<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/JsKkWz0.jpg)<div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Al</strong></span></div></div><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 5pt;">​</span><br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 10pt;">Just as I finish asking my question, Steffy's voice sounds next to my ear.  I almost jump from my seat in surprise.  How the hell did she manage to hear that?  Is she really...?  Nah, probably just my nerves.  The past couple of months have been stressful.  Not FBI-shooting-burinig-building stressful, but still, frustrations accumulate.<br/><br/>"A 100% of a price of a free drink?" I raise an eyebrow.  "Might as well make it a thousand, or even," I place my pinkie next to my lips "one million percent!"  Then comes the suggestion to buy her a drink.  Is that what it's all about?  Or was it a pretext?  Damn, I'm getting paranoid, maybe another beer to calm down?<br/><br/>"Mechelle," I call out to the bartender, pushing my empty glass forward.  "May I please have another?  And something for Steffy as well.  <em>Preferably sweet to improve her disposition</em> I mentally add but do not say it out loud.  Yes, two can play this game, but I am not not looking for a confrontation.  "and also for Taffy, Debbie and Jaclyn, and one for yourself, as a token of bartender appreciation."  He who says 'A', must say 'B'.<br/><br/>I snicker at the friendly banter between Steffy and Taffy but then they pull me into it and my mind races in search for a rejoinder.  "I'll have to side with Taffy on this one.  A diamond necklace or a car is definitely a tip... of the iceberg, especially on the first date.  As for me," I shrug, "you'll have to wait until the third date to find out, or maybe the fourth, like you said yourself."<br/><br/>The singer leads with her first song, then follows with another.  She's pretty good, has a good voice, quite distinctive, and an interesting choice of songs.  I clap when the song ends and idly wonder if she does requests.  Maybe I'll ask later.<br/><br/>I turn my attention back to the group around me and notice the unblinking stare of the parrot.  "Hmmm..." I nod at Mechelle's explanation.  "As a matter of fact, I was wondering why there were no guys around.  Is this normally a single-gender establishment?  I hope I am not breaking any house rules by being a dude."  A thought strikes me.  "Uh, will there be a problem if I need to visit the washroom?"<br/><br/>Robbie keeps staring at me until a delivery person walks in and places a cake on the bar, then starts showing interest in it.  "Happy birthday," I join in congratulating Mechelle, then add "you may want to keep him away from that cake.  Chocolate is toxic to birds."  Reaching for the bowl of pretzels, I take one and place it in front of the Cockatoo, not risking getting my fingers too close to a beak whose owner has not yet decided whether I am friend or foe.  "Here you go pal; and don't worry about me, I'm not here to usurp your harem."<br/></span><br class="clear_left"/>