Chapter 5, Part One

No Honor - Ch. 5 Prt. 1: Talk of the Town;

Marco and Co. got their usual tables, at the rear o' the place. One group of folks volunteered to move, as soon as they saw them approach. The other group had to be convinced, but they weren't bullied. Marco was all smiles, and his hands found their way, onto a lot o' shoulders.

As soon as the group got settled, Millie reappeared, with a drink in her hand. She took a seat at the bar, in front of me.

"So what's this I hear, about Dave putting you up?".

"Well, yes", I said. "He's been kind enough to host me, for a little while."

"Kind enough? What's he gonna say? You are his boss, aren't you?"

Suddenly, I felt Dave and Wally's eyes on me.

"Well, I didn't think I'd be botherin' him. Dave, am I botherin' you?"

He started to protest, but Millie put up a hand to stop him.

"No no, no no no, don't bring him inta this", she said. "Talk to me."

"Well, I'm tellin' ya, I didn't think I'd be botherin' 'im", I said. "If it was a big hassle, I'm sure he would have said somethin'."

Dave smiled, and Millie and Walter started laughing.

"What?"

They just laughed harder. Meanwhile, I seen Donny Wilson come in, from the storm outside. After shaking the rain off his hat, he came over and took a seat.

Mildred said, "Why didn't you go to the hotel, Wayne?"

"Their rooms is small!"

Another fit o' laughter.

Millie said, "I swear.... You're the most insufferable man alive", and then she was laughin' again.

Fine.

I turned to Dave. "I'll be out by next week."

"No rush", he said. "Take yer time, sir."
Nodding towards Donny, I said "And what can I get for you?"

"Whisky sour", he said. "What about you, Wayne? Anything I can get for you?"

It took me a minute, to realise he was talkin 'bout my inventory. "Oh... Gin, I guess. You'd have to talk to Dave, to see how much and what else."

Millie said, "Y'know Wayne, I don't blame you for leaving home with that character over there... He is frightening as hell".

Donny said "He asked you to leave?"

"Pay-ing me", I said. "He's payin' me, to go elsewhere for a while."

"I wouldn't have him", said Mildred. "I wouldn't wanna know what he'd do in my place all alone."

"I wouldn't neither", Don said.

"Oh come off it, both a ya's", I said. "You'd pack up and leave the Station behind, if the money was right."

"You might have to anyways, Wayne", Don said. "That man will bring the heat o' hell to your doorstep, and it'll be trouble for ya, weeks after he's gone."

"What, is he famous?", I said. "If he has that many enemies, how's it that I've never heard of 'im?"

"He's not famous", said Don, "he's notorious. Not around these parts, no, but in and around Louisiana, he made enough of a stink, to sour most folks from hirin' him."

"Is that where he's from?"

"More than likely. The elderly folk 'round there tell stories, about a young boy they remember. A boy that's as pale as he is now. I haven't gotten his family name yet, though. Whoever he is, he's been using that alias a while."

That stopped me. "So his name's not Moon."

Millie said "No, you idiot", then they all started laughing.

"Oh come on now", I said. "You been on my case all night".

Don said, "I don't know no fella named 'Moon'. 'Specially none that's white as a sheet."

Ha ha ha...

I could've sworn I left my jester cap at home.
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