Intro

An excercise in description and giving life to a location

How the hell did I end up here? I could've been doing anything else on a Friday night other than covering an ungrateful little sorority girl's shift, yet here I am doing my famous "chicken without a head" jig. I should've stayed in school. I could've been a lawyer instead of working at some s****y old hole in the wall. Have myself a nice cushy office, a closet full of slacks and ugly ties, and tee times at upscale golf clubs where old white guys sit and judge the world as it passes them by. But then again who am I kidding, I hate formal wear.

Tonight started out like any other night, slow and steady until around 7:30. Just enough time for everyone to get off work, head home to tidy themselves up, and meet up with whomever for a night on the town. All manner of folks could be found at Dalton's. Mr. Dalton opened this place up thirty-three years ago and it's been a main line staple ever since. It's really not all that bad. Dim recessed lighting lined the ceiling where the tiles had been so crudely cut that some didn't even fit together right. So much so that if one were to move just enough, the whole thing would collapse like a house of cards. A few tables and high tops lined the outer rim against the windows where people could congregate under the light of the neon Yeungling Lager signs, but all the real action was at the bar. The bar itself was Mr. Dalton's pride and joy. He claimed to have built it himself, which we all knew wasn't the case but who were we to ruin and old man's fun? The wood was a deep red mahogany and solid as the tree it came from. He made sure to refinish it every summer and it was nearly flawless. All except for a tooth protruding out from its lower left-hand corner. Some majestic idiot let his buddy talk him into doing a front flip off his bar stool. Craziest part was the guy made it. As everybody cheered and celebrated, someone patted him on the back a little too hard and he went face first into the bar. He ended up with a shiner and a hefty orthodontist bill. The boss man kept the tooth to remind everyone that if you're gonna try anything stupid, take it outside. This place was crazy and as much as I hated being here, it was almost like home away from home.

Author's Note

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