many other people run my life by listening to their well-
MYTH-NOMERS AND IM-PERVECTIONS 105
meaning advice. I’m supposed to start doing what I want
to do more often . . . and what I want to do right now is
have a drink . . . here.”
For a moment I thought he was going to argue with me,
but then he gave a sigh and floated down to sit on the table
itself.
“Suit yourself,” he said. “I suppose everyone’s entitled
to make a jackass out of themselves once in a while.”
“What’ll it be?”
The bartender was looming over my table, saving me
from having to think of a devastating comeback for Kalvin’s
jibe. Apparently, now that he had established that he
wouldn’t come when summoned, he wanted to take my
order.
“I’ll have …”
Suddenly, a glass of wine didn’t feel right. Unfortunately,
my experience with drinks was almost as limited as my
experience with members of the opposite sex.
“… Oh, just give me a round of whatever they’re
drinking at the bar there.”
The bartender gave a grunt that was neither approving
nor disapproving and left, only to return a few moments
later with a small glass of liquid which he slammed down
on the table hard enough for some- of the contents to slop
over the edge. I couldn’t see it too clearly, but it seemed
to be filled with an amber fluid with bubbles in it that
gathered in a froth at the top.
“Ya gotta pay by the round,” he sneered, as if it were
an insult.
I fished a handful of small change out of my pocket and
tossed it on the table, reaching for the glass with the other
hand.
Now, some of you might be wondering why I was so