Encounter - Chapter Twenty-Two
“You got it,” said Joe.
“I’d love to help,” said Frank enthusiastically.
“Now, Jimbo, I’ve arranged for you to help at, The Watering Hole. I know it’s a little further away for you, but you’ve filled in there before and are familiar with the clientele. Will that suit you?”
“If I’ll have money coming in, Joe, it suits me just fine,” said Jimbo smiling. Aguirre nodded and turned to Randall.
“Randall, you know I own a share of a place in the city, right?” Joe asked.
“Yeah, I’ve hung out there a few times,” said Randall.
“As it turns out, one of the bartenders just had a family emergency, and they’re not sure when he’ll be back. You know it’s a rowdy place, and they’ll expect you to participate in the entertainment. But I know you can handle it,” Joe said. Ennis was listening intently. A bar in the city? Participate in the entertainment? A bartender with a family emergency? This was too coincidental. “The brothers I own the place with have been wanting to hire someone else, so even if the other bartender comes back before our renovations are done, there will be plenty of work.” Ennis, again, felt like he was going to vomit. Aguirre had to be talking about The Quarter Horse.
“Sounds like a good deal. The action at The Quarter Horse is always fun,” Randall said, beaming. Ennis felt like he had been punched in the stomach. Jack had said Neil and Brad would be able to hire him if he needed to leave his job, but with Joe being the other owner, if Meatball decided to divulge his secret, there was no way he would be hired. He felt fucked.
“Now Del Mar,” said Joe. Upon seeing the stricken look in Ennis’s eyes, he said, “Christ, Del Mar, don’t look so panicked. I have a proposition for you, too.” Ennis cleared his throat and thrust his fingers through his hair. He struggled to think of what to say.
“Good, Joe, cause you know, like Frank, I need all the hours I can get,” he mumbled.
“Because these guys have worked for me longer, I wanted to offer them the jobs at my other establishments,” said Joe. Ennis nodded numbly. “Well, my idea is a little different for you. I know you worked at that hardware store for a while and from some of our discussions, you seem handy with contractor-type work,” said Joe. Ennis nodded again. It was true. He had experience with hanging drywall and painting. “Norm’s brother owns the company that’s doing the renovations. I’ve put a bug in Norm’s ear to get you set up with them. He’s supposed to let me know today if it’s a go.”
Ennis wanted to jump off the nearest bridge. Not only was Norm going to have a direct impact on his future employment, he was also in control of his temporary job. But what were his options? He couldn’t work at Aguirre’s during the renovations and if Norm’s brother didn’t hire him, he wouldn’t be working there. Aguirre was actually doing him a favor by trying to get him a job, but if the contractor work didn’t pan out, there wasn’t much else Aguirre could, or probably would, do. He could file for unemployment, but by the time he collected his first check, the renovations would be completed. Ennis wasn’t just fucked; he was royally fucked.
“Oh, well, I don’t have a lot of professional experience…” Ennis started. But Joe interrupted him.
“Look, it’s not set in stone. But there’s a chance it’ll work out. It’s better than nothing.”
“Right, no, I’d be glad for the work, Joe,” Ennis stammered. Aguirre nodded curtly and stood, signaling the end of the discussion.
“Okay, then, boys. We’ll iron out all the details by Christmas. In the mean time, we still have a bar to run.” With that, Aguirre walked back to his office.
The bartenders sat for a moment, looking at each other. Finally, Randall spoke, his voice low, “Did anybody see this coming?”
“No way,” said Jimbo.
“I thought something was up with that Norm guy trailing Joe everywhere,” said Frank. Ennis didn’t say a word.
“Norm seems like an okay fellow,” said Jimbo. “A little gruff, but hell, he can’t be as bad as Aguirre.” Everybody laughed except Ennis. He wanted so badly to tell them what had happened; from his first encounter with Meatball to Meatball’s threatening behavior since then. But did he really want to get into it now? What if they didn’t understand?
“I don’t get a great feeling from the guy, but hey, if it works out at The Quarter Horse, maybe they’ll offer me a full-time gig,” said Randall. “It’s a really cool place, and to be honest, I’m actually surprised Joe has any part of it. I mean, the place couldn’t be any more different than this dive.” Ennis stood and walked behind the bar. There was no sense sitting there when he had nothing to contribute. His shift would start soon enough, so he figured he might as well set up. He knew the others were curiously watching him and wondering why he hadn’t spoken, but he didn’t trust himself. If he opened his mouth, who knew what would come out?
