So, here we are again. I’ve got 28,413 words in the can and I’m still trying to weave 3 histories and 4 people into a cohesive plot arc. It might happen, we’ll see.

“Hey, where have you guys been? I’ve been waiting forever for you to set up!”, joked Eric.

“Very funny”, said Ralph.

Peter and Ralph unloaded the van, then Peter took off to make it to the post office. He said that he would come back and pick Ralph up in a while. Ralph didn’t mind, he had plenty to do to get ready for the show. Joe walked back to the bar after seeing his wife off in their car, the steering wheel still covered in duct tape.

“Hey Eric!”, Joe shouted, coming into The Lumber Mill.

“Hey Joe. What’s up? You’re extremely early for yourself, does your wife know you’re here?”, asked Eric.

“She does. I was just over at Mrs. Wong’s and we had an interesting conversation about some of the things happening up in the woods, knowhatimean?”, said Joe.

“Uh huh, I think I know what you mean. I would have a better time hearing you in the freezer”, Eric said, pointing over at Ralph.

The two men walked into the beer freezer and closed the door behind them. Ralph saw them go in but just thought that they were checking out the beer supply for the big Friday night. He just kept laying cables around and moving his speakers where he thought they could do the most damage. While he was plugging mics in, an old man came in the bar looking for liquid cheer.

“Can I get a beer?”, he asked.

“Let me check. I’m not the beer guy.”, Ralph said.

Ralph walked over to the cooler and knocked on the little round window. He couldn’t see into the cooler, the window was completely frosted over. Eric pushed the door open, “What?”, he said a little gruffly.

“Um, this gentleman would like a beer”, Ralph said.

Eric grabbed a bottle from one of the cases in the cooler and handed it to Ralph. “Here, let him open it himself, it’ll keep him occupied for a few minutes.”

“Here you go, one Amstel Light”, Ralph said, giving the old man the beer.

“This isn’t beer! I don’t want no pussy ass diet soda! Give me a Rainier, kid!”

“Hold on.”

Ralph went back to the cooler, not really wanted to bother the men inside. He raised his hand to knock again, but then thought the better of it. He went back behind the bar and started opening the bar coolers. He figured that there had to be some Rainier under the bar, it was the cheapest beer that tasted like anything you’d actually want to drink, so it must be popular at The Lumber Mill. When he opened the third cooler door he hit the jackpot. He grabbed two beers and took them over to the grump sitting at the bar.

“Here you go. Raaaaaaaaay, neeeeeer, beeeee, errrrrrrrrr”, Ralph sang, thinking the old commercial jingle would soften up the crusty old logger.

“Shut the fuck up! Take this girly light beer away before I throw it at you!”