Bartender’s Observations

She used to linger a few tables away, close enough to hear their stories and smell the mildew in their boots. After they collected their crude comments and drove home half-drunk, often, that’s when a straggler would swagger over. She anticipated the approach and considered it the agyria-inducing silver lining fastened to the butt-ends of overheard anecdotes. She realized that behind the guise of their boisterous laughter, their battered cogs were turning. The men making leisure of her misfortunes were the ones who would seek an opportunity for her intimacy. The men took no care concealing the gossip they enjoyed at her expense, which was apparent whenever one confidently, but quietly, asked, “ten bucks and two smokes?”