The muffled talks of the patrons and the faint jazz music playing reverberated in my ears. Hoping I had come at the right moment for her shift, my eyes searched for the familiar woman behind the bar counter.

As I had spotted her entering her station with the previous barman switching shifts with her, a small grin pulled at the corner of my mouth. 'Just as lovely as ever.'

I walked up to the high stools and perched down, speaking in my typical monotone voice, my face austere, "The usual."