Story of US - 16th episode!
(16)
Not wanting to reject Jim’s invitation, George stayed and watched the Paris siblings’ performance.
“You drink?” Jim asked as he placed a jug of beer on the table.
“Well, occasionally.” George replied.
“I can see that you have a well-built body. How do you train them up?” Jim asked as he started to fill the mugs.
“I took Martial Arts in school. During my free time, I would work out at the gyms or jogged around the neighborhood. Beside that, I watched what I eat. I believe in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It keeps me alert too.” George explained.
“Wow, martial arts. That’s quite cool!” Jim commented.
“Sir, do they perform here every night?” asked George.
“George, you can call me Uncle Jim like they do. Do not be too formal with me; I’m not very used to it. Anyway, they are my god children. They have been living here with me and my family ever since their parents passed away in an accident. They feel bad about living on me, so I offered to let them perform in my pub as a way of repaying us. They are great, aren’t they? They are the reason my pub hits full house almost every night.” Jim proudly exclaimed.
“Yah, I know Ralph is in our school composing club and I heard he’s the club president. However, this is the first time I watch him perform. He certainly gives others a different kind of feeling when he’s performing. Not as cold as he appeared to be. His music brings warmth to the heart. As for Naomi, I think her voice is great!” George said.
“Yah, I can see that you are mesmerized by her voice.” Jim laughed out loud.
“Honey, what’s so funny? You just heard a joke?” Angie placed her hands on Jim’s shoulders and planted a kiss on his cheek.
“No, dear. I just crack a joke.” Jim said as he stood up and pulled the chair for Angie.
“How come you are laughing and not the audience? By the way, who is your guest for tonight?” Angie asked as she settled down.
“Well, the joke is on him and the way he blushes is funny! Let me introduce, this is Angie, my dearest wife and the proud female boss of Hartford Pub. I wouldn’t have come so far without her support. We have here, George, a schoolmate of Ralph. But after tonight, they would become buddies with my help of course.” Said Jim.
“Hi, Aunt Angie. This is a nice pub you have. It’s my pleasure to pay a visit tonight. Can I drop by here more often?” George smiled.
“You are most welcome then! However, I do not encourage students like you to drink too much alcohol. Maybe the next time, you can order soft drinks. Or you can try our in house cocktail; ‘Zoom’ specially mixed by our son, James the bartender.” Angie said as she pointed to James behind the bar counter.
“That’s a special name for a cocktail. Is there some meaning behind it? I shall try it sometime.” asked George.
“Well, nothing special. Just that this father and son love racing. So I guess Zoom is the sound made during races? James created this drink on Jim’s birthday last year. We tasted, it was nice. From then, we make it our in house specialty. Alot of patrons love it too.” Angie said.
“This wife of me loves promoting her son’s specialty drink.” Jim laughed.
“That is good. It goes to show that Aunt Angie is proud of her own son.” George said.
From that day on, George became a regular customer at Hartford’s Pub.
“George, you are here! You should have told me earlier, I could have reserve a table for you. It’s full house tonight!” Jim said as he walked over to the front door when he saw George stepped in. Well, it wasn’t hard to recognize his big build even in the dim light.
“It is okay, Uncle Jim. I can just stand and watch the performance.” George said.
“You’re Ralph and Naomi’s friend, which mean you are my friend too. How would I let you stand to watch the show? Come on over and sit with me at the bar then.” Jim said and led George to the bar.
“Hi George! You are here. Want to try ‘Zoom’ tonight?” Angie said as she walked out of the kitchen.
“It’s my pleasure, Aunt Angie. Students not encouraged to drink beer, yah?” George replied with a chuckle.
“Oh man! No one to drink with me then. People come pub to drink, don’t’ they, honey?” Jim said, pleading Angie with his pitiful eyes.
“Don’t give me that look, Jim. I’m doing it for your own good! Just take a look at your own beer belly. You should stop drinking too. Well, there are a lot of customers who came for the Paris siblings’ performance and order non-alcoholic drinks. So, whoever says one must drink beer at a pub?” Angie gave Jim a stern look.
“Ok, anything you say, honey. Give us 2 ‘Zoom’ then, James!” Jim ordered.
As Angie went to take orders from the customers, Jim turned around and whispered, “Son, mix some hard liquor in my ‘Zoom’, will you?”
“Dad, you know I am afraid of mum as much as you do, don’t you? She calls the shots around here.” James replied with a smile.
“You cheeky boy! I am not afraid of your mum, I merely respect her.” Jim said.
“Ok then, I respect Mum as much as you do, Dad. So it’s only ‘Zoom’ for you. Or would you prefer some coke light?” James broke out in a laugh.
“I’ll dock your allowance next month!” Jim said as he took over the glass of cocktail from James.
“If that is the case, I would have to lodge a complaint to the management.” James replied and shrugged his shoulders.
“You this little fellow ganged up with your Mum to go against me!” Jim was hopping mad.
“What was it that you said?” Angie was standing right behind Jim.
“No honey, I didn’t say anything.” Jim said as he tried to flash his most natural smile to Angie.
“Hi George!” greeted Naomi as she walked towards the bar with Ralph.It was break time for the siblings.
“Hi Naomi! Hi Ralph!” replied George.
“Give me a vodka shot, James!” Ralph took the seat beside George.
“What is your motive in coming here so often?” Ralph questioned after taking over the drink from James.
“Motive? What do you mean by that, Ralph? I enjoy watching the performance you put up with Naomi. It helps to relieve my stress.” George defended himself.
“Do you appreciate music? You are just a friend of that jerk and someone who only knows how to fight with your hands! Have you ever played any musical instruments before? Who are you to comment whether our performance is good or not?” Ralph barked and pushed George so hard that he almost fell onto the floor.
