Day CXXXVl

Da Junky

     Being a bartender is I guess a lot like being a headshrinker. Everybody has a tale, a joke, or some peeve about their job. Guys come in all the time whining about their wives, girls, pals, job, boss, and even their dog. The thing that annoyed Pat most, was the junkies, harassing his customers, begging for money to get high. The professor was one of them.

     “Awww common Pat, we’s just tawking hea, man!”

     “Get da hell out, and don’t come back!”

     If there’s one thing junkies have is persistence, innovation, and perseverance. They have it in abundance, and just don’t know when or how to quit. Professor came in several times in the afternoon, and then again in the evening, when the bar was jammed packed. But, Pat had the patience of a saint, he never cursed him out or got violent. He grabbed his broom, though, acted as if he was going to thrash him, and chased him out. But, an hour later the junky was back like Jerry bugging Tom the cat, in a never ending cycle.

     On the corner of St. Ann’s, and 150^th Street was a gas station, and Ted, the mechanic used to hang out at Pat’s all the time. One day Pat noticed the professor hadn’t been around for a while.

     “Anybody know anything about that junky?” he asked.

     “Good riddance, Pat!”

     “Yea, da hail widim!”

      “Who needs im!”

     “Just curious is all, sometimes when ya don’t sees em, they’re up to no good ya na!”

     “They’re always up to no good.”