Personal Yummy #9
Following is an excerpt from my coming-of-age novel—set in the nineties—about the inhabitants of an unassuming bar-and-grill in Squirrel Hill, a vibrant neighborhood in the east end of Pittsburgh. The story is told by Jenna, an idealistic, ambitious waitress who is at the center of it all.
I hope you enjoy it.
Nick
A magician of liquid, he swiftly grabs a tall, dark green bottle from the top shelf on the left, then seizes an elaborate black one from the bottom shelf on the right, quickly and simultaneously pouring their altering contents into the thin glass full of ice in front of him, but stopping the flow of one bottle a few seconds before the other, releasing just the correct amounts of each, designing the perfect-tasting cocktail. He does this over and over again, and night after night, often making three or four drinks at once, relying upon the bank of information stored in his head, remembering all of the varying combinations of substances that come together in unique ways to create countless types of happiness. The authority here on the subject, he answers any questions I have. “What goes in a Singapore Sling, Nick?” or “What’s a Grasshopper made of?” and he instantly rattles off the components. A couple of times he does have to think for a second or two before he responds, such as when I ask him about some obscure drink hardly anyone ever orders, or when someone older requests a concoction with an unusual name that was in fashion back in “their day,” as they tell me. But almost always he replies as if the specific ingredients are written on his tongue. Only once do I see him refer to the cheat sheet that is yellowing in its place under the register.
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