Cemetery Street

"I never forget a face," the bartender hobbled towards me.

"Faggots!" I yelled. Laughter erupted behind me as I ran out of Giorgio's. I continued down Main Street until I came to JD's Tavern.

I walked in. Russell sat at the end of the horseshoe shaped bar. The bartender was busy making time with a barfly. "Hey Russell." I said.

Turning on his stool he appeared to look me over from behind his sunglasses. He removed the cigar from his mouth and blew a plume of smoke into stale air, "Do I know you?" he asked, his voice sandpaper.

"I'm James. I'm…"

"Yes. Yes. Yes," he said slapping a knee. "I remember now. You're butterfly's little friend. What can I do for you?" He inhaled his Dutch Master.

"I was wondering if you could help me?"

"What could a broken feller like me do for you?" He laughed, bringing on a fit of phlegmy coughs. He reached for the shot glass next to his beer mug. He belted it down. He pounded his fist against his chest. "Stuff is good for what ails ya."

The bartender wandered over and refilled Russell's shot glass. "He's got to go."

"Get the boy a Coke," Russell said. "We're going to take a seat at a table."

The bartender sighed and followed Russell's instructions. "Here boy, help an old man and carry his beer."

"What are you doing?" The bartender called. "If the L.C.B. walks in they'll close me down."

"I don't see no L.C.B. man," Russell said.

"Boy put that back on the bar," the bartender instructed. "Russell! You blind fool, your more trouble than your worth."

"Then you bring me my beer," he told the bartender.

Russell covered the distance between his stool and the table without his cane. Mom was right, he does smell like rotten eggs, I thought as Russell sat across from me.

"Now where were we?" he asked.

"I need to ask you something."

"About?"

The bartender arrived with our drinks, slamming them down on the table before retreating behind the bar. I told him what happened last night.

"Son," He pushed ashes around the ashtray with the tip of his stogie. "This is an interesting story, but what is it you want to know?"

"What's going on?

"Ask your friends?"