After saying their good-byes, Jimbo and Frank headed out, and Randall joined Ennis behind the bar. As Ennis was wiping down the bar top, Randall checked the cooler to be sure it was appropriately stocked. Ennis had taken care of it the previous night, but one could never be too sure. They silently went through the motions, and neither spoke until after Ennis unlocked the front door, officially opening for business.
“So, I know you’re not a big talker, Ennis, but what do you think?” Randall asked. Ennis shrugged.
“About what?” Randall laughed.
“About the fucking weather,” kidded Randall. “About the whole selling-the-bar thing?” Ennis busied himself wiping down the bar top again.
“Not much I can do about it, so no real point discussing it,” Ennis stiffly replied.
“Don’t give me that horse shit,” said Randall. “I’m asking what you think.” Ennis tossed the washcloth into the sink and sighed. He looked at Randall and took in the earnest expression on the other man’s face. Could he be trusted? Didn’t he call Aguirre and Meatball “butt buddies” before? If he was hoping to work at The Quarter Horse, wouldn’t he want to stay on Aguirre’s good side for now? He knew Randall would keep pushing him until he responded, and he didn’t want to cause any friction between them. They really needed to work as a team to manage the pool league.
“Norm rubs me the wrong way,” said Ennis. “I’m not thrilled at the idea of working for him, but I need this job. So it is what it is.” He hoped this explanation would be good enough for Randall. He held Randall’s gaze until the other man looked away. Ennis felt relieved. Randall was going to drop it.
“Well,” said Randall, as the alarm on the front door sounded and a couple customers walked in, “let the games begin!”
~*~*~*~*~*
The night was finally winding down, and Ennis was able to take a break from serving drinks and washing glasses to just relax. His back was killing him, and he was struggling to keep his stinging eyes open. He really needed to get some sleep tonight. He leaned on the bar, looking at the remaining patrons. Mr. One-Beer was just about finished his drink (I really ought to learn his name, thought Ennis), and Randall was over by the jukebox, talking to Cassie who had finally returned (though she didn’t say much to Ennis). Carl and Emilio were still there after pool league, finishing their beers. And there were a few other random people Ennis wasn’t familiar with still milling about. Aguirre had left around ten, telling Ennis he hadn’t yet heard from Norm about the job. Ennis thanked him and said he was anxious for the news, but he actually felt relieved. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do, but he really didn’t want to work for Norm’s brother. The brother might be a decent guy but distancing himself from Norm was definitely Ennis’s primary concern.
At Midnight, Ennis agreed to finish up so Randall could head out early. The newcomers, along with Mr. One Beer, also left. Cassie was now talking to Carl and Emilio, and Ennis allowed himself to think about Jack. Jack had called him once while pool league was in full swing, so Ennis couldn’t talk with him very long. But he did find out Jack’s dad was resting comfortably, and the prognosis was good. Jack would be staying for a few weeks to help get his parents’ house set up to accommodate his dad when he was released from the hospital. Though Ennis missed Jack like crazy, he understood his lover’s need to be with his folks.
Ennis was shaken from his reverie by the alarm on the front door. When he looked up, a pit formed in his stomach. Just the sight of Norm made Ennis’s nerves raw. Norm grinned his creepy, toothy grin, and when he sat on a barstool, he nodded his head in greeting. Ennis bit the inside of his lip. Norm hadn’t missed last call, so Ennis knew there wouldn’t be any added tension by telling Norm he couldn’t get served. Be cool, he thought. He slowly walked toward Norm and placed a cocktail napkin in front of him.
“Norm,” Ennis said by way of greeting. “What can I get you?”
“Just a Michelob draft, please,” said Norm. Ennis was taken aback. Not only did Norm not sound like his usual gruff self, but he had actually said please. Instead of being relieved by Norm’s good manners, though, Ennis grew ever-more suspicious. What was Norm up to? He pulled Norm’s beer, angling the glass to keep it from forming a large, foamy head, and then delicately placed the glass in front of Norm. He stepped back as Norm took a healthy gulp and wiped his mouth with his free hand. “Good stuff,” said Norm. Ennis forced a smile.
“Nothing hits the spot like a cold beer,” Ennis said, trying to be amiable. Before Norm could say anything else, Cassie, Carl and Emilio approached the bar. Ennis watched Cassie’s face go from smiling when she looked at Carl, to frowning when she looked at Ennis, to shock when she saw Norm. Her eyes flicked from Norm to Ennis and back again.
