Two Moons: Around the Bend

Two Moons:  Around The Bend

Madison hollered, “Loretta!”

“Be right there Mad Jack, can’t you see I’ve got my hands full?”  Under her breath she continued, “Spitting old fool.”  She loaded up the tray with empties as she made her way back to the bar.  “Sure is hopping tonight, eh?"  Looking up from the board, she could see Mad Jack hadn’t heard a word she said.

“Madison David Jackson, proprietor and bartender extraordinaire at your service, Ma’am.  What’s your flavor?”  Jack made a snappy bow and there was a twinkle in his eye Loretta hadn’t seen in some time. 

“Ah, I’ll have one those pink things, you know the kind with little umbrella,” drawled the frosted blonde with black roots and too much make up. “Thank you, suh,” she added and held up her cigarette.  Mad Jack was nothing if he wasn’t a gentleman and quickly drew out his lighter.  Instantly, someone else’s lighter lit the blonde’s cigarette and Mad Jack just stood there holding the lighter and looking stupid.  A few seconds passed before he abruptly turned his back on the two.  “Drink coming right up,” he threw back over his shoulder.

Loretta could barely conceal her amusement at seeing him pout and teased Mad Jack, “Ya’ll having a good time?”  He gave her a sour look but didn’t say anything.  Loretta decided not to push it.  She’d been putting up with his moods for eleven years, once his nose was out of joint it would take some time for him to get over it.

Glancing around the room to see where she needed to get caught up Loretta saw the regulars like Daring Deever Monroe who got his nick name from racing out on the old Flat Highway and Gino the blacksmith who never really cleaned up.  Loretta figured he’d worn the same overalls for the last six months and it was a mystery to her why she couldn’t smell him from across the room.  Carol the hairdresser, who everyone believed did more than ‘hair’ was flanked on either side by a few others that were in here more nights than not.  She also noticed a few faces she didn’t recall and decided to work the room.  First, she had to pick up a food order before the cook blew a gasket.  “What is it tonight, a full moon or what!” she asked herself.  Loretta had a feeling the night was going to get worse before it got better at ‘Around the Bend' bar.

Just about that time, Jake Miller from over in Sutton nearly fell through the door followed closely on his heels by Howard Moon.  Loretta sensed some rift between the two.  Jake really was mad as a hatter.  She knew if he stayed there’d be more than a few who had unresolved issues with that bum. 

“You give it back!” shouted Moon.  He charged at Jake, his face turning red with exertion and anger.  Normally his burly stature commanded more respect, but Jake didn’t give in.

“Will not, its mine. I found it!” retorted Jake who was weaving around the room on unsteady feet, trying to keep a distance from Moon.  His straw hat bobbed up and down with his momentum.  Patrons were scooting their chairs and leaning this or that direction to avoid him.

“Bang!” the loud noise stopped everyone in their tracks and the room was quiet except for the juke box in the background spewing out some old country song about somebody doing somebody wrong.

It was only a ‘pop gun’ Mad Jack kept at the bar for occasions just like this.  The acoustics were just so that it sounded real.  The regulars knew it but it always caught them off guard, especially when two men are having a row.  However in the momentary silence Mad Jack was able to get a collar on Jake and told Moon to just hang on while he led Jake to the back room to shake him down.  There was a lot of yelling going on in the back but no one bothered to get up.  Still, all eyes were glued to the old fashioned swinging doors, watching feet pace back and forth and the waving of hands.

Moon sat at the end of the bar where Loretta offered him a whiskey to calm him down.  She leaned into his ‘personal space’ and said soothingly, “Now honey, you know Miller is half crazy.  Why do you want to go getting yourself involved with the likes of him?”  Moon took a swig and scowled, “Loretta you got a way of sticking your nose where it don’t belong.  Jake and I will settle this, just you wait and see!  But, I do thank you for the whiskey.”  He pulled two dollars out of his pocket, laid it on the bar and stomped out.

Meanwhile the shouting in the back room stopped and voices were wafting into the bar every so often but no one could hear what was being said.  Deciding she needed to distract the room, Loretta went into damage control mode.  Using the familiar bartender ploy, she told the room, “Drinks are on the house!  I’ll get to you as soon as I can.” Dirty glasses were piling up and most of the tables needed clearing again.  Why did the dishwasher have to call in sick tonight of all nights? Ugh!  She rounded the bar with note pad in hand, telling herself to push “bottles.” 

The back door closed loudly and Mad Jack returned to the bar.  Everyone hesitated in their conversations that had only resumed a short while before, anticipating Mad Jack’s assessment of the situation.  Jason Parker from the town’s local newspaper was especially eager to have something to print in tomorrow’s paper and leaned forward to catch every word.

“It’s all right folks.  Jake and Howard are going to work this out between themselves, just not here,” emphasized Mad Jack.  He picked up a bar towel and slung it over his shoulder and added, “Business as usual!”

Figuring there was no more drama, the normal buzz resumed.  Everyone settled back into their conversations except for Jason Parker.  He floated over to where Loretta was clearing a table, gave her a $5 tip and conjectured, “I guess I’m wasting my time here.  I’m heading down to the police station. I’m sure with a full moon there’ll be plenty of action, there.”  Loretta laughed, “So it’s true!  Well then, that being the case you’d better watch out for the crazies we got in this town.”

Puzzled that there was not more gossip out of the whole episode, Loretta sidled over to Mad Jack and asked, “What really happened between those two?”

Mad Jack was back to his old self now and chuckled, “You won’t believe it...... 

Jake stole Moon’s Milky Way bar.” 

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