chapter 4
Inside, the two men went by the other patrons and straight to the counter. Only a few minutes had passed though. But to Toney, he felt as if it was hours. He was not the kind of man to sit still for any lengthy periods. Even as a child he always felt the need to move. Being asked to sit still was not something you could have asked of him. For that moments he did sit, he will rock back and forth, or tapped his fingers on his lap. Then again he was not much of a drinker. So being in a bar was unnerving.
He felt the walls of the bar closing in on him.
The countertop, the only area of safety for him, it sparkled. The constant wiping done by Peter, now offered a welcoming distraction for Toney’s eyes.
The cream coloured walls, flaking, offered no beauty to the already dreary room. It appeared, in every inch of the room, the mixture of sweat and liquor dancing violently in the air. Toney’s stomach-churned. Just glued to the countertop; he meandered his way in telling a bit about himself to Deo.
“Well, that is a little about me. Nothing much too this man before you. I am like a child in this place, brand new.” Toney looked at the glass of whisky, twirling the last bit.
“But Deo, you have not really said much about yourself, who are you around here?” Toney shrugged his shoulders.
Deo looked at Peter with a quick side glance. Peter stood on the other side of the counter. With a white cotton cloth in his hand and about six wine glasses in front of him. Not in the conversation, but certainly close enough to hear the two men. And maybe he did. For as soon as he heard Toney’s question and got the glance from Deo, his countenance changed. Peter moved away and tended to other customers.
Deo glanced at Toney, and then surveyed the bar on either side of his shoulders. He appeared to look for something, something out of the ordinary.
Toney became concerned, but did not venture to speculate.
He waited for Deo to decide or process a response.
“Toney, all men are not engineered equal.” Deo muttered in an undertone. He peered into his glass of whisky, his eyes ferocious; more so than what it was outside a while ago.
Deo gulped the last bit of the drink then continued, “Toney, I could sense that you are a good man, your heart is pure, an adventurer, but your heart is pure.” He gripped the glass closer in his fist.
“Over twelve years,” Deo bent his head back and closed his eyes, his breath is slow and deliberate; he then dragged his words, “Toney, you tell me, what kind of man leaves his wife, his daughters, girls Toney, girls, and allows himself to go away!”
Toney bit down gently on his tongue, then attempted to fix himself on the bar stool, “Deo, you—”.
Deo interrupted him. Toney acted surprised, but was relieved to not make a comment. Really not knowing what he would have said.
“Toney, a ruthless man, I am a ruthless man!” Not wanting to draw attention to himself, but apparently not realizing his strength, slammed the glass against the counter.
“Well, Deo…”
“That is okay Toney you could say it.” Deo jumped off the stool, stood, then pushed the glass away from him.
The two raised their heads recognizing that Peter had moved closer to where they were.
“Deo, I think you had enough.” Peter said, as he reached for Deo’s glass.
Deo looked at the glass in Peters hand; he became pensive, hypnotized by something.
Peter cleared his throat and turned to Toney’s glass. Toney slid it to Peter’s reach. He too just stood there frozen; waiting.
Then Peter spoke, “Ruthless men do not feel shame and guilt but conscious men do. You have returned, Deo, you are here now. Shelly is happy, the girls are happy. You have matured and I am sure that no one has treated you badly since your return.”
Deo bent his head, placed both hands in his pocket and turned away from Peter, leaving the bar. Toney looked at Peter. His both hands, palms opened, moved closer to his chest. His eyebrow closed in to each other.
Peter though will have no curious question. “And, please, ah…” He waved his finger.
“Toney.”
“Oh yes, Toney, don’t ask me anything about the man’s past. Just leave it alone. No one around here wants to remember.”
Toney awkwardly moved the right side of his face. He shook his head as a child being scolded for an unlawful act.
Peter then attempted to walk away to attend too another customer, when Toney called out to him. “Peter, I am looking for work, do you…, or do you know of anyone who needs someone to employ? I am good with my hands.”
Peter stopped, held his hands over his mouth, then tilted his head as he close one eye. “Well I needed someone to help around here, but already contacted a person. Actually she is expected today. Come to think of it, haven’t seen her yet though.”
Toney shook his head and gave a little smiled. “Well if you hear of any opportunities let me know.” He said and turned to leave the bar.
“Oh, wait.” Peter jerked his index finger in the air, signaling Toney.
Toney stopped, clasping his hands behind his back and bended slightly forward.
“You know, Mr. Chin Soo Chow asked me a few weeks back, if I knew any handy man. At the time there weren’t any willing to take the job. But I really didn’t hear him say anything about finding anyone.”
Urging Toney to go see Mr. Chin, right away, he waved his palms at him, and then pointed, allowing Toney’s head to follow in the direction of his hands.
“He is next door, he owns the grocery store.” Peter continued.
Toney, became spirited, thanked Peter and headed for the door.
A young, tall, gorgeously looking woman entered the bar, passing him on his way out, he nodded his head at her and proceeded to push the bars swinging doors.
He brought his steps to a halt, making an about turn. Behind him he heard Peter vocalized something. As he tiptoed over the swinging door, he saw Peter moved from behind the counter and stood in the middle of the walk way.
“Men, stop what you are doing for a moment, and yes, Dennis that means you too.” Peter said. He was quite assertive. So much so, that every man in the bar stopped, raised his head and listened.
“Let me make this very clear…” But before Peter could continue, he was interrupted by Dennis.
“My goodness, Peter, who is that sweet girl?” Dennis yelled, while he rose to his feet.
Some of the men chuckled.
Peter quickly made his voice overpowering once more, “Yes about this girl,” Peter suspended his statement and glanced in the direction of Dennis, “Dennis, I think you should remained standing, because when I am through with what I have to say, you will leave, I will see you tomorrow, not today again but tomorrow, right!”
Dennis appeared to ignore Peter, pulling his stool closer to him to sit back down again. The stool made a scraping noise against the rustic floor. About twenty, or so, men were in the bar. With horrid stares on their faces, they turned to look at Dennis. His body arched to sit; Peter’s toes itched to move in Dennis direction. There was a silence, overshadowing the bar’s misty air. Toney, still stationed at the door, heard an influencing tone from the other side of the bar.
“Dennis, you heard the man, we’ll see you tomorrow!” The voice, assertive as well, but friendlier than Peter’s.
“That’s find Zig, I was leaving anyway.” Dennis responded.
Peter came back into the conversation, appearing to not be phased by what had just happened. “Now this is Candy, she’s my niece. She’s now staying in the house just right around the bend, after the cemetery. I think most of you will have remembered my older sister Miss Joanna, who lived obliquely opposite the primary school.”
“Oh, yes man, I remember her, Miss Joanna. I for one sorry she gone.” Zig said nodding his head.
A few men chattered quietly among themselves about what Peter’s sister had ta
ught them at school.
“She will be our waitress from today, she is to be respected and I ask that she shows each of you the same. So are we are clear?”
Like a choir after the orchestra played the introductory piece, the men harmoniously bellowed, ‘yes’ to Peter’s request.
Peter now focused his attention on Candy. He hugged her tightly, and kissed her on the forehead.
Dennis made his way out of the bar grumbling something to Toney as he brushed passed him. Toney found the entire drama to be quite hilarious. He chuckled to himself. Unto the streets, he entered the blazing sun and glorious light which emanated from the heavens, upon Kiskadee village. As he walked in the direction of Mr. Chin’s grocery he squinted, as he tried to adjust his eyes to the brilliant light. By now the sun was directly overhead.
Thank you for reading books on BookFrom.Net Share this book with friends