The Local

Wooden beams everywhere, one solitary christmas decoration the bar staff were too short to take down hangs over "bullshitters corner". Big screens perfectly placed so as to avoid eye contact in moments of awkward conversation. A familiar smell of bacon burgers, beer and cheap perfume fill the nostrills. The entrance to the smoking area is in the wrong place which causes an annoying smoke filled draft to blow through, it's annoying cos it still smells inviting and I could do without having to remind myself I don't smoke anymore every 10 minutes. The Guiness is on point, best in town. The barmaid pouring it is thankful I asked for it before ordering the rest of the round..she smiles but not a real smile, its the smile a 19 year old gives when they've been working 9 hours and has 5 men older than her dad staring at her behind..do I really still want a cigarette?.. Its been 3 years. The white ball flies off the pool table and towards a rowdy group of construction workers, each trying to out alpha the next with made up conquests of concrete street mermaids.. Eventually the balls returned to the 2 students who only come in when the jukebox is set on free, they play 90s triphop beats, drink ipa and one of them wears his sunglasses indoors, a parting verbal insult he read yesterday flies over the construction workers head but is not lost on the old couple sat in the corner waiting for their child portion of fish and chips.. Every Friday.. Table reserved for John and Jean. The door from the beer garden opens and in she walks.. Its been 2 years, we make eye contact for a little longer than anyone watching us is comfortable with, she tries to walk in my direction, her friends drag her to the bathroom.. I wonder if she ever found it what I did?.. I'm tapped on the shoulder.. "your Guiness sir.. Anything else?"..