Chapter 2

Welcome Home, Danny

Danny spent the next several days replacing windows, and cleaning up his mother's old house. While he still had a lot to do, he managed to get the bathroom and one bedroom livable, so he began moving some of his mother’s things from Mrs. Wilson's garage next door.

Saturday night, Danny rode his hog to the Cool Spot Lounge. He was tired of being alone all week, and his wife wasn't due in town for another week, so he thought he'd have a beer or two, and see which old buddies might still be hanging around.

Danny remembered nights in the Cool Spot. It was here he bought his first legal beer at the age of eighteen. He had to wait for the clock in the bar to strike Midnight before the bartender would serve him, and he was passed-out drunk on the floor by One AM. Of course, the six-pack he drank before he walked into the bar might have speeded things along. In those days the Cool Spot was the only bar around that would serve bikers, and it's where Danny first got the idea to own his own Harley.

The Cool Spot wasn't the same old bar Danny remembered it to be. When he last set foot in the Cool Spot, it was a hot spot with lots of people who like him, made their living in the mill and spent it at the Cool Spot. Before, there had been lots of folks in their twenties and thirties, but now it was filled with middle-age yuppies, and others in business suits and ties. There wasn't a single millie nor biker in sight.

Danny took a seat near the back where he could watch the goings on around the pool table, and the bar. There were two guys shooting pool-- nine ball-- and two women wearing mini skirts, spiked heels, too much make-up, and lots of jewelry, watching them play.

At the bar were four men in their late thirties, or early forties, drinking expensive imported beers while the bartender served Jello shooters to the women who were with the guys shooting pool. "Can I get you anything?" asked the waitress, a tall blonde with a worn out expression on her face.

"How 'bout a long neck, and a cheeseburger?" Danny asked.

"Sorry Dear," replied the waitress, "we don't serve 'em anymore."

"You don't serve cheeseburgers?" Danny asked.

"Honey, we still serve burgers, we just don't serve longnecks anymore."

"You don't serve Budweiser long necks?" he asked.

"We don't serve Budweiser."

"Just bring me what they`re drinking," Danny said pointing to the men at the bar,and wondering what sort of bar doesn`t serve Bud. Oh well, he thought, I`ll just make the best of it.

Danny ate his cheeseburger, drank a couple of beers, and then decided he wasn`t going to see any old friends in there so he left enough money to cover the bill and a couple for a tip before starting towards the door. "You must be new in town," said one of the guys drinking beer at the bar. "I bet you think you're a real hotshot with your shaggy dog hair, leather jacket, and piece of shit motorcycle."

"Yeah, shaggy dog," laughed one of the others.

"I ain't nobody," answered Danny realizing the guy was drunk, and looking to impress his buddies. Gee, thought Danny, I thought people quit giving guys crap over long hair back in the seventies. Here it is two-thousand and one, and this clown is starting it all over. If I'm lucky I can get out of here without a fight.

"Well Mr. Nobody," the drunk yuppie continued, "you look like a tough guy. Let's see how tough you are."

“Why don’t you let me say you win and let me go home?” Danny asked, knowing a fight wasn’t in his best interest.

"Easy Junior," said the bartender. "Let's not give our guest a hard time."

"Easy my ass," said the drunk, "I'm gonna kick this shaggy dog's ass."

Danny hadn't been in a fight in years, but he still remembered how, so without waiting to see what was going to happen next, Danny grabbed a pool cue and pounded the drunk, and two of his buddies, to the floor! It was all over in a few seconds.

"You want some too?" he shouted to the fourth guy as he looked at the rest of the customers in the bar. "Anybody else got a problem?"

"Naw man," said the fourth. "You're okay, I ain't got no problem with you, Man."

Danny turned around to see the High Sheriff standing in the door then said, "Aw man, how much worse could this night get?"

Comments

[Pankaj Maru]

Life goes on, non stop , on and on...

Life take 9 months in creation,
But the process of creation is an ultimate joy and happiness for every person,
The small creation gives enormeous pain to its creator, when it comes out in this world.

Again life moves on slowly with time,
As it learns new things with the help of its creator and others around

Slowly life learns new thing with the moving time,
And one day it stands on its feet and roams arounds
Until it comes across a new life, which attracts and affectionate it

Once again the life blossoms with new company of another life
With the couple of life together, it adds new colour to the world surrounding it
Until a new life is created, the couple of life keeps enjoying and living every bit and moments of world