Story Telling

The Day was the same.

The dark clouds hung in the sky like unforgiving memories of the past.

Dave slowly trudged his regular route from his home to the familiar frequent haunt down the road. The trip would once again be a journey to meet with regular long time friend Jim. He was nervous. Nervous of the things he might say, nervous of the things he'd have to say.

Arrival at the pub was greeted by the familiar sound. "Two pints Dave? Is Jim joining you tonight?" It was Terry. Terry had been the landlord for as long as Dave could remember, he didn't trust anyone else to pull his pint. In fact, the only reason his favourite beer was still on tap was because Terry knew they would drink a firkin dry in a week.

"It's looking grim out there tonight Dave. Looks ike there's a storm brewing!"

"Oh there's certainly a storm brewing Terry."

Terry gave Dave a puzzled look to which he responded with a nod, as if to say that he wasn't just talking about the weather anymore. Two golden pints of ale poured, Dave went to his regular table. Other regulars he knew only by face and not name all sat around, the pub was quiet tonight. That was fine. It was a quiet pub anyway. Even with the excellent selection of real ales on the bar the clientele didn't seem to be too bothered when a new type or breweries ale came upon the bar. Dave sat back, took a few sips of his pint and waited for Jim.

About 15 minutes passed before a familiar ginger haired bloke poked his head through the door.

"All right big fella?!? You lookin kinda glum tonight, is this for me, ah your too kind!"

Jim takes his pint and downs about half of it with a familiar gulp. He was always like this, Dave was used his boisterous type. The pair sit rather quietly in their corner. They discuss the normal mundane aspects of regular everyday life, and get on like they always have over the beer they love so much.

"two more boys?" Terry had gotten a little bored with such a quiet pub tonight.

Another 20 minutes pass while the fabulous ale is supped. "Well I best be off, we both gotta be up at 5 remember!" Jim was anxious to get to bed.

Dave takes a long deep look into his half drunk pint as Jim goes to get his coat. He looks deep into Jim's face as he comes back and with one deep breath states: "They're closing the brewery Jim!"

Jim doesn't understand. He can't believe what he's just heard, the two have worked side by side in the brewery for twenty five years. Jim's speechless, dumbstruck. He sits back onto his stool and probably speaks the quietest he's spoken all night. "What do you mean?!? Why.... How's this happened??"

Dave then goes on to explain how the brewery is being moved down south in the next couple of months, and there's nothing that any of the employes can do about it. Dave again, looks deep into his pint and for the first time in the night, he's the one who now has nothing to say, and just sits there silent as Jim takes in what's just happened.

Jim sparks up. "Two more pints Terry, I think we've got quite a bit more to talk about!" The two long time friends begin to chat about the outcomes that this move by the heads of the company have for them. "Can't we move down with the brewery?" suggests Jim. "  You know we can't do that. We both can't afford it, and I can't uproot Marlene and the kids just like that, it would just never happen." The two, almost brothers, talk about their fate for another hour or so, whilst accompanied by the beer they worked so hard to produce and maintain for the past 25 years.

After a few more pints of the regular Jim sparks up again. "Maybe we could start up our own brewery?" Dave looks at Jim as if he's had a few too many. He tries to push his point. "Just look at the bar. The only beer that's constant is the one we make. All the others are from local breweries, which I bet aren't much smaller than when our company started out! What have we got to lose?!?"

Dave takes a long scanning look across the pump clips along the bar. As he notices the new, modern pump clips with old traditional beers styles behind them he thinks deeply to himself, "Just maybe this idea is possible!" As the pair of long time friends sit staring at what could be their future, a long beam of sunlight cuts through the dark and dreary place that they'd know for over twenty years.

The day was different.

For the first time in the day, a smile crept over Dave's face.

To be continued??