The boys at the pub
10:58pm
Terry pushed open the door to the dark, but invitingly warm pub, happy to be enveloped by a cloud of warmth and leaving the stinging cold behind him. It was late and the pub held only a few stragglers slumped over tables in pairs deep in drunk conversation. A single man in a wool cape sat alone muttering to his ale at the bar. Terry walked up to that same bar, mindful to keep a few feet from the stranger because he wasn't planning on staying long and didn't want to become this guy's best friend of convenience for the night.
"Stephen," Terry spoke to the bartender's back who was overseeing his washing spell on the beer steins. Better to be absorbed in that than in conversation with the drunk man. "Your meds." Terry placed a brown paper parcel on the bar top, wrapped with twine.
The bartender turned and upon recognizing Terry, smirked, "Doc." He nodded and put out his hand for a shake, "Thank god you guys deliver."
Terry shook his hand and smiled back, "Yea, we don't. But you're welcome just the same." He let his arm drop and stepped back, "Let me know how she does in a week. Take care."
The bartender held up a hand in protest, "Whoa, stay. Ale on the house. You really helped me out, mate. I don't get outta here till three." And before Terry could decline, Stephen had a full glass in his hand and placed it in front of Terry as he took the package and placed it under the bar. "You work too late too."
Terry sighed, eyeing the beer. "I was out to dinner actually. You were on my way home."
Terry pushed open the door to the dark, but invitingly warm pub, happy to be enveloped by a cloud of warmth and leaving the stinging cold behind him. It was late and the pub held only a few stragglers slumped over tables in pairs deep in drunk conversation. A single man in a wool cape sat alone muttering to his ale at the bar. Terry walked up to that same bar, mindful to keep a few feet from the stranger because he wasn't planning on staying long and didn't want to become this guy's best friend of convenience for the night.
"Stephen," Terry spoke to the bartender's back who was overseeing his washing spell on the beer steins. Better to be absorbed in that than in conversation with the drunk man. "Your meds." Terry placed a brown paper parcel on the bar top, wrapped with twine.
The bartender turned and upon recognizing Terry, smirked, "Doc." He nodded and put out his hand for a shake, "Thank god you guys deliver."
Terry shook his hand and smiled back, "Yea, we don't. But you're welcome just the same." He let his arm drop and stepped back, "Let me know how she does in a week. Take care."
The bartender held up a hand in protest, "Whoa, stay. Ale on the house. You really helped me out, mate. I don't get outta here till three." And before Terry could decline, Stephen had a full glass in his hand and placed it in front of Terry as he took the package and placed it under the bar. "You work too late too."
Terry sighed, eyeing the beer. "I was out to dinner actually. You were on my way home."