“How’d you get that way?”

“maybe I’m not going to tell

you.”

then it was quiet again, there were

6 or 7 guys in that

bar.

I took a hit of my beer.

then I looked at the other guy

sitting next to me.

“you’re not wearing boots,”

I told him.

“didn’t say I was.”

then it got very quiet.

everybody just sat there.

it stayed quiet.

“bartender,” I said finally, “a round of drinks

for everybody.”

they were all drinking beer.

the bartender went about setting up

new beers.

then he was finished.

I put some bills on the bar.

the bartender came down and

took all of them.

he walked down to the register,

hit it and dropped my money

into it.

then he took a rag and mopped

the bar.

I got up and walked to the

door.

then I turned and looked.

the bartender was still mopping

the bar.

the other guys just sat

looking straight ahead.

I turned and walked out

of the bar.

nobody said

goodbye.

the strange morning outside the bar

it had never happened before and one doesn’t

know how such things can

happen.

it was about 11 a.m. and I had stopped

outside for some air.

Danny walked up and I started talking

to Danny.

then Harry walked up and joined us

on the corner.

then I noticed two other men

stop and begin talking

to each other a few feet away.

“let’s go in for a drink,” I said to

Danny and Harry.

“no, it’s nice out here,” said Danny,

“let’s gab awhile.”

so we did.

then I noticed some more men

arrive.

some were talking, others

just stood there.

it happened slowly.

more and more men arrived

at the corner:

it was getting crowded.

it was getting almost

humorous.

there was something

strange in the air,

you could feel it.

there were many voices

now.

and more men arrived.

I don’t know where they

came from.

they stood around

talking,

laughing,

and smoking

cigarettes.

Jim the bartender stuck

his head out the door

and asked,

“hey, what the hell’s

going on out here?”

somebody laughed.

Jim went back inside to

the empty bar.

I began to feel very

strange about it all,

as if the world had

decided to change,

all at once.

there was a feeling of

joy and gamble in

the air.

I believe that everybody

felt it.

it was a powerful energy

let loose and working

upon itself.

then Jack the cop

walked up.

“hey, you guys,

break it up!

what the hell is all

this?”

we all knew Jack,

we drank with him

at night.

soon Jack was standing there

talking and listening

to the others.

Danny grinned, “Jesus,

this is very strange.”

“I like it,” I said.

the whole corner was

crowded with

humanity

finally cut loose and

free,

laughing.

cars slowed down and the

drivers looked out

wondering what was

happening.

we didn’t

know.