#ccsemberclub

And they ease up.

Stodgepole nods to himself and makes a mental note to offer the staff drinks at the end of the shift; they really -are- doing well.

It would appear that CC and EBG, one a former shadow court priestess, the othher a semi retired leader of the down fall of changeling society as we know it; are great folks to work for! Morale is strong with the staff, and they've drawn the best effort. One waiter is knocking himself out with a smile, because his wife has a generous maternity leave thing going on and he has been granted an extra week to settle in the baby. A bartender flashes his pearly whites warmly at folks who come up to the bar, because the Ember Club helps with Dental

The point has never to gain material wealth, although his colorful life to this point has seen him well-settled in that regard. No, the point was to make things better for the common Fae who keep the Dreaming alive in this cold world when they were abandoned, and then carelessly pushed to the side when the elves came back. So to spend a little on the staff, both mortal and Fae, is nothing.

Nevertheless, it makes for good spirits among the employees!

He ambles to the bar, to the stool that is 'his,' and hoists himself up. A lift of one finger has a neat glass of scotch poured for him. He sips.

Perfection

"To your liking I hope, sir?" The bartender asks

"Entirely, thank you." he approves.

"Well," he demures "It's a good brand." Then , as bartenders are apt to do, he shares a bit of what he picked up, "Sir, guy in the back corner table for two? He's alone, but he's drinking like a fish. He's not violent or anything, but he clearly wants to get smashed. I've seen him before. He's never acted like this before. Don't know if you want me to do anything besides cut him off?"

"We make our money on the booze, Harry, not the ambiance." dryly "Serve him until he's unsafe in some way. If you can get his keys, we can get him a cab." he glances at the sad soul in question.

"Right boss," Harry says

And EBG can see the man in question, yeah, he's drinking to get drunk. This isn't normally that sort of place, but he recognizes the man. Harry is right, that's not this fellow's usual thing. He's an accountant, white collar number cruncher but hardly banal for all that. What was his name again? Oh, yes, one of the few men who doesn't have a problem going by Dick. He has a wife, but tonight he's alone. That in itself is suspicious. Dick loves the music, but tonight he's not really into it.

A sigh. "Get me a tray with a lemon-lime soda on ice and a bowl of those herbed almonds."

"yes , sir" Harry moves with quick and precise expertise to do just that

Stodgepole slides off the stool, takes the tray, and wanders over to the regular in the corner. "Evening, sir."

"oh, uhm...hey" the man slurs hsi words a bit but focuses enough to ask "You.. you the owner?"

"I am... allow me?" he puts the drink and snack on the table "With my compliments, for a regular customer. Is your lovely wife going to join us tonight?"

He starts to take it , then shakes his head "My wife is... she's not well enough to come" A drink

"Oh, I -am- sorry to hear that." with sympathy "I trust she'll join us in the near future, then."

"Cancer" he says "She's got cancer and... she's asked me to divorce her...for my own good."

"Oh dear." without asking, he sinks into a chair "I'm am so sorry, dear boy."

"It's about the bills... we're getting swamped. If we're married, I end up paying it all after she... if she .." A choke "This world is pretty screwed up"

"Our leaders should take better care of their people." the stubby man agrees "But they don't; so we must take care of each other, hm?"

"Sucks... " He nods "I'd give anything to have her healthy and happy. I'm an accountant. You know how many times I had a chance for white collar crime? Too many. But no, I was honest. Now I get zero support from my company and I'm pretty sure they're about to 'right size' me"

The club owner grimaces and drums his fingers.

"What's the point of life if you work your ass off, and your best chance for survival is to tell the world your wife isn't your wife anymore ? I ..she wantsm e to do this, for my own good. She's Begging me to do it. She loves me enough to face this alone. "

"It.... could be viewed as a simple legal dodge. Your domestic situation needs not change at all, does it?"

"Well, no I.. it's just, even on paper it feels cowardly..."

"You are what they call a 'stand-up guy.'"

"Right now, standing up is not the goal" He eyes the booze

"Will that help?" he indicates the bottle "Will it help you? Or your wife?"

"Not to say you can't have a night off, mind....."

"I'm beyond help" he says "We're beyond help"

"I'm -sure- that's not a useful attitude!" he says jovially as he not only slides the soda a little closer, but pours a splash more into his whiskey glass.

He sips the soda, then sips the now diluted whiskey

"How about a sandwich?" a gentle suggestion.

"Kay" Dick says, not going to fight about it

He gestures, and gives the order to the waiter. "Thank you...."

The waiter nods and soon returns with it ,and more soda water

"I hate this. " Dick says

"May I ask what her prognosis is?" gently.

"Not goo...." he clumsily reaches into his pocket and pulls out a copy of medical papers to show the man

"Not good" he clarrifies

Looks nasty. Intestinal cancer

"Let me have your car keys." he urges absently, kindly.

"Kay" he says defeated, handing it over "You ever wish you could make things better like in the movies? "

"I think we all have had that desire." he confirms, pocketing the keys.

A sniff and sip of..whatever was put in front of him "Rub a lamp, a kiss cures all, whatever"

"Ah, but recall the story of the Monkey's Paw?"