Mickey was back in the same seat when I walked into the pub, it was going to be really hard to break him of this habit. I grabbed the stool from behind the bar and took it down to sit facing him.

“Mick, I got a job I need you to do.”

“Sure Zach, what you need?”

I put a twenty dollar coin on the bar between us and went on, “I need you to run to town and get me a large sign made to go on front of this pub, a pub should have a name.”

Mick nodded so I went on, “it should be big enough to be seen and read from a distance and should say this on it.” I took a slip of paper out of my pocket and slid it over to him. He took a long look at it and said in a confused voice, “I don’t read so well but that looks like me name…”

“It is your name Mickey, it’s still my bar and Sinclaire is still the manager but she’s going to be very busy from now on and since you are here running it, might as well have your name.” Now he looked very confused.

“Go tell cook and see what she thinks, ” I offered to help settle him down.

I personally think it’s a desire of every Irishman to eventually run a pub, no matter how small. Apparently he was having trouble with the fact that everyone would know it as ‘Mickey’s’ and he would actually be the point man. Sinclaire would continue to do the books for now but I was sure Sonya would be down here soon to visit all of these businesses and establish some accounting procedures.

Mickey came back from the kitchen with a big smile on his face and his hat in hand, he grabbed the coin off the bar and let me know he’d be right back. I told him to take his time.

Cook came out right after he left and hit me with a big hug, she was actually crying and they sounded like tears of happiness. When she eventually released me from her bone crushing hug I held her at arms length and just smiled at her.

“You do understand that I didn’t give him the pub and Sinclaire will still be the manager, I just put his name on it and told him he was the front man from now on.

She nodded.

“You guys will need a few errand boys to help out now, especially with winter on it’s way, Sinclaire will help you hire them.

“Mickey will need some better clothes, maybe two vests with lots of pockets and four nice shirts.” I slid her a ten dollar coin and said “buy yourself some better working clothes also. You should have crates of fresh tomatoes and corn to put on the menu, if they haven’t arrived yet they soon will.”

She simply gave me another of those bone crushing hugs and a kiss on the cheek, apparently she was speechless right now which was a new experience for me. Cook was usually constantly talking about one thing or another. She started to head back to the kitchen when I stopped her.

“When you get a chance have another rocking chair made for him, he can stay the hell out of mine.” I said with a huge grin and a wink. Cook simply giggled while she nodded and scurried off to her kitchen.

I relaxed on the stool behind the bar and considered the events thus far through the day. It had been fun to play with Sinclaire in the tub, friends with benefits are always a joy to have available. I truly hoped she didn’t harbor any dreams of marital bliss with me but that was something far beyond my control. When we talked, and we did talk, I was open about the situation in Rulo. She got a huge kick out of Matilda and professed that she’d love to meet all of them one day. I pondered over these things and served the occasional beer when someone came up to the bar.

Two business men came in at some point and bellied up to the bar asking for some of that fine bourbon they’d been hearing about. I poured them each two fingers and then sat back down to continue my relaxing contemplation. As bartender you get to hear a lot of information, people simply seem to forget that you’re there. Well they meandered over the immediate business gossip of the day and finally got around to their personal days. Apparently one of them had just offloaded that worthless restaurant on Main Street and proud of himself for getting such a good deal, his only concern was that he wasn’t sure who the buyer was. A lady named Sinclaire had made the transaction but she refused to give up the buyer which was a shame because he had some more worthless property he was trying to offload.

At this point I decided to get involved a little bit so I pulled my feet off of the barrel I had them resting on and slowly stood up, I took a moment to stretch out a little and then put my hands on the bar in front of them.

They looked up at me and I could see the change in their demeanor as they tried to figure out the situation. I simply held out my hand and introduced myself as Zachariah Narrater the owner of Rulo Entertainment and Beverage Company. Well obviously Sinclaire chose that moment to come bouncy through the door full of happiness and excitement.

“Zach! I got it! I got it and it was only fifty-eight hundred dollars! I can believe I finally have my own café!”

I’d never seen her this happy, but then again I hadn’t known her all that long. She leaned over the bar and I gave her a quick kiss, I told her to go share the good news with Cook and off she skipped.

That left just me and these two gentlemen at the bar.