Say It Isn’t So (Part 1)
Yun Irma was not used to this. The bar they were in was darkly lit, and soft jazz music was playing in the background. They were at a table, and the stage they were facing was, apart from various musical instruments such as a drum set, a big cello, brass, and a small podium with a microphone attached, empty.
He turned to Ferman Hadi, who was sitting beside him. “Hey, whats the meaning of all this?” he asked.
Ferman chuckled. “Relax, man. You never been in a fictional bar with an FB friend you’ve never met before?”
“No. Can’t say that I have, you know, since I’m Muslim and don’t drink alcohol!” Yun snapped.
Ferman laughed again. Aziema Osmond, in full black and white waitress costume, came over to them as they were talking.
“Hi, guys. Can I get ya some drinks?” the petite lady, notebook and pen in hand, asked the gentlemen. “Its friday night, so drinks are on the house in this bar,”
“Cool beans. I’ll have a glass of chardonnay,” Ferman responded, looking at Yun.
“I.. err.. don’t drink,” said Yun.
“Relax. Like I said, its all fictional. Order what you like,” Ferman urged.
“Oh. In that case, I’ll have a glass of mead, please” Yun asked the waitress, shyly. He still wasn’t comfortable about ordering an alcoholic beverage to consume it, even if it was all fictional.
Ferman beamed. “Mead, huh?”
“Well, yeah. Mead is regarded as the ancestor of all fermented drinks, you know,” Yun said, smiling.
“Really? Who said that?”
“Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat. Hornsey considers archaeological evidence of this ambiguous, however. McGovern and other archaeological chemists consider the presence of beeswax markers and gluconic acid, in the presence of other substances known to ferment, to be reasonably conclusive evidence of the use of honey in ancient fermented beverages,” Yun explained.
“Ah. Smart in this story as you are on FB,” said Ferman, waiving to Aziema that they had already taken their orders for the day. “I’ll be right back with your drinks, sirs” she muttered as she bustled off like a frightened hen. “But I hope you’re ready to get wasted. Brain cells aren’t needed tonight,”
“I do not find that encouraging,” said Yun in a serious tone. “The Brain is the Lord’s gift to man. One must use it well and not abuse it, for it is a means for one to find Him. Anyway, why are we here exactly?”
Ferman frowned. “We’re waiting,”
“Waiting for?”
“Him!” he replied pointing to a man who had just entered the bar, looked around, saw the two and was now heading towards them.
TO BE CONTINUED…