Title: Undecided

A Story by DownTheDrain

Lloyd wiped down the bar with an old, damp rag.

“What’s the gun for?” Lloyd inquired.

A .22 pistol sat atop the mahogany.

“Gonna’ fix ‘er wagon.” Dave answered.

“Ah. Who’s wagon we talkin’ about here?”

Lloyd’s questions were a courtesy. He didn’t care all that much.

“Hers. My… wife.” said Dave with a grimace.

Lloyd perked up, but acted natural.

“Well what’d she do that’s gotcha’ all worked up?”

Dave ran his tongue along his back teeth, flashed a glance around the place, and returned his stare to Lloyd.

“She’s runnin’ around on me, Lloyd.” Dave said flatly.

“Runnin’ around on you?”

Dave took a long drink from his glass. Scotch and water, he drank.

“Runnin’ around on me.” Dave repeated.

“You mean-”

“Yup.”

Lloyd paused before answering.

“You- you sure?”

“Sure as sure can be, friend.” Dave took another drink. “I followed her.” The scotch burned his throat. “Said she was goin’ to the store, she said. But I saw her, I… I watched her.” Dave was nodding. He knew what he saw. “Wasn’t no store like I ever seen. More of a… a private residence.”

Lloyd waited a while before speaking. He didn’t think the story was over. It was. He spoke.

“So… did you actually see her… you know…”

Dave shook his head.

“Then h-”

“I just know.”

That was good enough.

The two sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity. Lloyd looked away and nodded as if to say “Uh-huh…”

Dave sighed. Working methodically, he retrieved the gun and stuffed it in an inner compartment in his trench coat, reached into his pocket, and threw some change onto the bar. Lloyd nodded in recognition and Dave took his leave.

Not a few minutes later, Lloyd heard the distant sound of what might’ve been a gunshot. It sounded like one, anyway... or two… or three. He wasn’t counting.

Lloyd saw a booze stain on the far edge of the bar. He tended to it. He and his rag.