Check out the first part of chapter one here. Otherwise you will be lost. Chapter two will be coming soon.
The man broke out in a coughing fit. Jack thought he might have killed the old guy. He made an awkward motion to pat him on the back but realized halfway through it would do absolutely no good. It took a minute but the old guy rode it out and finally passed the pipe back.
"Maybe that's why I hadn't tried it yet." the old man laughed. Jack knew it was only a matter of seconds before it hit him. This was good stuff, not your regular street quality marijuana. The old man was out of his league. Either the guy would have an epiphany that this is what he should have been doing his whole life or he would implode upon himself and never truly be heard from again.
Thankfully, it was the former.
Jack had just lit his cigarette as he felt the first of the snowflakes start to fall. The wind went from "I am not here" to "Yes, I am here and I am going to beat the shit out of you." The old guy excused himself and wandered back inside. The only rule Jack had for this situation was the cigarette must be done before seeking shelter from the weather. He would finish what he started.
That became easier said than done. It gradually but very quickly went from 100% visibility to white out conditions. It was just too damn cold to finish the cigarette. Jack motioned to throw it out, but hesitated two or three times to take long last drags. He finally chucked it and hit the back door to the Dirty Duck like a gazelle on the run from a pack of hungry lions.
The people were all quiet. Most were staring out the window in awe at the sudden change of climate. The feeling that the apocalypse had started resonated amongst a good portion of the crowd. As Jack was newly stoned, it took him a second to comprehend what was going on.
These people thought this freak snowstorm was the end of the world. 'It's Colorado in December for Christ sakes...' he thought to himself. He didn't say anything though, his idea now was to sneak up to the bar and grab one of the temporarily vacated seats. He got a good one just to the left of a mounted television screen with a man in a suit standing in front of the pyramids and a rolling sidebar displaying the last night's sports scores.
"God dammit!". This time he said it out loud, after reading the score from the Laker-Heat game last night. A man gave him a dirty look from the far right corner of the room. Slowly folks went back to their drinks, still however talking in hushed tones. A couple of minutes and some sips of booze later all that was thrown out the window.
People returned to their half drunk jovial selves and it was time for Jack to start drinking whiskey.
He ordered a shot of vodka and Red Bull. For a guy like Jack this was a really really really cosmopolitan drink. Anything fancier than some ice cubes in his bourbon usually rubbed him the wrong way. He tried the vodka-Red Bull thing a few months ago, however, and for some reason was instantly sold on the idea.
Then there was Mitch. Mitch was the guy working behind the bar on the busiest day he had ever seen. Mitch was the guy working behind the bar on his day off on the busiest day he had ever seen. Mitch was also the guy noticing his tip jar was nearing a grand and it wasn't even noon yet.
Mitch handed Jack the Red Bull as he poured the vodka shot. "What the hell do you drink these for?" Mitch had a more professional tone with most customers. But then most customers weren't in the same second grade class as he was.
"I can't pass out early and miss the end of the world, Mitch." The sarcastic smile wasn't the only thing that betrayed his actual meaning. The tone was pretty damn sarcastic too. Even the way he dropped the shot of vodka down his throat and slammed the Red Bull to chase it reeked of a man who did not give two shits if anything in the world has ever been taken seriously by anyone. He did not care.
"It's all a gimmick to sell trinkets. Bullshit like earthquakes and hurricanes happen every year. People are just paying attention more this year is all. In Australia, this shit is already over with man."
Mitch agreed but Jack could tell he wasn't going to sell it as his position. Not while he was making so much money off just the opposite idea. He smiled and threw Jack a small bag of Doritos. "Here, just in case it is the end of the world don't say I never gave you anything." He moved off to make a few drinks for a pretty young girl and her friend who just came up to far side of the bar. Jack tore open the bag and tossed down a couple of chips as he began to sip the last half of his first beer.
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