ave been drawn。 Mild glints on glass。 The only thing that
remained was that smell of beer； and Jack knew that was a smell that faded into
the woodwork of every bar in the world after a certain period of time； not to be
eradicated by any cleaner invented。 Yet the smell here seemed sharp 。。。 almost
fresh。
He sat down on one of the stools and propped his elbows on the bar's leather…
cushioned edge。 At his left hand was a bowl for peanuts now empty； of course。
The first bar he'd been in for nineteen months and the damned thing was dry just
his luck。 All the same； a bitterly powerful wave of nostalgia swept over him；
and the physical craving for a drink seemed to work itself up from his belly to
his throat to his mouth and nose； shriveling and wrinkling the tissues as it
went； making them cry out for something wet and long and cold。
He glanced at the shelves again in wild； irrational hope but the shelves were
just as empty as before。 He grinned in pain and frustration。 His fists；
clenching slowly； made minute scratchings on the bar's leather…padded edge。
〃Hi； Lloyd；〃 he said。 〃A little slow tonight； isn't it？〃
Lloyd said it was。 Lloyd asked him what it would be。
〃Now I'm really glad you asked me that；〃 Jack said； 〃really glad。 Because I
happen to have two twenties and two tens in my wallet and I was afraid they'd be
sitting there until sometime next April。 There isn't a Seven…Eleven around here；
would you believe it？ And I thought they had Seven…Elevens on the fucking moon。〃
Lloyd sympathized。
〃So here's what；〃 Jack said。 〃You set me up an even twenty martinis。 An even
twenty； just like that； kazang。 One for ever