Happy Hour

[tobeclosetohim]

"So long as you aren't handling the drinks we should be golden."

Or, you know, not. Jo'll find out sooner or later.
She doesn't look concerned about her ten-year-old cotender.

Today's Specials

Fallen Angel
The Party Girl
Charlie's Angel(s)

Beside them is a wide mouthed glass jar.
It reads: $1 for every swear word"Alright, now you can

Comments

[remindmeof_me]

Shephard looks up at the sign.

Shephard looks down at the jar.

In lieu of money Shephard will be depositing a fistful of .44 caliber bullets in the jar.

"Might as well git it out of the way now," he says. "I know my own habits. Gimme a bourbon, if y'don't mind."

[tobeclosetohim]

"You got it."

That's a sound she recognizes.
The bullets get an intrigued glimpse.

She rummaged for the bottle holding out her other hand to Anna.

"Glass. One of the small, almost cone shaped ones."

[hear_the_voices]

"Hi," Anna says, cheerfully, to the man who is their very first customer. "Welcome to happy hour."

Anna looks at the glasses behind the bar -- and wow are there a lot of glasses behind the bar -- and finds what she thinks is the one Jo is asking for.

"Like this?"

[remindmeof_me]

"We ain't really got what you'd call money in use at home just now," Shephard offers by way of explanation. He's in his civvies for once, as far as you can call them that- there's no camo markings or insignia, certainly, but the T-shirt and cargoes and boots sure look as if he bought them on a military base somewhere for the times when he really didn't have another choice. "These're about the only small valuable I c'n trade off real easy."

[tobeclosetohim]

Jo has a thing for the workin' man.
Whether it's a man or a woman.
Especially the fightin' kind.

"Don't worry about. They should be fine and if it isn't Bar can always handle exchanges and tabs when she's awake later, too. What can I get for you?"

[hear_the_voices]

"I'm Anna, and this is Jo."

And then, with a very bright smile, she adds, "I'm helping."

[remindmeof_me]

"Pleased t'meet you both, then," says Shephard. "My name's Adrian. Whatever bourbon you got's fine, I ain't fussy. Don't reckon I've seen either one of you 'round before. You new, or I just need to pay more attention?"

[tobeclosetohim]

"I come and go, a lot of go recently. Home's been busy."

The glass gets filled and set nearish to Anna.

[hear_the_voices]

"I don't think I still count as new, but I'm not sure."

Anna considers the glass, and then adds a little plastic sword stuck through a cherry and two paper umbrellas before carefully sliding it over to Adrian.

"Here's your drink."

[remindmeof_me]

Not what he'd expected, but okay. "Thank you kindly," he says with a smile as he accepts his drink. He's just going to get that cherry and pocket that sword before drinking any of it. Seems like a reasonable thing to do. "Well, I'll tell you, you got the important part down pretty pat."

[tobeclosetohim]

Jo may have fake-coughed to keep from laughing the first time she saw the drink, looking up wiping down part of the counter.

"It's what we're here for. Well. It and awesome company."

[hear_the_voices]

The accessories are totally the best part.

"Thank you.

"The sword is kinda pointy, so be careful."

But he looks responsible enough to get a sword.

So he got one.

[remindmeof_me]

"Don't you worry none. I been handlin' pointy s- I been handlin' pointy objects since my Uncle Tim got me out fishin' for bluegills when I was five," Shephard says. "Not that I don't 'preciate the warnin'. Lot of folks wouldn't bother."

[tobeclosetohim]

He's good to Anna.
Jo appreciates that.
It's get a bit of a smile.

"Where were you fishing back when?"

[hear_the_voices]

"And what are bluegills?" Anna asks, absently eating one of the drink-garnishing cherries.

(What? They're good.)

[remindmeof_me]

He still remembers his older brother's kids pretty well, and he's fond of Tyler Marlocke; that's about the same age group. He knows how to behave himself.

"Mostly in and around the Cheat River," Shephard says. "Preston County, West Virginia. Near a little town name of Rowlesburg, don't expect you'd know where it is." He glances to Anna and holds up both index fingers five or six inches apart. "They're a kind of sunfish," he says. "Little bitty fellers next to sh- stuff like trout or channel cats, but they're easy to catch and damn if they don't taste good once you got 'em. Some folks call 'em panfish."