“Oh my God,” she said, putting her hands on her hips. “You have some nerve showing your mug around here.” Norm scowled at her, obviously not remembering her from his drunken night. Plus it had been so long since Cassie had been back, she had missed Norm’s frequent appearances.
“Excuse me?” Norm said.
"You punched my date in the gut,” Cassie sputtered. Carl, who just noticed Norm and wanted to keep the peace, stepped between them.
“That was a while ago, Cassie,” said Carl. “Everyone’s made amends now.” Cassie tossed her hair and looked at Ennis.
“And you’re not going to say or do anything, after the ruckus he caused and the mess he made?” She stared daggers at Ennis. He cleared his throat.
“Cassie, like Carl said, everything’s okay now. We’ve all made peace.” Ennis pushed a cocktail napkin at her. “Let me get you something for last call. It’s on me.” He really didn’t need a scene now.
“I was pretty drunk, and I’m afraid I don’t remember much about that night. But I know I acted like an ass,” said Norm. Even if he didn’t remember Cassie per se, Norm certainly knew the guys she was hanging out with and knew they were regulars, Ennis deduced. He also had to realize, as the soon-to-be owner, he shouldn’t get on the bad side of good customers, which is probably why he was being decent. “Let me buy you something for last call. In fact, let me buy all of you something.” Norm’s treating everyone? Well, that was fine by Ennis. He placed additional napkins on the bar as Carl and Emilio sat down.
“That’s mighty nice of you,” said Carl. Emilio agreed, but Cassie wasn’t won over so easily.
“You also called me a ‘bitch.’ It was very rude, and I want an apology.” She stared at Norm with her hands still planted firmly on her hips, her head cocked to the side. Cassie was right; Norm did owe her an apology, but Ennis wished she’d just let it go, shut the hell up and either sit down or leave. He really wasn’t in the mood to play bouncer again, especially not with the guy on whom he’d be relying for income. When Norm stood, Ennis’s nerves went on high alert. He was ready to intervene, no matter what the cost.
But Norm didn’t say or do anything offensive. He stood in front of Cassie with his right hand over his heart and said, “I truly apologize for anything I said or did that upset you, Miss.” He then looked at the others. “I apologize to all of you.” Ennis thought he sounded sincere, and he hoped Cassie would now be satisfied. There was a moment of silence while Ennis, Norm and the other customers waited to see if she would accept his apology. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, and a smile slowly spread across her face.
“Well, then, how about that drink?” she asked. Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief, and Ennis busied himself getting everyone their drink of choice.
“I propose a toast,” said Norm. He held up his glass and everyone else followed suit. Norm looked at Ennis. “We should all toast!” The others were staring at him expectantly, and Ennis, not one to drink on the job, hesitated. Aguirre had made it clear his bartenders weren’t to indulge, but Ennis had seen Randall, Jimbo and Frank partake now and then. He wondered if it would be better for him to decline or if he should continue to try to appease Norm. He decided the best course of action was to join the toast. Ennis drew himself a half glass from the tap and raised it. “To new friends,” shouted Norm.
“To new friends!” Everyone shouted and clanked their glasses. Norm tapped his glass to Ennis’s, and raised it to his lips. As Ennis took a swig from his glass, he saw Norm watching. Ennis raised the glass and nodded. Norm nodded, grinned and looked away.
~*~*~*~*~*
Ennis wasn’t sure what to do. Everyone else had left so he could close; everyone, that is, except Norm. Norm didn’t own the bar yet, so he really shouldn’t be there. But Ennis didn’t want to ask him to leave because of how volatile their relationship was. He hated having Norm becoming his boss hanging over his head, but he knew he had to do his best to continue the relaxed mood of the night. As he vacuumed, he kept one eye on the task at hand and the other on Norm, as Norm wandered around the bar, looking at the many cosmetic flaws in the building. The house lights were up, so Norm had an easy time assessing the improvement needs, but Ennis wondered why he was doing so. He had plenty of time during his other visits to determine what needed to be done.
When Ennis finished with the floor, he snapped off the vacuum, wrapped the cord around it and pushed it back into the far corner of the storage room. As he turned toward the door, he stopped short with his heart in his throat. Norm was blocking his exit. There was a strange look on Norm’s face, and Ennis didn’t like it. Norm ran his hand along the shelf closest to him, and then inspected his fingers, looking at the dust. When his eyes met Ennis’s, Ennis was sorry to see the “old” Norm, the one with whom he was the most familiar, staring back at him.
