FFXIV Write 2024

9 - Lend an Ear

Husband and I bounce at the bar on weekends, but Sam opens the bar every day. That makes it a convenient place to sometimes come and think. We have fixed up Sam's shed to use as a workshop to make furniture, so it is our space, but it is our space for doing things; when I sit in it, I often think of all the things on our project list. Sometimes I can only think of how long the list is.

So I can sit at the bar on a weekday, most often by myself while the townsfolk are off doing other things in their lives, with only Sam for company. I could drink cider if I want, since I am off-duty, but I usually stay with Coke and save cider for private time with Husband. Cider does not affect me as strongly now as it did when I first tried it, but it still makes me feel warm and comfortable, and I would rather feel that way where I do not need to think about what I might do.

I do not know what Sam does in his bar when he is alone...I have yet to use Sneak to find out. When he is alone in his bar with me, he tends to move things. Beer kegs in the back room. Furniture in the front room. I am free to sit and type or read on my laptop while he moves things around me.

He apparently ran out of things to move when he saw me sitting at the bar, not looking at the laptop or anything in particular. That is when he found a glass to polish. I have seen this in videos...it seems to be a bartender thing.

We spent a moment like that, him doing his polishing and me doing nothing, until he asked "Everything okay there?"

"I am not certain. May I ask you something?"

"Ear's all yours."

"How badly do I not fit in here?"

"Now, where's that comin' from?"

"I heard Mrs. Franklin say she does not trust me...that she does not like my 'tattoos and piercings.'"

Sam squinted at me. "What piercin's?"

"I do not know. Perhaps she means my earrings?"

"Not the way that sounds. Ya got any...other...jewelry that...don't show?"

"Why would I wear jewelry that does not show?"

"Some folks do. Uh...under their clothes...an' such."

"I do not. And if I did, how would she have seen it?"

"Yeah, sounds like idle gossip to me. Don't you worry none 'bout what she says. She kinda don't like anything...sort of a hobby for her."

"Thank you. But still, I know I am different from people here. I do not know Oklahoma well, or this country, or what people say, or wear..."

"You talk to yer husband 'bout all this?"

I sighed. "He would probably say, 'Everything you do is wonderful and perfect, my love.'"

Sam chuckled. "That don't sound bad."

"It is not useful. That is why I am asking you. You would not say that."

"S'pose I won't. What I will say is I don't have a problem with you, an' I don't know anyone who does. The kids at the diner like you, I hear the little kids at the library like you, the guys here like you..."

"Even when I throw them out the door?"

"They kinda think that's adorable."

"No one else wears a beret and an overcoat all the time. And even though I do, surely they know I am covering my ears and tail...?"

"Long's you don't cover up yer smile."

I tried to look at him sternly. "That does sound like something Husband would say."

He grinned back. "So now you know it's true."

Husband came in then. "There you are. Wondered where you'd gone. Was starting to think you'd headed into Tulsa."

"I came in here to think. Is that all right?"

He rested his hand on my shoulder. "Everything you do is wonderful and perfect, my love."

We stayed there together, watching Sam pretend to be choking on something.