I was working on a drilling rig in Junction one summer. The tool pusher, driller, pumper, and hands were all shitty as well as the rig they were running. It was hot as balls the entire time I was there, and on about the 6th or 7th day I was there the compressor blows. The driller told us he could order one and have it installed and running by Monday (the compressor went down Thursday.)
The geologist I was there with said he was going back to Temple over the weekend and that I could either stay or go. I decided to stay.
We headed back to the motel where we were lodged. The very fine Lazy T. Tim beaded down for the evening and I told him I was going to the bar just down the street to get a much needed drink.
As I walked towards the bar, I stopped and grabbed a pack of smokes. I ask the guy at the register if he knew anything about the place. He kind of looked at me weird and said "all I know is that there are alot of fights." Great.
I strolled into the Wild Turkey Lounge about 9 o'clock to find 2 people playing pool, and one crusty old fart sitting at the bar. They all turned and looked at me as I walked in, but being cool,as I usually am, I tipped my hat and took a seat at the bar. I lit my cigarette and started watching t.v. A barmaid about my age came up and asked what I wanted to drink. I ordered my usual Coors light and continued to watch a UFC fight that was going on.
I polished my first Coors pretty fast and was about to order another when something caught my eye. I saw 3 unopened 12-packs of Pearl beer beside the icebox. I motioned for the barmaid and asked her if they had any of that Pearl beer cold. She told me they did and proceeded to get me one.
1 Coors, 3 Pearls, and 5 cigarettes later the bar was beginning to fill up. I saw a fat chick on the other side of the bar eyeing me so I put my head down and hoped for the best.
By 11 o'clock I was pretty frosty. I had struck up a conversation with the guy next to me about UFC fighting and he made some interesting evaluations on the finer points of cage fighting. One gem he laid on me was, "man, you ever seen Tank Abbott fight? That dude would knock anybodies fuckin' head off. He'd knock the head off a horse, if they'd let him!" I agreed and ordered another Pearl.
Just as my next Pearl arrived, the fat chick from earlier wobbled her way over to where I was sitting and plopped down next to me. She gave me the cliched "I haven't seen you in here before" line. Shit. I turned a foggy eye towards her and said "no, I'm not from here, I'm just here working." She then proceeded to introduce herself and her uncle (who I had been talking to the entire time.) Double shit. This hog had sent her uncle over to break the ice and seduce me with talk of cage fighting. She asked me if I was working with the rodeo that was in town. I said no and then had to explain every detail of my presence in the bar. Then she inquired, while stuffing pretzels in her mouth, if i was going to the rodeo tomorrow night. I had actually thought about going and said yes. The heifer then smiles and tells me, "well I'll be sure to look for you and grab you to go to the dance afterwards." yikes. I knew then I wasn't going within 20 miles of the rodeo.
It was about 1 o'clock and the bar was closing down. She-Hulk goes to the bathroom. I pay my tab and haul ass the hell outta there.
I made it back to the motel and crashed, but not before dead-bolting my door. I sat in bed and counted 12 Pearls, 1 Coors, and a pack of Marlboro Lights that had been consumed throughout the evening.
At 6 o'clock the next morning Tim calls. I can't see a damn thing. As I scramble to pick up the phone, I knock it on the ground. I finally wrestle the phone to my ear only to hear,"Ben, it's Tim. Listen, I just got a call from the rig and they're back up and running. So I'm going to head out there, but I'll see you there shortly, right?" I wanted to say "fuck no," but my obligations were clear.
I tore myself from the sweat drenched bed and hopped in the shower. It was by far the worst day of work ever.
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