“This place is a pig sty,” growled Norm. “Don’t you guys clean?” Ennis stared at him, incredulous. It was a storage room for Christ sakes.
“We keep the front spic and span,” said Ennis, trying to remain cordial. “We don’t concentrate so much on the storage room.”
“When I take over, things are going to be different,” Norm said. “After the renovations are done, this place is going to look sharp. And I want all of it to be clean. I’m planning to attract some new meat to this place.” Ennis nodded, wanting nothing more than for Norm to get the hell out of his way.
“Getting new customers is good,” said Ennis.
“Yeah, and this place needs it. The people out there, tonight and hell, every night, are a sad bunch,” he said, laughing. Ennis didn’t know what to say. “And how about that little bitch demanding an apology? And for what? Because her date,” he added, using the middle fingers and index fingers on both hands to form quotation marks when he said the word date, “was a wuss and couldn’t defend her?” He laughed harder. Ennis didn’t think it was funny, and he really didn’t like the way Norm had played them all for fools. Ennis took a step toward Norm, hoping Norm would move out of the way. Of course, Norm stood his ground.
“Look, I need to finish out there,” Ennis said. Norm glared at him.
“What’s the hurry? Got a hot date?” Here we go, thought Ennis. Be cool. But Ennis felt his hands curl into fists.
“No, I don’t,” said Ennis. “But I would like to finish up so I can get home.” Norm took two steps toward Ennis so they were only a few feet apart.
“What’s it like?” Norm asked, his tone menacing. Ennis shook his head.
“What’s what like?”
“Fucking a guy?” Before he could stop himself, Ennis shoved Norm as hard as he could. Norm slammed into the wall, and Ennis rushed past him. He knew he just clinched his fate; his job at Aguirre’s was over with, and he could definitely forget about working for Norm’s brother. All he wanted was to get the hell out of there. As Ennis neared the bar, not quite sure of his next move, he felt Norm’s hand close on his shoulder.
“Get the fuck off me!” Ennis spun around and caught Norm’s right hook directly on his chin. He stumbled backward, losing his balance as the back of his thigh made contact with one of the barstools. As Norm advanced on him, Ennis regained his footing and delivered a swift, hard punch to Norm’s nose. At the sickening crack and rapid flow of blood, Ennis immediately knew Norm’s nose was broken. Norm emitted a high-pitched moan as his hands covered his nose, and he tried to staunch the blood flow.
“You mother fucker,” Norm hissed. He sunk into a chair, clutching his nose in agony. Ennis grabbed one of the dish towels from behind the bar and thrust it at Norm.
“What the hell did you expect, asshole?” Ennis yelled. Norm snatched the towel and held it to his face.
“You’re through, Del Mar. It’s over for you.” As Ennis stared at him with distaste, Norm became even angrier. “Not only will you not work for my brother, you most definitely won’t be back after the renovations. And once I tell Joe about your boyfriend and how you attacked me after drinking on the job, you won’t even have a job through the end of this year!” His words had no impact on Ennis.
“Tell your story walking,” said Ennis, keeping his voice calm. “You can tell Aguirre whatever the fuck you want. I don’t want this crappy job, and I sure as shit don’t wanna work for you.”
Norm stood, still mashing the towel into his nose. He backed toward the door, keeping his swelling eyes on Ennis. “I’ll be sure to tell Joe you said that.”
“Bite me,” said Ennis, moving toward Norm but keeping plenty of distance between them. As soon as Norm’s fat ass was safely outside, Ennis was going to lock him out, finish what he had to do and then get the fuck out of there. He didn’t care about saving face with Aguirre. In fact, he was going to call him and quit just as soon as Norm was gone.
Norm backed into the front door and tried to push it open with his ass. Of course, it was locked. Trying to keep his eye on Ennis, Norm fumbled with the lock and finally pushed open the door. As soon as he stepped outside, Norm pulled the towel away from his bloody face and yelled, “You’re through, Del Mar! You’re through!” Ennis resisted the urge to slug Norm again and grabbed the door handle. Norm tossed the towel at Ennis’s feet, and even though Norm had gotten in a pretty good punch, Ennis knew Norm looked the worst for wear. And despite his better judgment, Ennis started laughing.
“You drive safe now,” Ennis said. “And Norm?” Norm, who had taken a few steps toward his car turned back around to face Ennis. “Just so you know, fucking Jack is phenomenal.”
As Norm stood there, blood oozing down his face and his mouth agape, Ennis securely closed and locked the door. His next move was to call Aguirre. He had enough.
