Christmas at Joes

1. Frosty

    Frosty was not at his normal stool at the far end of the bar. Instead, he was at one of the two-tops against the wall nursing his usual foamy headed beer. He liked the foam. Still, the table didn't have a slot machine and so frosty looked longingly at his usual stool now occupied by a stranger.

He didn't act like he was expecting anyone to join him at the two-top. I don't think, I've ever seen anyone ever join Frosty. He's a bit antisocial. I suspect he was just waiting on the guy who'd taken his normal stool to leave so he could get to "his" slot machine embedded in the bar at that stool. For anyone not familiar with the new slots, they are all electronic now. No bulky machines or handles to pull. The screen is part of the bar top.

Maybe this was my chance to get to know Frosty better. I guess I always identify with these loner types and it's the holidays and I hate to see any of my customers less than happy. Without his slot machine maybe, he would be open to an actual conversation.

I've tried talking to him in the past and he has never shown any interest in conversation with me or anyone else for that matter. He just focuses on his beer and that slot machine. He does occasionally flirt with the female servers. I think he has a crush on Destiny even though he must know she is not available.

I've been told that Frosty has been a regular since before I acquired Joe's bar and grill a few years ago. In case you haven't figured it out yet, I'm Joe and this is my bar. If you want to know more about the bar, check out my Wattpad story by the same name.

When I first realized that Frosty was a regular, and that talking to him while he was playing "his machine" was a fool's errand, I began asking the other regulars about him. I was really curious about his nickname. Everyone seemed to know it, but for me the origin remained a mystery the other regulars refused to let me in on.

The thing about bars, especially this one, is that everyone thinks they're a joker. So, when I asked about Frosty's name; they all enjoyed making up ridiculous answers. I was told his nickname referred to his personality or to the frosty head he always insisted top his beer. Lupin even tried to convince me it came from his resemblance to the cartoon character Frosty the Snowman. He did have coal black eyes, but the resemblance ended there. He definitely wasn't what you'd call a "jolly happy soul." I assumed his nickname was due to the small patch of white hair on top of his head like frost on a roof.

Destiny finally spoiled everyone's fun by telling me that Frosty was one of the local snowplow drivers. In fact, he was somewhat well known in these parts for rescuing numerous people in severe storms when the other operators wouldn't even consider taking their rigs out. People in the area knew to ask for Frosty if a serious snowstorm had gotten them in trouble. And yet he never talked about it. He just modestly accepted the humorous but well-intentioned honorific—Frosty the Snow-man.