Every day's a new day bringing new hope, promise and dreams. For those trapped in the boring daily routines of their petty meaningless lives, each day is extra special for it offers a chance to break from the status quo. Possible new challenges lie ahead. There might be a new romance right around the corner. Maybe a million dollar payout on the Lotto. Perhaps deliverance of that new job that is so unquestionably deserved.
Some have less lofty standards, goals and desires. Each days represents a burden that they must "pass through" just to get to the end. No high expectations, pride in accomplishment, respect for what (little effort) they do put out. A petty meaningless lifestyle is so commonplace and accepted that these individuals have nothing more to look forward to with the dawn of a new day other than going to the local watering hole. Some sooner than others. These grubs are known as Bar Busters and one famous hangout for these pathetic slobs is Pedro's Pool Hall. Maybe you've heard of it. Maybe you have the equivalent of a Pedro's Pool Hall in your community. Maybe you yourself are a Bar Buster too.
Welcome, my friend. Did you bring an oxygen mask? You'll need it, for bartender/owner Pedro smokes a lot. He smokes cigars, cigarettes, double stacked pipes, marijuana, hash... just about anything that can be smoked. Don't be concerned that state law no longer permits smoking in such establishments. The owner smokes right there and hell, so does everyone else. One day, all of this smoking is going to cause a real problem here.
Does the smoke burn your eyes? It should for virtually all of the Bar Busters smoke heavily. Over there..... take Heroinballs , for example. He's been smoking for 30 years and doing a lot of other things as well. He's bombed again and the night has just begun. Probably has fresh blood dripping out of his arms from the syringe. Same routine every night. Kicked out at 2 am and he calls the gutter outside of Pedro's home.
If the smoke has not deadened your nasal passages altogether you might smell booze. Lots of booze is flowing. Most comes from Pedro, but some of the Bar Busters bring their own. Rambo Sambo is here every single night, but he never buys a thing. He sneaks a quart of Monogram whiskey (the cheapo stuff) in. $5.99 a quart. And that will get him three quarters of the way to heaven. $41.93 weekly. You think Rambo Sambo is a derelict? He manages to budget $41.93 every week.
Pedro, smoking his second carton of generic cigarettes, is handing out drafts, bottled beer, 40 oz. malt liquors, shots of whiskey, rum, vodka.... you name it. Lots of wine too. The favorite is Thunderbird. Some, like Sheister Doughboy , drink Thunderbird by the quart. He's a big man. Over 300 lbs., and growing by the moment. Take 25 cigarettes, a quart of wine, and a whole lot of Pedro's home made Mexican food and you got the makings of a real human pig . He'll be on the floor soon.
Not all are that gregarious. There are all types here, including some quite passive-wimpish nerds. As a matter of fact, 2 meek spineless worms met each other in Pedros. Casper Milk-toast Yesman , a frightened little twerp who is afraid of his own shadow, and his closest friend, confidant, and (some say lover) Wilbur Creampuff are in that booth. They are smoking, drinking and eating foot long bean burritos as they discuss books they've read. Hear Milk-toast "did Linda Lovelace really take all that? Creampuff "I saw it!". Milk-toast "Oh, my heavens. How disgusting!"
The ladies are here too. Not as frequently, but about 3 or 4 nights a week. They can smoke up a storm and hold their booze. Cold Heart Ice Princess doesn't eat too much or she'd never keep that body. She hits the booze hard, and Pedro likes that. IP's good for a $20 minimum nightly in drinks and smokes. The Bar Busters like Ice Princess, but it's a known fact her heart is frozen. Appropriately enough, as we pass her Elton Johns "Sacrifice" is playing on the music box.
On the other side is Frauline Fellatio Freda . Another heavy smoker. She breaking in Bo Kim Hole , new to the bar and new to America. Hole left Korea in search of new opportunities but whether that pans out is debatable, especially in light of these developments. In broken English, and in between near frantic puffs on filtered cigarettes, Hole spills her guts out to Freda about two guys she met in some Seoul slum a while back.
Stale smoke everywhere, noise permeating everything, stinking body odors, garbled voices, food and people on the floor. This is Pedro's and these are the Bar Busters.
Now enter the roughnecks. Former truck driver and current dope head Buckminster Brownpants (a.k.a Shitpants) and union
boy Baluga H Cornhole . You really did not think
"Bar Busters" meant something else, did you? If you are looking
for trouble, you've got it.
Ending 1
Ending 2
Ending 3
2/08
