"Last Call"

This topic is a personal take on an old acting exercise I used to do while in theater club. It's an open ended no time constraints rp with disposable characters, and what I hope will be a long lasting time killer. We've done a restaurant topic before in the pub so it's kind of like that but not as random. (but that doesn't mean comedy isn't welcome)

It takes place in a pub/bar/tavern on the edge of time and space named "Last Call". Customers of all shapes and sizes drift in and out, usually by accident but some by design. Characters can range from a middle aged office worker, to Marco Polo, to Darth Vader, etc. You can even be yourself and have a serious conversation like in the blog topics. Ideally I want this topic to be a central place where forum members can hang out and shoot the breeze maybe get to know eachother, even if sometimes we're pretending to be other characters. Doesn't matter and there's no obligation to be a serious poster because customers come and go anyway. Just stop by when you have time for a drink or a bite, and maybe a conversation.

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The bartender polishes glasses and stacks them behind the counter. Outside the wind stirs up the mist, and the wooden sign which hangs above the door knocks against the outer wall as it swings back and forth. "Last Call" it reads. It was supposed to be funny. At least, that's what the previous barkeep had told him. There are no last calls in a bar that never closes. It got lonely sometimes, but the bartender didn't mind. It was a living. And the mists brought in a steady trickle of customers. Some of them strange, but most with money. It was a living. The bar sign begins tapping more quickly. It wouldn't be long now. A wind like this was sure to blow in a customer or two. The bartender puts the last glass down and looks at the door...

A young man with glasses and long, curly brown hair staggers into the bar.
He's wearing this totally rad shirt that's all black with wings and a cool pattern and damn, it is just totally awesome, you have no idea.

"Hey," he asks the bartender, "could I get a glass of water, please?" He wipes the sweat from his brow.

The bartender puts a glass of water on the counter. "Anything else?"

"No, thanks. But, uh, you got any napkins around?"

A 21 year old sickly man stumbles into the bar

"Okay. Day off, went to sleep early and woke up early (8am) so I could make the most of it. Got up, started some laundry, got some cereal and OJ, this is gonna be great! I'll have my chores n shit done by 10 and I can spend the whole day either hangin out or playin Xillia/Disgaea 4! Until........I randomly start throwing up and faint? Now its 2:15 and im still in my pajamas FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFuuuuuuuuuck this im still gonna enjoy this day off dammit! Go kill yourself headache and nausea!"

srry its just a copy paste of my facebook status but i dont havbe the energy to type itagian

"Yo," said the long-haired man. "Sounds like you're having a pretty awful day.

Um... Don't throw up on me, please."

The bartender listens respectful and nods his head. He places some paper napkins in front of the long haired boy and a steaming mug in front of the sick newcomer.

"Drink up. It'll kill whatever's ailing you."

"Cool, thanks." The long-haired bro drank his glass of water in seconds, then wiped his mouth delicately with a napkin.

"I think I'll rest in here for a little while, if that's all right," he said, using a napkin to mop up the sweat on his face.

"Take your time. The bar n' I aren't going nowhere. It's everywhere else that does all the movin" he says to the long haired man. "... As a matter a' fact, I think it's about that time of year for that place to connect here. He'll probably show up. He usually does." the bartender muses to himself.

A totally rad dude with a base ball cap and pointy anime shades walks in, sheathed at his side is a katana.

Bro: Ask for some ironic liquor.

"If you don't mind me asking," the hair guy begins, "what exactly are you talking about?"

He turns and notices Bro. "Oh, hey. Nice shades."

The bartender mixes Bro's drink while he talks. "If your drinkin', weapons go in that barrel over there." he says pointing. "No offense, but it's a rule of mine not to serve folks while they're holdin' sharp objects."

Then turning to answer the long haired stranger, "Just expecting a regular customer. He turns up every coupla years. Usually brings in some women and has a little party. He's a funny fella. Makes his own wine and uses it to barter for the liqueur he and his gals drink. It's worth twice as much as any of the stuff I serve, but like I said he's a funny guy."

"Huh. Kind of funny how I only just found this place today, then, given that it's a special day. Y'know, I don't think I've even seen it before today.

Oh," he gave a sudden start, as though realizing something. "How much for the water?"

"Well we get all kinds here, so any type of currency is good. 'Cept American Express of course. It's just water so tell ya what. I'll take a story. If it's a good one, I'll even give ya something stronger t' drink."

"Hah! A story, huh? That's a tough one...but I think I can manage.
Let's see...yeah, I got one.

Once, there was a guy who was really, really timid, and could barely talk to anybody. He was taking some college classes at the time, and there was this super-cute girl in one of his classes.

One day, he decided he'd had enough of being all shy and cowardly, and he resolved to finally talk to the girl. He spent the class steeling himself to talk to her instead of paying attention to the lesson, which probably wasn't too smart, but this was important!