“I’d love to help,” said Frank enthusiastically.
“Now, Jimbo, I’ve arranged for you to help at, The Watering Hole. I know it’s a little further away for you, but you’ve filled in there before and are familiar with the clientele. Will that suit you?”
“If I’ll have money coming in, Joe, it suits me just fine,” said Jimbo smiling. Aguirre nodded and turned to Randall.
“Randall, you know I own a share of a place in the city, right?” Joe asked.
“Yeah, I’ve hung out there a few times,” said Randall.
“As it turns out, one of the bartenders just had a family emergency, and they’re not sure when he’ll be back. You know it’s a rowdy place, and they’ll expect you to participate in the entertainment. But I know you can handle it,” Joe said. Ennis was listening intently. A bar in the city? Participate in the entertainment? A bartender with a family emergency? This was too coincidental. “The brothers I own the place with have been wanting to hire someone else, so even if the other bartender comes back before our renovations are done, there will be plenty of work.” Ennis, again, felt like he was going to vomit. Aguirre had to be talking about The Quarter Horse.
“Sounds like a good deal. The action at The Quarter Horse is always fun,” Randall said, beaming. Ennis felt like he had been punched in the stomach. Jack had said Neil and Brad would be able to hire him if he needed to leave his job, but with Joe being the other owner, if Meatball decided to divulge his secret, there was no way he would be hired. He felt fucked.
“Now Del Mar,” said Joe. Upon seeing the stricken look in Ennis’s eyes, he said, “Christ, Del Mar, don’t look so panicked. I have a proposition for you, too.” Ennis cleared his throat and thrust his fingers through his hair. He struggled to think of what to say.
“Good, Joe, cause you know, like Frank, I need all the hours I can get,” he mumbled.
“Because these guys have worked for me longer, I wanted to offer them the jobs at my other establishments,” said Joe. Ennis nodded numbly. “Well, my idea is a little different for you. I know you worked at that hardware store for a while and from some of our discussions, you seem handy with contractor-type work,” said Joe. Ennis nodded again. It was true. He had experience with hanging drywall and painting. “Norm’s brother owns the company that’s doing the renovations. I’ve put a bug in Norm’s ear to get you set up with them. He’s supposed to let me know today if it’s a go.”
Ennis wanted to jump off the nearest bridge. Not only was Norm going to have a direct impact on his future employment, he was also in control of his temporary job. But what were his options? He couldn’t work at Aguirre’s during the renovations and if Norm’s brother didn’t hire him, he wouldn’t be working there. Aguirre was actually doing him a favor by trying to get him a job, but if the contractor work didn’t pan out, there wasn’t much else Aguirre could, or probably would, do. He could file for unemployment, but by the time he collected his first check, the renovations would be completed. Ennis wasn’t just fucked; he was royally fucked.
“Oh, well, I don’t have a lot of professional experience…” Ennis started. But Joe interrupted him.
“Look, it’s not set in stone. But there’s a chance it’ll work out. It’s better than nothing.”
“Right, no, I’d be glad for the work, Joe,” Ennis stammered. Aguirre nodded curtly and stood, signaling the end of the discussion.
“Okay, then, boys. We’ll iron out all the details by Christmas. In the mean time, we still have a bar to run.” With that, Aguirre walked back to his office.
The bartenders sat for a moment, looking at each other. Finally, Randall spoke, his voice low, “Did anybody see this coming?”
“No way,” said Jimbo.
“I thought something was up with that Norm guy trailing Joe everywhere,” said Frank. Ennis didn’t say a word.
“Norm seems like an okay fellow,” said Jimbo. “A little gruff, but hell, he can’t be as bad as Aguirre.” Everybody laughed except Ennis. He wanted so badly to tell them what had happened; from his first encounter with Meatball to Meatball’s threatening behavior since then. But did he really want to get into it now? What if they didn’t understand?
“I don’t get a great feeling from the guy, but hey, if it works out at The Quarter Horse, maybe they’ll offer me a full-time gig,” said Randall. “It’s a really cool place, and to be honest, I’m actually surprised Joe has any part of it. I mean, the place couldn’t be any more different than this dive.” Ennis stood and walked behind the bar. There was no sense sitting there when he had nothing to contribute. His shift would start soon enough, so he figured he might as well set up. He knew the others were curiously watching him and wondering why he hadn’t spoken, but he didn’t trust himself. If he opened his mouth, who knew what would come out?
