A warm welcome to you, I hope you will enjoy your stay.
A person enters and climbs awkwardly on a seat, next to the counter.
Good evening barkeep, could I please have a grog? It is cold out there. Thanks letting me in.
In another life, quite a while ago, I entered a bar not unlike this one, in a country whose language I spoke very little. I had come to that land for work, would stay there for a while and felt quite isolated, really.
I entered that bar after struggling to decipher the menu and having identified an item that sounded really appetizing. The bar counter, visible from the outside, was empty that day. I thought that, despite my awkward language level, it would mean that my patronage would still be welcomed. Instead of sitting at one of the empty tables, I took a seat at the counter. As I was alone, I hoped it would make the presence of a stranger more tolerable if I would not occupy place that a group could want.
Not only did I get to eat excellent food, beautifully served. But the drinks were fantastic as well. More than that, the barkeep started to talk to me, asking where I was from and such. As he was patient with my language struggles, I ended talking more than I had in a while.
As it was near my home, I ended up coming again a week later. This time, there were people at the counter. Grim looking older people. I did not know how to interact in a way that would not be uncomfortable. Was it alright for me to sit there? The barkeep came to my rescue, introducing me to them. While it was a bit awkward at first, we ended up exchanging a couple sentences.
This scene played again, and again, week after week. Conversations became easier and friendlier. Soon, I would come every Wednesday not only to enjoy the great sustenance, but also the conversation and companionship freely shared by the regulars. Despite my differences, I had become one of them.
I had to leave that land and bar behind, as my work's flow guided me elsewhere. I miss that place. While I still struggle in that language, that welcoming barkeep and his bar ended up helping me make significant progress. The taste of the dishes and the variety of the drinks have a honoured place in my memories. But more than that, I remember the warmth I felt, as an isolated stranger far from home, to unexpectedly become part of a small community.
I will never forget that graceful feeling. It brings me some strength when I feel alone again.
Today, as I enter the midnight pub, I hope to have the same luck that that stranger once had. Then to share back the friendliness I once received.
I raise my glass to you, barkeep, and to all your patrons. May fortune smile on you all.