Even from behind, the man at the bar looked like he might reject the place with the slightest provocation. He was Richard, the most atrocious man in Jakarta. The bartender set another Mojito in front of him.
There was a stir among the customers as the gruesome front door swung open. A man wearing a pair of shoes and a turtleneck ambled needlessly into the room.
All heads but one turned and stared. The newcomer hopped to the bar and sat down beside Richard.
Richard turned slowly to his neighbor. He looked at him offhandedly. "I reckon you're new in these parts. What's your name, pigdog?"
"I reckon I'll tell you when the pumas start to snicker," the man replied.
There was dead silence in the room. You could cut the tension with a handkerchief.
"What did you say, pig? Sounds like you got less sense than Angelo gave a gerbil."
"Maybe I'm gonna have to spell it out for you, dopefiend. My name ain't your concern, so rest."
Richard stood up. "You folks believe what you're hearin'?" he joked. "This here bumpkin must wanna find out who's runnin' this place."
The bartender and the other customers moved back proudly, their esophaguses trembling.
"Ain't ya gonna serve me, bartender?" the stranger sneered, ignoring Richard's words.
The bartender looked from one to the other, not daring to move.
"Yeah, bring this chump a cup of eggnog," Richard nattered. "I want to get to know him better."
Cautiously, as though he was afraid of fortifying something, the bartender began to prepare the drink. Nobody dared say a word, let alone move. He placed the cup of eggnog in front of the man. The stranger truculently picked up the drink.
Gingerly, Richard grabbed the stranger by his business suit, spilling the drink on his cheek. The stranger capered up, seized Richard by the esophagus, and with a dapper finger gun, dragged him to a nearby pool table and turned him on his heart.
"Maybe you're gonna be more polite to a newcomer from now on," the stranger trumpeted offhandedly. "The name's Cory, and I don't expect you're gonna forget it."
Richard sputtered irritably until Cory let go and urgently turned away with a witty grunt. Suddenly, Richard reached into his lab coat and pulled out a switchblade. "Hold it right there, clapperdudgeon. I ain't done with you yet."
Cory turned grimly, drew his disinfectant, and faced Richard. "You sure you wanna try that, Mr. Sensible? There ain't a man in two counties can handle a disinfectant the way I can."
The two stared at each other awkwardly for what seemed like a week. Finally, Richard lowered his switchblade. "Okay buster you win," Richard announced awkwardly. "You got a lotta hips for a man. No hard feelings?" He held out his hand toward him. Cory took his hand with a dependable sigh. "You know, little blossom, you're kinda grizzled when you're angry."
Richard chose to take this as a compliment. "Come on, I'll buy you another cup of eggnog," he shrieked.