But when class let out, he balked. He just couldn't work up the nerve to talk to her, no matter how hard he tried.
That kid was determined, though, and he kept on trying to work up the nerve to talk to her...but with no success.

One day, as he was leaving class, he heard a voice calling him- it was the girl he'd been trying so hard to talk to! Overjoyed at this turn of events, the kid walked with her to her next class, talking about various college things.

Eventually, the two of them reached a fork in the road, where the kid was planning on going to get lunch.
'You should come with me to get lunch sometime,' the girl said to him.
The kid agreed, and set off to go get lunch on his own.

Now, what the kid should have done was to go with the girl right then and there. Instead, his timidity sabotaged him once again, almost imperceptibly-going off on his own was less nerve-racking than going with the girl, so he picked that option without thinking.

And that...was the end of it. He'd missed out on an opportunity that never came again, since the girl didn't talk to him again after that, and he never took the initiative himself. Soon enough, he was a different set of classes, and he didn't see the girl again. So that was that.
There's a moral to this story, if you think about it real carefully.

Well...how was that? I did the best storytelling job I could, under the circumstances."

"Damn man." the no longer sickly young man said. "I've had some sad encounters with women too. Though I was fucked over for being the good guy. " he said irritated. "Really makes me lose faith in people. Anyways im sorry to hear that, maybe you'll run into her sometime. Do you know her name? You could look her up on some social network or something"

"Yeah, I know her name...her first name, anyway. I guess I could look her up sometime, if I can work up the...

Hey, wait a minute! I never said the story was about me!

...Okay, yeah, I guess it was kind of obvious.

What about you? Got any women-stories you'd be willing to share? Sounds like you might. Hey, you might get some hard alcohol out of it."

"eh. pretty generic one. Guy likes girl, another guy he thought was his friend did too. There was an supposed understanding between them that they'd not make any moves but they started dating behind my back both knowing I still liked the girl, and never just came out and told me. I found out through their actions and such. Pissed me off at how they jerked me around like some moron." the young man said. "Bartender! Vodka!" he shouted. "You think you can trust people and they pull shit like that. The thing that angered me the most was the fact that I got depressed for months over two worthless people like them. Such a waste of my life y'know?"

"Damn. There's not much I can think of that's worse than betrayal. Far as I'm concerned, you had every right to be depressed."

The hair guy checked his watch and stood up suddenly. "Crap, looks like I'm late. I'd better get a move on. Thanks for the water. I'll drop by again sometime."

He pulled an iPod shuffle from his pocket and put on his earbuds, then strode out the door, looking refreshed.

"Heh." the young man said. "for some reason im sure he'll be back." he said getting up. "as will I." he said leaving a tip on the counter

Bro: Deposit weapon in barrel, sit at bar and drink beverage thoughtfully.

==>

Bro: Fondly Regard Little Brother

==>

Bro: Leave money at bar, return home.

The bartender tidies up the bar and thinks about his own lost loves. He would have liked to be on the other side of the bar, nursing old wounds of the heart with a drink and a potential comrade, but his job was to listen. Silently he wished the two young men the best, and even found himself nodding in agreement with the silent swordsman's "words".

The bell on the door jingled as it opened, bringing in the smell of flowers and the sounds of rambunctious laughter.

"GREETINGS BARKEEP!" boomed a loud and obviously intoxicated voice. It was a middle aged man, bearded, balding, and wearing a leopard print button down shirt over a well developed beer belly. He had rosy cheeks and was surrounded by beautiful giggling women.

"Hello Mr. D. or is it Mr. B this time?"

"HAHAHAHA! Today I feel like drinking a Negroni! Make some quickly Barkeep! And something for my little rosebuds!" He says trying to peek under one of the giddy girls's skirt. "Slow day barkeep?" he asks too loudly.

"A few customers left just before you came. Drifters."

"AHAHAHA! What a shame! They'll be missing all the fun!"

"Not sure if they were your kind of people Mr. B. No offense, but it's in your nature to drown lost lovers."

"BWAHAHAHA! Well said Barkeep! Well said! Though is that such an unforgivable crime? You look like you could use a drink yourself Barkeep."

"I can't drink on duty sir."

"What a shame! To have no alcohol in a bar that never closes. HAHAHAHA! Then I shall be drinking for you!"

The party continues for several hours, and the bartender is kept busy. Eventually they leave though, leaving the bartender alone once again and waiting for his next customer.

Hairguy strode into the bar.

"Morning. I was just wondering, do you serve tea here?
I could use some - I had to get up early for the show!"

Suddenly, he looked around wildly. "Gah, wait, no! I'm late! Aaaahhhhh!!" He ran out of the bar.

a half awake man staggered in.

COFFEE! NOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW" he shouted as he fell over a chair

Suddenly, hairguy kicked the door open and strode into the bar.

As the door swung closed behind him, he sat down roughly on a barstool.

"Yo! Hot tea, please. Chai, if you've got any." He began to spin on his barstool.