After saying their good-byes, Jimbo and Frank headed out, and Randall joined Ennis behind the bar. As Ennis was wiping down the bar top, Randall checked the cooler to be sure it was appropriately stocked. Ennis had taken care of it the previous night, but one could never be too sure. They silently went through the motions, and neither spoke until after Ennis unlocked the front door, officially opening for business.
“So, I know you’re not a big talker, Ennis, but what do you think?” Randall asked. Ennis shrugged.
“About what?” Randall laughed.
“About the fucking weather,” kidded Randall. “About the whole selling-the-bar thing?” Ennis busied himself wiping down the bar top again.
“Not much I can do about it, so no real point discussing it,” Ennis stiffly replied.
“Don’t give me that horse shit,” said Randall. “I’m asking what you think.” Ennis tossed the washcloth into the sink and sighed. He looked at Randall and took in the earnest expression on the other man’s face. Could he be trusted? Didn’t he call Aguirre and Meatball “butt buddies” before? If he was hoping to work at The Quarter Horse, wouldn’t he want to stay on Aguirre’s good side for now? He knew Randall would keep pushing him until he responded, and he didn’t want to cause any friction between them. They really needed to work as a team to manage the pool league.
“Norm rubs me the wrong way,” said Ennis. “I’m not thrilled at the idea of working for him, but I need this job. So it is what it is.” He hoped this explanation would be good enough for Randall. He held Randall’s gaze until the other man looked away. Ennis felt relieved. Randall was going to drop it.
“Well,” said Randall, as the alarm on the front door sounded and a couple customers walked in, “let the games begin!”
~*~*~*~*~*
The night was finally winding down, and Ennis was able to take a break from serving drinks and washing glasses to just relax. His back was killing him, and he was struggling to keep his stinging eyes open. He really needed to get some sleep tonight. He leaned on the bar, looking at the remaining patrons. Mr. One-Beer was just about finished his drink (I really ought to learn his name, thought Ennis), and Randall was over by the jukebox, talking to Cassie who had finally returned (though she didn’t say much to Ennis). Carl and Emilio were still there after pool league, finishing their beers. And there were a few other random people Ennis wasn’t familiar with still milling about. Aguirre had left around ten, telling Ennis he hadn’t yet heard from Norm about the job. Ennis thanked him and said he was anxious for the news, but he actually felt relieved. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do, but he really didn’t want to work for Norm’s brother. The brother might be a decent guy but distancing himself from Norm was definitely Ennis’s primary concern.
At Midnight, Ennis agreed to finish up so Randall could head out early. The newcomers, along with Mr. One Beer, also left. Cassie was now talking to Carl and Emilio, and Ennis allowed himself to think about Jack. Jack had called him once while pool league was in full swing, so Ennis couldn’t talk with him very long. But he did find out Jack’s dad was resting comfortably, and the prognosis was good. Jack would be staying for a few weeks to help get his parents’ house set up to accommodate his dad when he was released from the hospital. Though Ennis missed Jack like crazy, he understood his lover’s need to be with his folks.
Ennis was shaken from his reverie by the alarm on the front door. When he looked up, a pit formed in his stomach. Just the sight of Norm made Ennis’s nerves raw. Norm grinned his creepy, toothy grin, and when he sat on a barstool, he nodded his head in greeting. Ennis bit the inside of his lip. Norm hadn’t missed last call, so Ennis knew there wouldn’t be any added tension by telling Norm he couldn’t get served. Be cool, he thought. He slowly walked toward Norm and placed a cocktail napkin in front of him.
“Norm,” Ennis said by way of greeting. “What can I get you?”
“Just a Michelob draft, please,” said Norm. Ennis was taken aback. Not only did Norm not sound like his usual gruff self, but he had actually said please. Instead of being relieved by Norm’s good manners, though, Ennis grew ever-more suspicious. What was Norm up to? He pulled Norm’s beer, angling the glass to keep it from forming a large, foamy head, and then delicately placed the glass in front of Norm. He stepped back as Norm took a healthy gulp and wiped his mouth with his free hand. “Good stuff,” said Norm. Ennis forced a smile.
“Nothing hits the spot like a cold beer,” Ennis said, trying to be amiable. Before Norm could say anything else, Cassie, Carl and Emilio approached the bar. Ennis watched Cassie’s face go from smiling when she looked at Carl, to frowning when she looked at Ennis, to shock when she saw Norm. Her eyes flicked from Norm to Ennis and back again.
