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“It got worse. As I was understandin’ the state of the business, the payroll came due. I remember the feelin’ as I faced the fact: I owed all these people their payment for workin’ and there wasna money in the accounts. I spent the day my father died securing a bank loan tae give them their final paychecks.”
I said, “I keep saying this sounds so hard and difficult, because I can’t find the words, I am sorry, Liam, and I’m sorry about being repetitive.”
He shrugged. “Repetition in the face of dismal shite is sometimes all a person can do. Tis hard and difficult, or I like tae mix it up sometimes with more colorful words.” He lifted his beer. “Like this situation sounds like the fecking shite work of a family-desertin’ wanker who died a remorseless coward just when the work got hard, leavin’ his first born son tae clean up his mess. But, of course, I wouldna want tae speak ill of the dead.”
I cocked my head. “Do you want me to cheers along with that?”
“It would help me feel a wee better if ye would, aye.”
I lifted my beer bottle, met his, and we clinked the bottoms together.
“I think I finally understand Liam, your feelings about this place. It makes sense now why you want to leave and go home.”
I ripped down the Cadbury wrapper and broke the chocolate bar up into bite size pieces and placed it between us. “Okay two questions: first, what do you like to do when you’re in Scotland?”
“I used tae play rugby back in the day.”
“Like play played? Like for a job?”
“Aye, I did it for a job. Do ye ken much about rugby?”
“No, but I know the thought of it makes all the girls swoon.”
He grinned. “Do they now? Does Woodshee swoon at the thought?”
I considered it for a moment then said, “Absolutely.”
His eyes twinkled merrily as he took a drink of his beer. “Want another?”
“Yes, and now, second question, you said, ‘back in the day,’ why did you quit rugby and what do you do now?”
He popped the top off two bottles. “First, I dinna quit rugby. Men daena quit the greatest game. The game quit me. I hurt m’shoulder,” he moved his arm in a circle, “and couldna play anymore.”
“So now what?”
“Now I have a verra important career, one I have to get back to, I’m a groundskeeper at the college. I mow, I dig holes, I hae tae trim the bushes else they’ll grow on the walkways.” He shook his head sadly and joked, “Think of the poor students, wadin’ through the grass. It must be up tae their knees by now. Even higher, up tae their hips, kids might be lost out there in the fields. How are they goin’ tae get tae their classes tae learn the poetry of Robert Burns?”
I teased, “When you put it that way it does sound very important.” We grinned at each other.
Then he said, “Ye hae a few weeks in the cabin, right Woodshee? Ye could stay, hang out here at the pub, spend some time thinking through what ye’re goin’ tae do...?”
I took a sip of my beer. “I could but I’m not sure I should... I hate confrontation, if I don’t go now it’s going to get worse and worse — does that make sense?”
“It makes sense.” He shook his head. “And how come I’m tellin’ ye tae stay? Ye daena want tae get stuck here. I wouldna wish it on ye—”
The door to the pub opened.
A young woman walked in, looked to be about nineteen, though she was a big girl, tall, curvy, with short dark hair.
Liam blinked as if his brain was catching up to his eyes. “Lily?”
“Surprise, Wee’am!”
He ran around the bar, and swept her up in a hug. “Lily! What ye doin’ here?”
“Mom and I were worried about ye! She sent me tae come check and make sure ye dinna get yourself in stupid trouble.”
“Ye came by yerself? How is she? How’s Logan?”
