Sparrar turns from Bae to you and inspects you. “Have we…?
”Epson Moore?” Bae smiles, “surely you know Epson?”
”Just a bit of a different look than I’m used to,” Sparrar admits. He nods. “You look… different.”
”Thank you,” you decide to take it as a compliment.
”Can I get you a drink, Bae?” says Sparrar.
”Get me a bottle of Budvar and a half-pint glass,” says Bae. “I like to top up my glass a little at a time.”
”Fair enough,” says Sparrar, standing up. “I’ve been hearing a lot about ladettes, and I guess we must be moving with the times.”
”And I’ll have the same,” you say.
Sparrar gives you a straight look. Assessing who this stranger at the table is. A glass breaks in the background. Everyone at the bar cheers.
”What’s wrong, Sparrar?” says Bae. “Don’t you have enough cash on you.”
”It’s fine, I’ll get them.”
He hunches off to the bar, and Bae gives you a thumbs up. “He might try something else before the evening is over, but I’m hoping that I can get him to cast off that… act, that bullshit, so we can see the real Sparrar for the first time.”
”I’m not sure I want to,” you reply.
Sparrar returns with the drinks. He places a bottle of Budvar with a half-pint glass as a lid in front of you without a word. As he puts Bae’s glass on the table and begins to pour, he roars, “there you go, princess!”
A psychic wave rolls across the pub and everyone is silent. Waiting.
”I am not a princess,” says Bae.
Do you weigh in and defend Bae? (goto 28)
Do you wait to see what will happen? (goto 85)
Or do you conclude that this is way above your pay grade and go home? (goto 66)