“Oh my God,” she said, putting her hands on her hips. “You have some nerve showing your mug around here.” Norm scowled at her, obviously not remembering her from his drunken night. Plus it had been so long since Cassie had been back, she had missed Norm’s frequent appearances.
“Excuse me?” Norm said.
"You punched my date in the gut,” Cassie sputtered. Carl, who just noticed Norm and wanted to keep the peace, stepped between them.
“That was a while ago, Cassie,” said Carl. “Everyone’s made amends now.” Cassie tossed her hair and looked at Ennis.
“And you’re not going to say or do anything, after the ruckus he caused and the mess he made?” She stared daggers at Ennis. He cleared his throat.
“Cassie, like Carl said, everything’s okay now. We’ve all made peace.” Ennis pushed a cocktail napkin at her. “Let me get you something for last call. It’s on me.” He really didn’t need a scene now.
“I was pretty drunk, and I’m afraid I don’t remember much about that night. But I know I acted like an ass,” said Norm. Even if he didn’t remember Cassie per se, Norm certainly knew the guys she was hanging out with and knew they were regulars, Ennis deduced. He also had to realize, as the soon-to-be owner, he shouldn’t get on the bad side of good customers, which is probably why he was being decent. “Let me buy you something for last call. In fact, let me buy all of you something.” Norm’s treating everyone? Well, that was fine by Ennis. He placed additional napkins on the bar as Carl and Emilio sat down.
“That’s mighty nice of you,” said Carl. Emilio agreed, but Cassie wasn’t won over so easily.
“You also called me a ‘bitch.’ It was very rude, and I want an apology.” She stared at Norm with her hands still planted firmly on her hips, her head cocked to the side. Cassie was right; Norm did owe her an apology, but Ennis wished she’d just let it go, shut the hell up and either sit down or leave. He really wasn’t in the mood to play bouncer again, especially not with the guy on whom he’d be relying for income. When Norm stood, Ennis’s nerves went on high alert. He was ready to intervene, no matter what the cost.
But Norm didn’t say or do anything offensive. He stood in front of Cassie with his right hand over his heart and said, “I truly apologize for anything I said or did that upset you, Miss.” He then looked at the others. “I apologize to all of you.” Ennis thought he sounded sincere, and he hoped Cassie would now be satisfied. There was a moment of silence while Ennis, Norm and the other customers waited to see if she would accept his apology. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, and a smile slowly spread across her face.
“Well, then, how about that drink?” she asked. Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief, and Ennis busied himself getting everyone their drink of choice.
“I propose a toast,” said Norm. He held up his glass and everyone else followed suit. Norm looked at Ennis. “We should all toast!” The others were staring at him expectantly, and Ennis, not one to drink on the job, hesitated. Aguirre had made it clear his bartenders weren’t to indulge, but Ennis had seen Randall, Jimbo and Frank partake now and then. He wondered if it would be better for him to decline or if he should continue to try to appease Norm. He decided the best course of action was to join the toast. Ennis drew himself a half glass from the tap and raised it. “To new friends,” shouted Norm.
“To new friends!” Everyone shouted and clanked their glasses. Norm tapped his glass to Ennis’s, and raised it to his lips. As Ennis took a swig from his glass, he saw Norm watching. Ennis raised the glass and nodded. Norm nodded, grinned and looked away.
~*~*~*~*~*
Ennis wasn’t sure what to do. Everyone else had left so he could close; everyone, that is, except Norm. Norm didn’t own the bar yet, so he really shouldn’t be there. But Ennis didn’t want to ask him to leave because of how volatile their relationship was. He hated having Norm becoming his boss hanging over his head, but he knew he had to do his best to continue the relaxed mood of the night. As he vacuumed, he kept one eye on the task at hand and the other on Norm, as Norm wandered around the bar, looking at the many cosmetic flaws in the building. The house lights were up, so Norm had an easy time assessing the improvement needs, but Ennis wondered why he was doing so. He had plenty of time during his other visits to determine what needed to be done.
When Ennis finished with the floor, he snapped off the vacuum, wrapped the cord around it and pushed it back into the far corner of the storage room. As he turned toward the door, he stopped short with his heart in his throat. Norm was blocking his exit. There was a strange look on Norm’s face, and Ennis didn’t like it. Norm ran his hand along the shelf closest to him, and then inspected his fingers, looking at the dust. When his eyes met Ennis’s, Ennis was sorry to see the “old” Norm, the one with whom he was the most familiar, staring back at him.
