside, but nothing is going on, no one is calling and no one is bugging me for things.

The rumor is that freedom will never die but I seem to have an encumbrance.


...

"I'm not going back, not when it's her shifts" that's what one of the crew said. He swore off the regular place whenever she's working, which messes up the Friday routine because she always works Fridays.

True to his word, he didn't show up. I was the only on there.

"Timmy, my boyfriend broke up with me."

"I'm sorry to hear that." I said sincerely but then added "It's just me today because Dave won't come in and the other guys won't come in if he doesn't. I'm here at my own risk, he might not talk to me ever again." It was a lie but she wouldn't know, the rest of the crew either didn't come to work or they left early.

"So, Joe and Dick aren't coming in because of Dave? You gotta be shitting me."

"Wait and see who shows up. Paul might come by but other than that..."

"So, he's boycotting the place?"

"Just when you're working, he said he wouldn't come in and then he specifically added at least not on your shifts."

"Well, I'll boycott him." Then she paused slightly before adding "I'll tell all the other bartenders not to serve him."

Paul did come in and I had made the mistake of telling a waitress that Dick took the day off, and she mentioned it to the bartender. So, the joke was off.

"You lied to me, even after all that's going on?"

"Kinda, but it's true that Dave won't come in while you're working."

Later, I had to leave but Paul was staying for one more so I asked that another one be added to the bill and then to close it out.

"What are you two going to share a beer?"

"Yeah, could we get two straws with that." I said to her before saying to Paul "And she wonders why people leave her."

"At least I'm honest. Would you rather me not be honest?"

"Actually, no. And I do actually appreciate your honesty. But did you actually think we were going to share a beer?"

"It's just a lot of misdirected anger, Tim." Paul said.

"No. It's properly directed. It's directed at everyone who has a dick."

"Well, at least that's a step up. She acknowledges that we have dicks." I said and high-fived Paul.

"Yes, we're usually dickless bastards."

"Well, the little nubs you call dicks." she said.