Not wanting to reject Jim’s invitation, George stayed and watched the Paris siblings’ performance.
“You drink?” Jim asked as he placed a jug of beer on the table.
“Well, occasionally.” George replied.
“I can see that you have a well-built body. How do you train them up?” Jim asked as he started to fill the mugs.
“I took Martial Arts in school. During my free time, I would work out at the gyms or jogged around the neighborhood. Beside that, I watched what I eat. I believe in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It keeps me alert too.” George explained.
“Wow, martial arts. That’s quite cool!” Jim commented.
“Sir, do they perform here every night?” asked George.
“George, you can call me Uncle Jim like they do. Do not be too formal with me; I’m not very used to it. Anyway, they are my god children. They have been living here with me and my family ever since their parents passed away in an accident. They feel bad about living on me, so I offered to let them perform in my pub as a way of repaying us. They are great, aren’t they? They are the reason my pub hits full house almost every night.” Jim proudly exclaimed.
“Yah, I know Ralph is in our school composing club and I heard he’s the club president. However, this is the first time I watch him perform. He certainly gives others a different kind of feeling when he’s performing. Not as cold as he appeared to be. His music brings warmth to the heart. As for Naomi, I think her voice is great!” George said.
“Yah, I can see that you are mesmerized by her voice.” Jim laughed out loud.
“Honey, what’s so funny? You just heard a joke?” Angie placed her hands on Jim’s shoulders and planted a kiss on his cheek.
“No, dear. I just crack a joke.” Jim said as he stood up and pulled the chair for Angie.
“How come you are laughing and not the audience? By the way, who is your guest for tonight?” Angie asked as she settled down.
“Well, the joke is on him and the way he blushes is funny! Let me introduce, this is Angie, my dearest wife and the proud female boss of Hartford Pub. I wouldn’t have come so far without her support. We have here, George, a schoolmate of Ralph. But after tonight, they would become buddies with my help of course.” Said Jim.
“Hi, Aunt Angie. This is a nice pub you have. It’s my pleasure to pay a visit tonight. Can I drop by here more often?” George smiled.
“You are most welcome then! However, I do not encourage students like you to drink too much alcohol. Maybe the next time, you can order soft drinks. Or you can try our in house cocktail; ‘Zoom’ specially mixed by our son, James the bartender.” Angie said as she pointed to James behind the bar counter.
“That’s a special name for a cocktail. Is there some meaning behind it? I shall try it sometime.” asked George.
“Well, nothing special. Just that this father and son love racing. So I guess Zoom is the sound made during races? James created this drink on Jim’s birthday last year. We tasted, it was nice. From then, we make it our in house specialty. Alot of patrons love it too.” Angie said.
“This wife of me loves promoting her son’s specialty drink.” Jim laughed.
“That is good. It goes to show that Aunt Angie is proud of her own son.” George said.
From that day on, George became a regular customer at Hartford’s Pub.
“George, you are here! You should have told me earlier, I could have reserve a table for you. It’s full house tonight!” Jim said as he walked over to the front door when he saw George stepped in. Well, it wasn’t hard to recognize his big build even in the dim light.
“It is okay, Uncle Jim. I can just stand and watch the performance.” George said.
“You’re Ralph and Naomi’s friend, which mean you are my friend too. How would I let you stand to watch the show? Come on over and sit with me at the bar then.” Jim said and led George to the bar.
“Hi George! You are here. Want to try ‘Zoom’ tonight?” Angie said as she walked out of the kitchen.
“It’s my pleasure, Aunt Angie. Students not encouraged to drink beer, yah?” George replied with a chuckle.
“Oh man! No one to drink with me then. People come pub to drink, don’t’ they, honey?” Jim said, pleading Angie with his pitiful eyes.
“Don’t give me that look, Jim. I’m doing it for your own good! Just take a look at your own beer belly. You should stop drinking too. Well, there are a lot of customers who came for the Paris siblings’ performance and order non-alcoholic drinks. So, whoever says one must drink beer at a pub?” Angie gave Jim a stern look.
“Ok, anything you say, honey. Give us 2 ‘Zoom’ then, James!” Jim ordered.
As Angie went to take orders from the customers, Jim turned around and whispered, “Son, mix some hard liquor in my ‘Zoom’, will you?”
“Dad, you know I am afraid of mum as much as you do, don’t you? She calls the shots around here.” James replied with a smile.
“You cheeky boy! I am not afraid of your mum, I merely respect her.” Jim said.
“Ok then, I respect Mum as much as you do, Dad. So it’s only ‘Zoom’ for you. Or would you prefer some coke light?” James broke out in a laugh.
“I’ll dock your allowance next month!” Jim said as he took over the glass of cocktail from James.
“If that is the case, I would have to lodge a complaint to the management.” James replied and shrugged his shoulders.
“You this little fellow ganged up with your Mum to go against me!” Jim was hopping mad.
“What was it that you said?” Angie was standing right behind Jim.
“No honey, I didn’t say anything.” Jim said as he tried to flash his most natural smile to Angie.
“Hi George!” greeted Naomi as she walked towards the bar with Ralph.It was break time for the siblings.
“Hi Naomi! Hi Ralph!” replied George.
“Give me a vodka shot, James!” Ralph took the seat beside George.
“What is your motive in coming here so often?” Ralph questioned after taking over the drink from James.
“Motive? What do you mean by that, Ralph? I enjoy watching the performance you put up with Naomi. It helps to relieve my stress.” George defended himself.
“Do you appreciate music? You are just a friend of that jerk and someone who only knows how to fight with your hands! Have you ever played any musical instruments before? Who are you to comment whether our performance is good or not?” Ralph barked and pushed George so hard that he almost fell onto the floor.
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