Excerpt (continued)

Most of the tavern was crowded with beer-drinking men who were either morose or loud, depending on how the booze affected them. The loud ones could be quite funny sometimes. When a spot opened at the end of the bar, the boys quickly stepped into it and asked for two beers. Tommy paid for the beers with six pennies, sipped his, and licked his lips while enjoying every drop. Ren looked at his for the longest time before he dared taste it. It was bitter, he thought. He couldn’t see why anyone in his right mind would drink the stuff. But, after a dozen sips, Ren had consumed half the glass and his head started doing funny things to him. Tommy finished his beer and ordered one for his mother. The bartender handed him a bottle and Tommy paid for it. He told Ren to stay behind and finish his beer. He would see him back at the house. Ren wanted to leave with Tommy, but he was enjoying the feeling that he was getting from drinking the beer, even though he didn’t enjoy the taste.

Tommy was no more out of the door when Frankie Wilson barged through it. He had come directly from McGuire’s Tavern, one block away, and he arrived with a snoot full. He headed right for the spot at the bar where Tommy Moran had stood moments before. The barkeep knew what to pour for Frankie. He drank only boilermakers and his were always doubles –

MORE