The Christmas Elf, A Secret-Santa Story

Chapter 6 - The pub

Friday 16 December

They wouldn't let her say no, so she eventually allowed herself to be cajoled into going. "Not some crazy disco place that only plays EDM though," she had to add.

"Oh well, if you insist," Kevin laughed. It was a running joke how much he and his boyfriend loved EDM.

"I think I know the perfect place," Carol said. "There's a bar on Drew Street that my father used to go to, sort of an old Irish pub feel. Back then I always thought of it as a bit of a dive, but I heard it's under new management and it seems to attract a fairly young crowd. Pretty sure they won't have EDM."

"I heard the food is pretty good too," Kevin said.

"Trust you to know about the food," teased Kayla.

They managed to squeeze into a large taxi and got to the pub in a half hour. "Do you think it's a bit early to be going into a pub?" asked Eileen looking around at the deserted car park that took up half a lot at the side of the building. THE RED FOX – IRISH PUB, proclaimed a tasteful sign featuring a mischievous looking red fox.

Eileen wasn't familiar with the neighborhood, which looked decent enough. The pub took up the bottom floor of a two-story older brick building. The other buildings on the street all seemed to have businesses on their lower floors, with a flower shop on the left and an apothecary on the other side.

"Apothecary?" she asked Carol.

"This street recently became in with the new age crowd - you know, the herbal remedies and the 'everything must be fresh and organic'," Carol answered. "There're a local honey maker, jam and preserves shop, a grocer that brings in fresh fruit and veggies from a special farm."

"Special farm, huh?" joked Kevin tapping the side of his nose with a finger. "Wonder what else they grow out there."

"How does a bar fit in with all that?" she wondered out loud as they all walked to the front door.

"Well, I guess the owner probably serves beer that work for the crowd?" Carol answered. "Remember I haven't been here before either – just in case this is a bust, okay."

They pushed through the front door and the scent hit them first. It was food and beer and something indefinably tantalizing. Then they looked around and were immediately charmed.

"Wow," Eileen exclaimed, "this interior is exactly what I would have pictured for an Irish pub, only more warm and inviting. I feel like I've stepped across an ocean and back in time." They paused at the door and five keenly observant auditors took in all the details.

The long, solidly crafted timber bar with the comfortable bar stools started midway along the left wall and continued in a curve to halfway along the back wall. There was a clear path to the bar from the front door and the dining seating took all the space on the right. The entire dining space was currently empty, but they were reassured to find that there were two occupants at the bar.

"Bar right?" Eileen asked, taking the lead and heading for the left and furthest away from the existing occupants. The pedestal at the door, which she assumed usually had someone to seat customers, was empty and the bar seemed the only viable option.

As she got closer she noticed the mirrored wall behind the bar held bottles of Paddy and Jameson whisky, right next to all the other drinks an American would expect. She also noticed there was no bartender. She peeked over and spotted Guinness on tap and smiled widely.

"This place is pretty cool!" she approved to Carol, "Now if only we could get a drink."

Raised voices came from somewhere behind the bar and she spotted the swinging door all the way at the end of the bar, where she the waiters would bring food out.