Page 8 of Highway To Destiny

Serving up killer cocktails and food—mainly bar-related fare—he stocked a fine collection of craft beers on tap that he changed seasonally. The decor had a cozy, somewhat nautical vibe that played well with the coastal town. The bar top itself was heavily varnished pine, about six inches thick, in a horseshoe shape that hugged the bar.

The liquor sat on clear glass shelving, illuminated by blue lighting that made the atmosphere relaxed. Blue was the accent color, with white and grey painted walls hung with large photographic prints of sailboats and beach scenes. The booths and stools had deep blue leather-look upholstery.

Eli usually had two bartenders, one on each side, who gave undivided attention to its thirsty patrons, but tonight, I noticed he was working by himself. It didn’t look all that busy, but then I realized it was a Tuesday night, and most tourists had left town since it was the end of summer.

“Looks like a slow night,” I said as I got comfortable.

“With the end of summer, the start of fall, and upcoming winter months, things take a turn. But this was a good summer for us with tourists doing road trips up and down the coast,” he said as he poured my standard IPA from the tap. “The locals will be my regulars for a while,” he added, loud enough for a guy at the bar to tip his drink our way.

“Here, here!” the man said with a smile, and I chuckled.

“How long are you in town?” Eli asked as he wiped down the bar in front of me.

“Give or take a week. I’ve been on the road for quite a while, and I’m in need of a bit of R and R. You know my condo is my fortress of solitude with that view and ocean air,” I said as I lifted the pint to my lips and took a long draught.

Eli nodded and excused himself to attend to someone who’d walked up to the bar to order a drink. Being a slow night, with only a handful of people, it looked like Eli didn’t have a server, so he was managing all fronts by himself. Other than his cook, who stayed in the kitchen.

Once the customer got their drink and put cash on the bar, Eli walked back over to me and asked, “I assume you were able to get a prime spot for your rig when you got into town?” He picked up his rag to wipe down the bar where he’d mixed the previous drink and picked up the cash.

“Oh yeah, I got my usual space,” I said.

I’d used his unpaved lot for years, and he’d given me a key to the gate of his spacious property since he trusted me. It made it easy to drive up, unlock the gate, and pull right in. I usually settled the lot charge with him when I headed out, not knowing how long I’d be in town.

I was a bit disappointed that so few people were in the bar, with barely a hush of conversation floating in the air. Slow music played in the background, but I couldn’t tell if it was country or soft rock. Maybe I was expecting too much, but I’d be here for a week and would run into more locals I knew.

Suddenly, the thought of Connor sitting beside me at the bar gave me a bit of a flush. I missed his company and youthful energy, which seemed weird, considering we only had one brief time together. But he’d made a memorable impression.

“I can smell rubber burning,” Eli said with a smirk, both hands braced on the bar in front of me. He knew I could be in my head at times, and he did his best to break that habit and pull me back to the present.

“Yeah, okay, you caught me,” I said, looking up from my glass with a smile. “Just thinking about a particular hitchhiking college student I gave a lift to. He was headed to Eastern Oregon University, and I had a delivery in that town anyway.”

I hadn’t expected to go into what I was thinking about, but I’d always confided in Eli, either for support…or a stern lecture.

“I’m surprised you picked up a hitchhiker since I know you don’t normally do that,” Eli said in a low voice and with a tilt of his head.

“He came up to my truck when I was getting ready to head out of a rest area and almost begged for a ride. He was trying to get to school on time, and he knew he wouldn’t make it on foot at the rate he was traveling,” I explained.

“When did this happen?” he asked, looking at me with a slight squint.

“Almost two weeks ago,” I said, waiting for Eli to continue his questioning.

“Huh,” he huffed. “Must have made an impression on you to be still thinking of him.” I couldn’t deny that statement.

I’d just put my glass down after finishing off my pint when Eli grabbed it off the coaster to give me a refill.

“He did leave an impression,” I said as I nodded. “He’s a first-year grad student, and we had a great conversation during the drive. He’s focused, determined, and has the beginning of his life plan thought out.”

I looked down at the fresh pint. “I was never that driven when I finished college. I guess he just impressed me,” I said, hoping that might end his curiosity.

It didn’t.

Eli held up a finger and signaled he wanted to know more. He said he’d be right back after heading to the far end of the bar to refill someone’s drink.

Did I want to go into more detail about Connor? I really wanted to tell Eli about his green eyes and the impact they had on me, but it felt a little weird.Eli knew my past—we’d been friends for almost twenty years—and I’d always trusted him to keep my confidence.

When Eli came back after closing someone’s bar tab out, he leaned over and whispered, “There’s something you’re not sharing.”

This was it. I figure I need to get it off my chest.

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