Six String God

Ravens and Mentors

The inside of The Hooting Raven was dark and mysterious, a place where everything at the surface seemed volatile and unstable while everything below the surface was solid and reprehensible. Several familiar faces were seated at the wooden tables, the surfaces gleaming invitingly as if they were saying "Come, sit down, grab a beer". The faces were familiar to Jesse N. Richardson merely because of his rescue missions. After completing a task, Jesse liked to head to The Hooting Raven to sip a glass of cranberry juice and watch the regulars. This is how Jesse came to recognize Waaleed the Crazy Arab, seated in his usual corner, drinking a pint of beer with a the customary bowl of cheese fries next to it. As expected, Jesse saw Waaleed pick out the jalapeno bits used as garnish on the fries and put them on a napkin. Waaleed always did that.

Jesse then spotted another familiar face. Ashley Darling, a girl from his neighbourhood. It was rare for her to step outside the house other than to go to the market, and therefore it came as a surprise when he saw her lazily clutching a Corona, sloppily drinking it, her long brown hair a tangled mess and her large green bedroom eyes limpid, a large bottle of Nutella in front of her. She frowned at him and Jesse quickly looked away.

The Hooting Raven was swathed in it's ever-present haze of smoke. Glasses clinked as the barmaid served up drinks. Tiyar the Loner Guitarist was leading the way and presently they were seated on the bar-stools. Tiyar lit up a fresh cigarette and inhaled almost reverently, closing his eyes. Jesse could almost see his lung-tissue burn and winced. The barmaid giggled. Despite the smoking, Tiyar remained of the most admired people in Jesse N. Richardson's eyes. Tiyar was eighteen when he had taken five year old Jesse onto his knee and taught him about music, the language of the universe. Jesse N. Richardson learned all he knew about guitars from this man, this brilliant mysterious wanderer. Tiyar's arms were covered in tattoos, names of the women he had loved, names of the women who had fallen deeply for him, the latter vastly outnumbering the former, and also intrinsic designs of sorts. After several puffs of smoke, Tiyar held up to fingers to the barmaid.

"Two Adios Mutha Fuckas" he instructed. Jesse looked at Tiyar while the barmaid nodded.

"Adios what?" asked Jesse skeptically.

"Adios Mutha Fuckas" replied Tiyar. Jesse thought the name of the drink to be intriguing.

"So what's in it?" Jesse asked the barmaid.

"Gin, vodka, Blue Curacao, pineapple juice and Seltzer" she replied.

"What? No. No! Tiyar, no alcohol! I'm still seventeen"

"So?" Tiyar asked, smoking again. "I started drinking when I was twelve. Quit being a wimp boy".

"Whatever" Jesse muttered.

"So what are you doing popping outta man holes on the street? Shouldn't you be at home eating Chunky Monkey and watching Golden Girls? And aren't you rescuing cats?" Tiyar asked.

"I was until I fell into the sewer" admitted Jesse. Tiyar snorted and wagged his cigarette at Jesse.

"You gotta give that up boy. Ain't getting nowhere with rescuing cats. Though it does pay well. Hmmm.. Damn, you stink."

"Um.. yeah I fell into a sewer" Just then the barmaid put down their drinks. They did look nice, blue and beautiful. Jesse took a tentative sip of his and found it to his liking.

"So was it that crazy woman...what's her name... Elsie's cat again?" Tiyar asked, running a callused hand on the counter top, taking another smoke.

"No.. it was this other lady... I think Antha was her name" Tiyar looked at him with his eyes bulging out.

"Antha Awikinn?" Tiyar asked.

"I don't know her last name"

"Tall beautiful woman? Black rimmed glasses, brown hair tied up into a bun like a librarian?"

"Yeah.. yeah! That's her. She was so beautiful. Why, what's so special about her?"

"Oh you wouldn't believe me if I told you" said Tiyar, grinning at Jesse.

"Try me"

And then, Tiyar the Loner Guitarist began to recite the tale of Antha Awikinn to Jesse N. Richardson. The tale of the most famous pin-up girl back in the day, turned dominatrix after she retired, her beauty despite the years, never changing and everlasting. It was a tale that Jesse N. Richardson would never forget.