by Bill Noel
Joy watched them go, and leaned close to me and said, “You won’t believe this. Preacher Burl talked to Cal about me. Cal told him he had a powerful need for another bartender, that’s how he said it, powerful need. Cal hired me, and Preacher Burl said I could stay at Hope House as long as I want to. Isn’t that wonderful?”
It was, and I told her so.
Dude was next to stick his head in the door. Correction, Pluto stuck his head in and then Dude. Pluto sniffed the air like he knew there must be a hamburger nearby with his name on it. Martha saw Pluto and left Dixie and Charles standing before she scooped up the canine and gave it a series of kisses.
I excused myself from Joy and moved toward Pluto, hopefully to prevent a war over the canine suffering an identity crisis. I hadn’t needed to. Dude stood back, smiled, and told Martha that she could visit Pluto any time.
She thanked him, and added, “Can I call him Gink?”
“That be cool. His official name now be Pluto Gink Sloan.”
Barb entered wearing a red sweater without any Christmas message adoring it, and came over to me and kissed my cheek and said, “Want to hunt shark teeth in the morning?”
“No,” I said, so loud that two people standing nearby stopped talking and stared at me.
Burl was next to arrive. He wore a Santa hat and a sweater that would win any ugly Christmas sweater contest. He made his way around the room patting people on the back, kissing ladies on the cheek, and lifting and hugging Joanie and Jewel.
Cal saw Burl and moved close and whispered something to him. Burl shook his head so hard that the Santa hat nearly fell off. Cal smiled, patted the preacher on the back, and moved to the stage in front of the room. He waited for Brenda Lee to finish “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” and unplugged the jukebox.
He clinked two beer bottles together close to the antique mic that he’s sung approximately a trillion songs in over the years. “Yo! How about lending me an ear?”
All but Dixie and Martha stopped talking. Cal tried again and this time they stopped and turned to the country singer.
Cal tipped his Stetson to the group. “Merry Christmas. This is our biggest Christmas shindig ever. Thanks for coming and joining this old crooner on his favorite day of the year. Now, I’ve got a question. How many of you’d like to hear Preacher Burl and me sing a duet?”
All but Burl responded by either clapping or saying, “Yes.” Burl stared at the floor and shook his head.
“That’s what I thought,” Cal said. “If you were here last Christmas, I bet you remember the preacher and me singing, ‘Silent Night.’ I know I do. Come on up, Preacher.”
Burl glanced at the door leading outside. I suspected that’s where he’d rather be, but in the spirit of Christmas, he slowly moved to the stage while Cal grabbed his guitar. Burl faked a smile and moved to the mic like he would approach a rattlesnake. Cal whispered something to Burl and Burl responded.
Cal stepped to the mic and pulled Burl closer. “Gals and guys,” the singer said, “I can’t think of a better song to sing that this one. Here’s to you, Joy, my newest bartender, and another fine addition to our community.”
They began singing “Joy to the World,” and two minutes later ended with,
“He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of his love,
And wonders of his love.”
About the Author
Bill Noel is the best-selling author of fifteen novels in the popular Folly Beach Mystery series. Besides being an award-winning novelist, Noel is a fine arts photographer and lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with his wife, Susan, and his off-kilter imagination. Learn more about the series, and the author by visiting www.billnoel.com
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