Page 36 (2/2)

"All British pubs have a painted sign on the outside becauseof this century, so when their mates said, 'Meet me at the Hearty Sailor,' they'd just look for the picture"

"How do you know so much about this city?" I asked him

"I just spenthere and going to school here," he replied

"For me it all happened so fast, I barely had time to learn the difference between a pound and a dollar," I said

"No haruide and translator, and I come cheap"

I laughed at his happy smile and we entered the pub It was somewhat darker inside than I anticipated, but so the azed at us with interest, but no resentment like people often did when I walked into a new place back home They made me feel I had intruded on private property and that where I was did not welcoers

"Here's a couple a real custohed, even the man behind the bar A short, dark-haired woman with deep brown round eyes and a face like a marble cherub appeared with a plate of food in her hands She placed it on the bar in front of an elderly man dressed in a suit and tie

"Can I help you?" the bartender asked Randall He looked up at the menu written in Gothic style on a board above the bar

"Want to try the shepherd's pie?" he asked me

"Sure," I said

"We'll have two shepherd's pies and two shandies," he said and produced two ten-pound notes

We heard people chuckling

"Ya old enough for an ale, are ya?"

I handed hilanced at it and nodded and looked at Randall "Forgot mine," Randall said

"He looks old enough to me, Charlie," cried a tall, thin ht it would bust out and roll over the counter