Jack nursed a beer. The bar was mostly empty except for fidgety eyed youngsters who were trying to fit into the scene, be a character and too concerned with whether people were noticing them. Seeing them as they way they wanted to be seen. There was a slim young teenager with shaggy hair at the pool table. He took big swigs. So big you knew he was new to drinking.
The kid would be drunk soon. Jack already counted about three pints and the kid didn't seem looking like he would slow down. This would be an interesting night, Jack thought, hoping that the kid would stay. Hoping that the crowd might grow as the night matured. There was an energy about that kid that Jack knew he'd have to keep an eye on him. Like a stick of dynamite that was waiting to--
"Hey another beer?"
The waitress was now used to Jack. "Sure." he smiled. She didn't have to ask what kind.
"okay. Be right back."
The kid. If someone were to say something off to him or touch him the wrong way. He'd throw a punch. Jack knew this look. The only thing was... would anyone step on the kid tonight. And if they did, would that person be someone who the kid could take. The kid might learn a big lesson if unlucky.
The waitress returned with two beers.
"Free beer for me?"
"No. This one's for me. I'm off now. Can I join you?"
"Sure. I'm in for a show. You might enjoy."
She made a face. Curious.
"Sit. Okay you see that guy there. Shaggy hair. Yeah that guy."
Jack explained his observations.
"You're crazy. You can't just tell that kind of thing from that."
"I've seen too many fights."
"I didn't take you for that kind of guy. I mean yeah you're buff, but i thought you were one of those peaceful muscle bound guys."
"Oh I'm peaceful. Trust me. I don't like fighting. Just happened to be around guys always getting into fights growing up. Bad luck I guess."
A look of distrust spread across the waitresses face.
"I understand if you don't want to hear about it."
The look just as quickly evaporated in front of his candor.
"No. It's okay. I knew good guys in bad posses like that in my school too."
A loud crack. "GOD DAMMIT!"
Jack thought, a show is about to begin.
The kid would be drunk soon. Jack already counted about three pints and the kid didn't seem looking like he would slow down. This would be an interesting night, Jack thought, hoping that the kid would stay. Hoping that the crowd might grow as the night matured. There was an energy about that kid that Jack knew he'd have to keep an eye on him. Like a stick of dynamite that was waiting to--
"Hey another beer?"
The waitress was now used to Jack. "Sure." he smiled. She didn't have to ask what kind.
"okay. Be right back."
The kid. If someone were to say something off to him or touch him the wrong way. He'd throw a punch. Jack knew this look. The only thing was... would anyone step on the kid tonight. And if they did, would that person be someone who the kid could take. The kid might learn a big lesson if unlucky.
The waitress returned with two beers.
"Free beer for me?"
"No. This one's for me. I'm off now. Can I join you?"
"Sure. I'm in for a show. You might enjoy."
She made a face. Curious.
"Sit. Okay you see that guy there. Shaggy hair. Yeah that guy."
Jack explained his observations.
"You're crazy. You can't just tell that kind of thing from that."
"I've seen too many fights."
"I didn't take you for that kind of guy. I mean yeah you're buff, but i thought you were one of those peaceful muscle bound guys."
"Oh I'm peaceful. Trust me. I don't like fighting. Just happened to be around guys always getting into fights growing up. Bad luck I guess."
A look of distrust spread across the waitresses face.
"I understand if you don't want to hear about it."
The look just as quickly evaporated in front of his candor.
"No. It's okay. I knew good guys in bad posses like that in my school too."
A loud crack. "GOD DAMMIT!"
Jack thought, a show is about to begin.