°o.O®Øß°tO.o°, the artist formerly known as Orbitgal, took out a $10 bill and handed it to the Taxi driver. She slid herself across a ripped leather seat in the back of a beat up yellow cab to a door and opened it.  A middle aged Middle Eastern man handed her some change and smiled, “thank you very much miss.”  He drove off even before she slammed the door shut.  The sudden movement jerked her slightly, making her high heels clank on the sidewalk in front of 1313 Robin lane - the Pig Sty bar and grill.  The bar was just every run of the mill bar you see in anycity USA, a street level corner bar with long rectangular windows and an entrance at the corner of the building.  A red neon sign hung in window that was duct taped around edges.  The windows looked like worn old Irish men, victims of one too many bar fights, but standing proud nonetheless.  At one time the neon sign read “Pig Sty” but the tube for the g and y letter had burned out leaving only words “Pi St” and occasionally the word t would flash on and off.

The entrance door was a good solid one, made of thick wood.  Littered across it were old staples, bits of tape, and the occasional push pin. It had a big pull handle and a small hexagon window in the top fifth of the door. It was massive enough to slam behind you not enough to drown out the raucous.  Sounds of laughter and rowdy behavior permeated through the door as she pushed it open.  The Sty was packed this evening and she looked around the room.  As usually there Jonno23 was tending bar tonight, and  the place was filled with plenty of the regulars too.  There was Feeling Croppy and Tapper22 in the corner, either throwing darts or just about fucking on the pinball machine – she couldn’t tell, Leesure was at his usually table arguing with Andertho, Ozman666 was on the stage tuning up his accordion, and FWOT was serving drinks.  She didn’t see _Ott!. Damn, she thought, he should be here by now. Like a cat, °o.O®Øß°tO.o° slid herself onto an empty bar stool.

“Hey long time no see stranger, what’ll it be?” asked Jonno23.

“Good to see you Jonno23,” she paused for a moment and looked at herself in the mirror behind the bar, “a Shirley Temple for me.”  The glitter under her eyes sparkled in the bad barroom lighting.  She was all glammed up tonight, ready for a night of dancing and fun. She was making last minute adjustments to her hair when Jonno23 put the drink down in from her. 

“Thanks,” she said rummaging through her purse for her wallet.

“On the house °o.O®Øß°tO.o°,” he smirked.  “You look nice tonight, got a hot date?”

“Thanks, going dancing with _Ott! tonight. Have you seen him?”

“Yeah, I think he’s playing cards in the backroom, let me get him.”

Jonno23 walked down the long bar and checked everyone’s drink level as he went.  Everyone had their drinks and he could be missed for a few minutes.  He called out to FWOT and signaled her to watch the bar for a few minutes. She gave him a nod “ok.”