By: Dirk Dykstra (Stormy/Family/Holidays)
“Another one Sir?” Says Mark the bartender. “By all means Mark, make it another double!” I reply, even though it is unnecessary. I’ve been coming here for sometime on my Houston trips and Mark and I have developed that camaraderie that all good bartenders do with patrons who are regulars, and he’s never seen me drink anything other than a double. “You won’t tell, will you Mark?’’ I ask him as I wink conspiratorially at him as he sets down the whiskey in front of me. “Oh no Sir, not me. . . .I’ll never tell.” He replies with a grin. “Me neither Mark, it’s our secret, we’ll never tell!” I reply.
Mmmm boy here we go, holidays right around the corner, nother year down and all that. And what a year it was. . . Finalized the divorce after almost three years, ended another good (but stormy) relationship because my work has no sane elements in it other than the paycheck and what else?? Oh yeah, buried the old man too. . . . . .Fa lalalalala. . . .lala. . . .la……la. I doubt I’ll even go to a party, being single does have it benefits. And you sure save money not having to buy gifts for all the in-laws.
“Nice night isn’t it?” the voice at my elbow says before I even realize that someone has set down. “Yeah, it’s all right.” I reply, hoping that I don’t have to make to much small talk. I just want to finish my usual routine and stagger upstairs to bed. I have a big audit to manage over the next few days and it’s stressing me to the breaking point. “Mark! How bout’ hitting me again? And get one for my friend here?’’ I’m hoping the drink will keep him quiet so I can just listen to the music and finish my last one of the day. . . . “I just love the holiday season!” He says loudly. Oh boy, here we go, I think to myself. “Yeah, it’s the happiest time of the year.” I reply with my voice dripping sarcasm. “That’s what I mean, it is the happiest time of the year!! People forget their problems and focus on the things that really matter.” He says.
Desperately wanting to avoid a conversation but not being able to retreat at this point, I figure at least a subject matter change will spare me an hour of drivel about his wife’s Christmas dinner and on and on. “So you in Houston for business?” I ask. “Yes I am, doing some market analysis and pilot testing here in the southland. How bout’ yourself??” Says the guy whose name I realize I still don’t know. “ I’m in the oilfield game so I’m here a lot.” I tell him figuring that maybe short answers will curtail much more chatter.
“Do you have kids??” I hear from my left elbow. “Yeah, I do. One daughter back in Colorado and a boy whose living farther north. He’s grown now.” I say. “Children are wonderful, the wife and I never had time for any because the business demands are so exhausting but we have a very large circle of friends and we do a lot of volunteer work with children as well. Plus we have our church family to occupy our time, and we both love to craft things together.” He says with a huge smile.
I realize as he is getting up how large of a man this is and think he is probably heading to the men’s for a minute but instead he claps me on the back and says “Happy Holidays to you Sir and thank you for the drink.” Before he heads for the door.
I awake to the familiar pain that only a good whiskey hangover can bring. . . . I do not recall coming to my room or much else at 5:30 am. As I shower it occurs to me that for the first time in years my shoulder and back aren’t giving me the usual pains. After my usual breakfast of caffeine and nicotine I head to the audit, which is the usual schmooze and booze they all are. You’re an inspector and they want you to think they like you so you’ll like them and so on. . . . Halfway thru the day as I start to put the pieces of the night before together, I remember the large gentleman from the bar. Daydreaming I think to myself he sure was a positive guy, never got how people can be like that constantly. . . . always happy, what a smokescreen. Whatever he’s in must not be like the oil business!!! What’d he say he did?? Something he was pilot testing. . . .Volunteer work with kids. . .
.Didn’t even mention his name or I was to crocked to remember it. Hmmm think he said something about living up north somewhere. . . . .liked crafting with his wife. Guy sure moved well for being as overweight and old as he was. Wonder what was with the Jerry Garcia look to, don’t see that in Texas much. . . .With startling clarity the ridiculous thought that enters my head takes me by surprise. Man I am losing it. . . .Now I think I’ve seen Santa Claus, time to get on the meds again. And go “talk” about it once a week. Who am I kidding?? When I quit a couple months ago I was at the shrink almost as much as the bar, more like four or five times a week.
As soon as the seminar is over I rush back to the hotel and make my way straight to the bar. As I burst in, I yell for Mark “Yes sir?? The usual?” He replies. “No, No, that guy that was in here last night. . . . um. . .um” “Nick, sir?” Mark says with a grin. “ Yeah, yeah the guy I bought a cocktail for!” I excitedly exclaim, now we’re getting somewhere. “Oh Sir you are a kidder, Nick was drinking milk. . .He was quite a character wasn’t he?? He left me some samples of his product line for the children, you should see them. . . . . already wrapped and everything. Put them under the tree this morning. He also gave me a wonderful calendar with some pictures of where he’s from. Its amazing photography and artwork, handcrafted one at a time. You should see the pictures of the Northern Lights. Would you like that whiskey now sir??” But as sit down on the bar stool I can only stare into space, dumbfounded as I hear myself say “No, not right now. I’m going to order some dinner instead.”
Now the less romantic and cynical among you may think this is just another sappy holiday tale and that’s OK because it might be and then again. . . It might not. The only people who know for certain are Mark and I. . . .And we’ll never tell.
