SageSpeak - All Is Never Lost - I

It seemed to be another sunday afternoon at the pub. The Television was blasting some heavy music, Barley was busy mixing up his drinks and The Oldest Member had taken his favorite seat to watch the race that was due to start in the next hour. At the stroke of 1, in flocked the regulars. This was considered perfectly normal considering the following for motor-racing in that part of the town. The Oldest Member took a deep look at his familiar surroundings. He was a real old soul as anyone would have guessed when they look at him for the first time. As everyone from a lost generation, he wanted everything to be perfect, more so on a sunday afternoon. His thoughts ran thus: The Ivy League-rs (in their impeccable trousers) has ordered their vodka martini, perfectly normal. Their rivals, The Geeks (wearing their dusty tees which read "The Geek Shall Inherit The Earth") had ordered their bloody mary. perfectly normal too. After the race was over, The Oldest Member knew, these two gangs would be at each others throat no matter who wins and that the pub would look like carthage after a raid by hannibal, which was, by any measure, perfectly normal again. Arthur had a mug of beer in his hand and behind him .. Wait, Arthur had a mug of beer in __his__ hand. That was not normal. In fact it was probably everything that meant the opposite of normal and such things were a thorn in The Oldest Member's flesh.

He walked up slowly to Arthur's bar stool, positioned himself subtly in between Arthur and the screen in a hope to get his attention, and grunted his arrival as he sat in that bar stool which squealed even louder under his weight. Without looking up, Arthur said, "Do you know you stink??". The Oldest Member was taken aback, no one had the audacity to talk to him like that. After sniffing himself for a moment and making sure it wasnt that bad, he turned to the other side pretending not to notice this in-your-face candor. Arthur said, "I asked if you knew you stink". After some difficulty, The Oldest Member composed himself and thought this was taking a bit too far. Arthur wasnt giving up, "I know you cannot reply, because you are ashamed of yourself maybe.. ". This time The Oldest Member had had enough, he turned towards Arthur with his usual straight face and started off earnestly, "Arthur ..", when Arthur started, " .. but i had to drink you and that is my curse" and gave an empty look into the brimming beer mug.

The Oldest Member knew what was wrong. No, Talking to Beer Mugs was not wrong. He had seen people do more than just talk with beer mugs. But a Beer Mug in Arthur's hand was akin to an olive leaf in Idi Amin's head. If a young, eligible, college-going man was talking to beer mugs in such vaccouos tones, there could be but only one reason, a reason The Oldest Member could understand only too well.

"So, you think she doesnt like you, is that so ??" said The Oldest Member, looking at the television screen.
"Yes, but .. but how did __you__ know", said a bewildered Arthur.
The Oldest Member didnt want to reveal that it was written all over his face, he thought it took out the clairvoyant pretence he intended to put in.
"I know because i should know", said the suddenly-saint-looking Oldest Member.
Arthur couldnt understand what it meant, but thought it sounded pretty meaningful in some way that was beyond his intelligence and gave a look which was getting alarmingly emptier by the minute.
"Whatever i try, she is not impressed .. and guess what happened today, she didnt even want to talk to me. Its all over and i just drown in a mug of beer only that it stinks like dead cattle. How do you manage to do it day in and out ??" asked Arthur, keeping the mug away.
"If you had accustomised yourself with the intricacies of consuming quality beer, you wouldnt be crying over anything", retorted the Oldest Member.
Arthur wasnt sure what the Oldest Member meant. "Do you mean to say that drinking this yellowish looking frothy liquid which stinks from here to yonder, actually makes things work ??"
"Although i dont agree with most of what you have just said, but yes, i mean it", the Oldest Member sniffed victory now.
"But how ??", an exasperated Arthur cried.
"You surely havent heard the story of John Anderton or Thomas Anderson ??".
"Errm, do i have to listen to two stories ??"
"Maybe one, John Anderton's"

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