“This place is a pig sty,” growled Norm. “Don’t you guys clean?” Ennis stared at him, incredulous. It was a storage room for Christ sakes.
“We keep the front spic and span,” said Ennis, trying to remain cordial. “We don’t concentrate so much on the storage room.”
“When I take over, things are going to be different,” Norm said. “After the renovations are done, this place is going to look sharp. And I want all of it to be clean. I’m planning to attract some new meat to this place.” Ennis nodded, wanting nothing more than for Norm to get the hell out of his way.
“Getting new customers is good,” said Ennis.
“Yeah, and this place needs it. The people out there, tonight and hell, every night, are a sad bunch,” he said, laughing. Ennis didn’t know what to say. “And how about that little bitch demanding an apology? And for what? Because her date,” he added, using the middle fingers and index fingers on both hands to form quotation marks when he said the word date, “was a wuss and couldn’t defend her?” He laughed harder. Ennis didn’t think it was funny, and he really didn’t like the way Norm had played them all for fools. Ennis took a step toward Norm, hoping Norm would move out of the way. Of course, Norm stood his ground.
“Look, I need to finish out there,” Ennis said. Norm glared at him.
“What’s the hurry? Got a hot date?” Here we go, thought Ennis. Be cool. But Ennis felt his hands curl into fists.
“No, I don’t,” said Ennis. “But I would like to finish up so I can get home.” Norm took two steps toward Ennis so they were only a few feet apart.
“What’s it like?” Norm asked, his tone menacing. Ennis shook his head.
“What’s what like?”
“Fucking a guy?” Before he could stop himself, Ennis shoved Norm as hard as he could. Norm slammed into the wall, and Ennis rushed past him. He knew he just clinched his fate; his job at Aguirre’s was over with, and he could definitely forget about working for Norm’s brother. All he wanted was to get the hell out of there. As Ennis neared the bar, not quite sure of his next move, he felt Norm’s hand close on his shoulder.
“Get the fuck off me!” Ennis spun around and caught Norm’s right hook directly on his chin. He stumbled backward, losing his balance as the back of his thigh made contact with one of the barstools. As Norm advanced on him, Ennis regained his footing and delivered a swift, hard punch to Norm’s nose. At the sickening crack and rapid flow of blood, Ennis immediately knew Norm’s nose was broken. Norm emitted a high-pitched moan as his hands covered his nose, and he tried to staunch the blood flow.
“You mother fucker,” Norm hissed. He sunk into a chair, clutching his nose in agony. Ennis grabbed one of the dish towels from behind the bar and thrust it at Norm.
“What the hell did you expect, asshole?” Ennis yelled. Norm snatched the towel and held it to his face.
“You’re through, Del Mar. It’s over for you.” As Ennis stared at him with distaste, Norm became even angrier. “Not only will you not work for my brother, you most definitely won’t be back after the renovations. And once I tell Joe about your boyfriend and how you attacked me after drinking on the job, you won’t even have a job through the end of this year!” His words had no impact on Ennis.
“Tell your story walking,” said Ennis, keeping his voice calm. “You can tell Aguirre whatever the fuck you want. I don’t want this crappy job, and I sure as shit don’t wanna work for you.”
Norm stood, still mashing the towel into his nose. He backed toward the door, keeping his swelling eyes on Ennis. “I’ll be sure to tell Joe you said that.”
“Bite me,” said Ennis, moving toward Norm but keeping plenty of distance between them. As soon as Norm’s fat ass was safely outside, Ennis was going to lock him out, finish what he had to do and then get the fuck out of there. He didn’t care about saving face with Aguirre. In fact, he was going to call him and quit just as soon as Norm was gone.
Norm backed into the front door and tried to push it open with his ass. Of course, it was locked. Trying to keep his eye on Ennis, Norm fumbled with the lock and finally pushed open the door. As soon as he stepped outside, Norm pulled the towel away from his bloody face and yelled, “You’re through, Del Mar! You’re through!” Ennis resisted the urge to slug Norm again and grabbed the door handle. Norm tossed the towel at Ennis’s feet, and even though Norm had gotten in a pretty good punch, Ennis knew Norm looked the worst for wear. And despite his better judgment, Ennis started laughing.
“You drive safe now,” Ennis said. “And Norm?” Norm, who had taken a few steps toward his car turned back around to face Ennis. “Just so you know, fucking Jack is phenomenal.”
As Norm stood there, blood oozing down his face and his mouth agape, Ennis securely closed and locked the door. His next move was to call Aguirre. He had enough.