“Another one Sir?” Says Mark the bartender. “By all means Mark, make it another double!” I reply, even though it is unnecessary. I’ve been coming here for sometime on my Houston trips and Mark and I have developed that camaraderie that all good bartenders do with patrons who are regulars, and he’s never seen me drink anything other than a double. “You won’t tell, will you Mark?’’ I ask him as I wink conspiratorially at him as he sets down the whiskey in front of me. “Oh no Sir, not me. . . .I’ll never tell.” He replies with a grin. “Me neither Mark, it’s our secret, we’ll never tell!” I reply.
Mmmm boy here we go, holidays right around the corner, nother year down and all that. And what a year it was. . . Finalized the divorce after almost three years, ended another good (but stormy) relationship because my work has no sane elements in it other than the paycheck and what else?? Oh yeah, buried the old man too. . . . . .Fa lalalalala. . . .lala. . . .la……la. I doubt I’ll even go to a party, being single does have it benefits. And you sure save money not having to buy gifts for all the in-laws.
“Nice night isn’t it?” the voice at my elbow says before I even realize that someone has set down. “Yeah, it’s all right.” I reply, hoping that I don’t have to make to much small talk. I just want to finish my usual routine and stagger upstairs to bed. I have a big audit to manage over the next few days and it’s stressing me to the breaking point. “Mark! How bout’ hitting me again? And get one for my friend here?’’ I’m hoping the drink will keep him quiet so I can just listen to the music and finish my last one of the day. . . . “I just love the holiday season!” He says loudly. Oh boy, here we go, I think to myself. “Yeah, it’s the happiest time of the year.” I reply with my voice dripping sarcasm. “That’s what I mean, it is the happiest time of the year!! People forget their problems and focus on the things that really matter.” He says.
Desperately wanting to avoid a conversation but not being able to retreat at this point, I figure at least a subject matter change will spare me an hour of drivel about his wife’s Christmas dinner and on and on. “So you in Houston for business?” I ask. “Yes I am, doing some market analysis and pilot testing here in the southland. How bout’ yourself??” Says the guy whose name I realize I still don’t know. “ I’m in the oilfield game so I’m here a lot.” I tell him figuring that maybe short answers will curtail much more chatter.
“Do you have kids??” I hear from my left elbow. “Yeah, I do. One daughter back in Colorado and a boy whose living farther north. He’s grown now.” I say. “Children are wonderful, the wife and I never had time for any because the business demands are so exhausting but we have a very large circle of friends and we do a lot of volunteer work with children as well. Plus we have our church family to occupy our time, and we both love to craft things together.” He says with a huge smile.
I realize as he is getting up how large of a man this is and think he is probably heading to the men’s for a minute but instead he claps me on the back and says “Happy Holidays to you Sir and thank you for the drink.” Before he heads for the door.
I awake to the familiar pain that only a good whiskey hangover can bring. . . . I do not recall coming to my room or much else at 5:30 am. As I shower it occurs to me that for the first time in years my shoulder and back aren’t giving me the usual pains. After my usual breakfast of caffeine and nicotine I head to the audit, which is the usual schmooze and booze they all are. You’re an inspector and they want you to think they like you so you’ll like them and so on. . . . Halfway thru the day as I start to put the pieces of the night before together, I remember the large gentleman from the bar. Daydreaming I think to myself he sure was a positive guy, never got how people can be like that constantly. . . . always happy, what a smokescreen. Whatever he’s in must not be like the oil business!!! What’d he say he did?? Something he was pilot testing. . . .Volunteer work with kids. . .
.Didn’t even mention his name or I was to crocked to remember it. Hmmm think he said something about living up north somewhere. . . . .liked crafting with his wife. Guy sure moved well for being as overweight and old as he was. Wonder what was with the Jerry Garcia look to, don’t see that in Texas much. . . .With startling clarity the ridiculous thought that enters my head takes me by surprise. Man I am losing it. . . .Now I think I’ve seen Santa Claus, time to get on the meds again. And go “talk” about it once a week. Who am I kidding?? When I quit a couple months ago I was at the shrink almost as much as the bar, more like four or five times a week.
As soon as the seminar is over I rush back to the hotel and make my way straight to the bar. As I burst in, I yell for Mark “Yes sir?? The usual?” He replies. “No, No, that guy that was in here last night. . . . um. . .um” “Nick, sir?” Mark says with a grin. “ Yeah, yeah the guy I bought a cocktail for!” I excitedly exclaim, now we’re getting somewhere. “Oh Sir you are a kidder, Nick was drinking milk. . .He was quite a character wasn’t he?? He left me some samples of his product line for the children, you should see them. . . . . already wrapped and everything. Put them under the tree this morning. He also gave me a wonderful calendar with some pictures of where he’s from. Its amazing photography and artwork, handcrafted one at a time. You should see the pictures of the Northern Lights. Would you like that whiskey now sir??” But as sit down on the bar stool I can only stare into space, dumbfounded as I hear myself say “No, not right now. I’m going to order some dinner instead.”
Now the less romantic and cynical among you may think this is just another sappy holiday tale and that’s OK because it might be and then again. . . It might not. The only people who know for certain are Mark and I. . . .And we’ll never tell.
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