“Damn, I really needed this,” he added, taking another big gulp. “Oh yeah,” the bartender said, his manner relaxing, looking at Paul, “What�...�s happening, man?” “It’s hard to say,” Paul answered, surprised to be asked. “You’re off the beaten track, ain’t you? Don’t usually see guys like you here.” “I bet,” Paul answered, chuckling, beginning to relax and noticed the bartender’s grimness softening. “So what’s going on? How come you came to a dive like this place in the middle of nowhere? Ain’t. The weather was generally very hot, and I was glad I was not on one of the crowded troopships.As we turned at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay and began another week of sailing, this time northward, I was taken to one of the ships that carried General Howe's horses. The sailors called their ship a ketch, and it held three large pens of horses, all in various states of distress. I was a replacement for several men who had died or had fallen or been kicked overboard. A half dozen cavalrymen or. “Barnim, I want more, why did it stop?”“That’s it, there’s no more. Maybe next year there will be more.”“I want more.”“All I have left is sparklers. You can have 2 more.”“OK.”She ran around with the sparklers, waving them as I cleaned up all the trash in the driveway. Randy would blow a gasket if he woke up and the driveway was full of garbage from the fireworks.We all went in and I headed to bed, seeing as I had a full day coming up.The next morning, I knew Randy was going to be home for the. A soft voice to my right, I’d not even noticed him, “Miss, please, no further.” I looked up at him, glanced at the group, nodded agreement.“I’m just giving my friend space, she’s visiting her ex.”I can’t explain it, but the atmosphere changed, is if we were sharing something, a moment.“The guys won’t be too long.”He was still watching, but not the direction where the men were standing. A while later he spoke. “Your friend?”“Yes.”As my friend joined us he spoke again, his voice controlled, calm,.