The snoring had stopped now, for several hours. The man stirred a warm cup of coffee in his corner, reading a slightly out-of-date newspaper.
The lady and the boy sat at their table. The lady had begun singing softly to herself, as she knit herself an odd looking creation. The boy sat still, his head on the table, resting quietly.
The lady looked at the new arrival, pursing her lips slightly, before breaking into a ear-to-ear grin. She looked over, and waved. She could sense the awkward feeling she was getting from him, but nonetheless, this was the first customer in days.
"Welcome, welcome!" she cried happily.
"Well boy, say hello" she snapped at the young boy.
"Hii.." said the boy shyly from over the room rising from his slumber, staring into his now-empty glass of milkshake.
The lady rose to meet the newcomer, tripped over the chairs of a nearby table and regained her balance, offering to shake his hand.
"Do come and sit with us", she said in a very bretonian accent. "We're rather lonely.."
She faltered for a moment, noticing the sudden dark figure with a briefcase in his hand that had sprung up next to her. She looked between the two new figures, sighed, and returned to her table, murmuring something about 'men' under her breath.
He smiled.
"I believe we had an appointment? You're slightly late."
He gestured to his table.
"Would you care to join me?"
--
The lady looked around the room, spotting another newcomer. Whilst she enjoyed embarrassing serious men, women were another thing all together. Matters between women could turn into a bitch fight sooner than one might think. Unlike other women, this one had quite an air of authority. The parasol lady had been missing woman company - none had turned up within the past month, and the last slapped her in the face and threw a glass at her when she tried casually talking. She would play this one completely and utterly safe, and see if she could make a new friend.
She gestured to the bartender, pointing out the empty glass. The bartender rose slowly, walking to the table with the newcomer with a refill and refreshment Turning back, she realised something was missing.
The boy, bored, had already gone to meet the new woman.
"Hello miss" said the boy. "What's your name?"
The lady with the parasol stood up, snapped at the boy and sat down again.
"Oh" said the boy. "That's right. Welcome to the Makeshift Bar"
The lady with the parasol slapped her forehead with her hand looking down into her almost-empty drink. She had meant for him to return to his table, not greet the newcomer.
