20070110

The bar was three blocks from the police station, and stood in the shadows of an iron overpass. Every hour or so a train would cross, and the occupants of the bar would pause, their conversation and the music drowned out in the rattle and roar. During one such moment, the front door opened and two men entered. They both took off their coats and walked over to a table.

“What will you have?” asked the larger man.

“I don’t know. I don’t really feel like drinking,” said the other.

“Ah, come on. First round’s on me. What do you want?”

The smaller man draped his coat carefully over the back of the chair, and then sat down. He let out a sigh as he stretched his legs out under the table. “I don’t know. A beer. Whatever you’re having.”

“Excellent,” said the larger man, turning energetically towards the bar. He walked over, and smiled at the man behind it. “Evening, Joe. Two beers, please.”

The bartender looked over at where the other man was seated, and began filling two glasses. “Everything alright there, Mick?”

The larger man nodded. “Sure, everything’s fine. Rough day, is all. You know how it is.”

The bartender nodded, and set the glasses on the bar. The larger man paid, and then brought the two beers over and set them on the table.

“There you go,” he said as he sat down. “Salut.” He raised his glass and clinked it against the other’s, who set it down without taking a sip. The larger man smacked his lips in satisfaction, set his beer down, and looked about the bar to see if he recognized anybody. After a moment he turned back to the other man and frowned.

“Come on now. Don’t get like that.”

“I’m fine,” said the smaller man. “No, really.” He sat up, and took his beer. He looked at it, but didn’t drink. The larger man gazed at him steadily.

“I wouldn’t have done it if I had a choice,” he said.

“I know,” said the smaller man.

“Well then. You going to drink that beer, or are you planning on taking it home with you?”

The smaller man raised it to his lips and took a drink. He set it down on the table. The larger man leaned back in his chair, staring intently at the other.

“I didn’t have a choice,” he said.

“I know,” said the smaller man.

“You saw him,” said the larger man. “He was about to go for his gun.”

“Yeah,” said the smaller man. “You did what you had to do.”

“I just did what I had to do. What you would’ve had to do if you’d been in my position.”

“Sure,” said the smaller man, and took another drink of his beer. “Absolutely.”

“Right,” said the larger man, and looked about the bar again, searching the faces. They sat in silence for awhile.

“How do you know he was going for his gun?” asked the smaller man.

“What?”

“I mean, I didn’t see him make a move for it. How did you know?”

“What did you mean, how did I know? I just knew. I saw it in his face.”

“You saw it in his face?”

“Hell yeah. I could tell as plain as day he was going for it. Couldn’t take the chance.”

“So you’re saying there was a chance he might not of been?”

“What, you a lawyer now?”

“No, of course not. If you say you could tell, then that’s good enough for me.”

“Damn right it’s good enough for you.”

Both men drank their beers in silence, neither looking at the other. The large man finished his beer, rose and got a second one. The smaller had yet to drink half of his.

“So you think I murdered him, do you?” asked the larger.

“No, I didn’t say that.”

“You pretty much did. Say it. Just say what’s on your mind.”

“Ah, lay off, will you?”

“No I won’t lay off. Say it to my face. You think I gunned the man down without cause.”

“No, I don’t. I already said. If you could tell, than you could tell. That’s good enough for me.”

“No, seriously.” The larger man sat up straight. “Let’s go down to the station. You can tell the Captain. Get it off your chest.”

“Jesus, will you cut it out already?”

“Look me in the eyes.” The larger man moved his head from side to side as he tried to lock his gaze with the smaller’s eyes. “Come on. Look me in the eyes. Mick the killer. Say it.”

“Look, all I was saying was that I didn’t see him go for his gun. That’s it. I didn’t see him go for his gun. That’s all I’m saying. I’m not saying you weren’t right.”

A train began to pass overhead. It filled the bar with its cacophony. The bottles on the shelves shivered, and all conversation stopped. The two men locked eyes. After a moment, the smaller man lowered his gaze. The train finished passing, and the sound of its passage faded away.

The smaller man raised his beer and finished it. The larger watched him. Rising to his feet, the smaller moved towards the bar. The bartender stepped over.

“Rough day?” he asked.

“You know how it goes,” said the smaller man. “Another beer, please.”

“Sure thing,” said the bartender, and held a glass under the beer tap. The smaller man watched the beer fill the glass, the foam curling and thickening on top. When the bartender set the glass before him, the smaller man turned and looked at the larger man still seated at the table.

“Actually, make it two,” he said. “It's been a rough day for both of us.”