Relative Beginnings 1: Big Bang

Chapter 6

"You're two behind," Doug spit out as he wiped a creamy froth mustache of Guinness from his upper lip.

I sighed heavily dropping into my favorite seat at the Left-Handed Bell.

Doug looked down picking at his fingers. "You still pissed about today?" He didn't even have the courage to look up.

"Maybe. Would that earn me a free beer from you?"

Doug looked up with a smile gently curving on his outer lips. "For you? Only the finest of brews this evening, my good sir. We shall drink to Halcyon Days!" Doug sloshed his glass half-filled with stout and shouted, "Barkeep, a brown ale for my friend here!"

Winch looked up as he was pouring two beers at once. "One, I don't take orders from you, King of Methane. And two, have you paid up on your tab yet?"

Doug gave a startled look and mockingly pointed at himself as if he didn't know the answer, "Me? An outstanding bar tab? Never!"

I shook my head, gently pushed myself out of my seat and walked over to Winch.

"Don't forget to get the pretzels, Eth," followed by a belch. "Two baskets! I'm starving tonight."

I heard Doug slam his beer mug down as I waited for Winch to finish his pours.

"Why do you put up with Captain Disaster, Eth?" Winch studied me as he skillfully finished pouring the two beers with the perfect amount of frothy head.

I shrugged. "He keeps me entertained. I never get bored with him around." I took a look back to see Doug hypnotically gazing at the back end of some guys girlfriend like a lion eyeing a gazelle.

Winch shook his head, "Different strokes for different folks." He handed the two mugs out and stroked his mustache like he always did, readying himself for another order. "You paying for him again tonight?"

Without even looking back I could hear the girl's boyfriend grilling Doug over molesting his girlfriend with his eyes.

I let out another long sigh. "I suppose so. That is until he gets his lights punched out."

Winch looked over my shoulder. "My guess is that's happening in about thirty seconds."

I dropped my head and shook it. I didn't want to turn around and get sucked into another Doug mess. Instead I looked back up at Winch and said, "A Guiness and a nut brown ale for me."

Winch kept his eyes on Doug and Doug's new "friend." "Mmm hmmm."

"Oh, and some pretzels. Two baskets, please." I tried my best to ignore the ensuing chaos that was frothing like a fresh Alka Seltzer.

My mind began to wander as I thought about the sketches from earlier. My hand went instinctively inside my coat pocket to make sure they were still folded safely away.

'I wonder what grandpa was working on that was so secret to hide in his desk,' I thought while picking at my fingers. My nervous habit rearing it's ugly head.

Then my attention came back to the angry taunts behind me. Just as I was about to turn around something began poking me in my back and a hand went around my mouth. I instinctively wanted to curl up in a ball on the floor.

"Your money or your life, finger picker."

Jess took her hand away from my mouth as a I spun around. "Jesus! You scared the crap out of me. I thought you were Doug's new friend coming to kill me." I nodded over in Doug's direction. He and his "friend" were now nose to nose snarling at each other.

Jessica groaned. "Now what has the Boy Wonder gotten himself into?"

Winch slammed his anvil sized hands on the bar top. Jess and I both jumped.