Two Mules For Sister Sara ~ Saved Me II
PART II of how the movie "Two Mules For Sister Sara", especially the hat worn by the character Hogan played by Clint Eastwood in that film, other spooky factors and just dumb luck saved me from harm. (Shirley MacLaine played the role of Sister Sara in that movie.) If you need to 'catch-up' here is Part I ~ How "Two Mules For Sister Sara" Saved Me
FRIDAY NIGHT ~ After going home from work catching a quick shower and changing into some appropriate clothes and shoes, I went right to the bar. The first thing I noticed was freshly printed and laminated signs on the doors and posted throughout the bar about that weekend's hours. I thought about my lady boss and all the things she had to do to get ready to fly to Mexico and that was pretty cool that she had thoughtfully did those signs, got the turnaround for their completion and got them posted before she left.
The gal on duty did a quick introduction to my bar back, (I was more judgemental then, the man was what is recently known as a 'scrub'. That call would be proved correct.) She literally 'raced' through all these instructions, closing the till out, the safe, counting a starting till bank out for the next day, where the change was located, the liquor room, the beer supply, and she ran out of the place like her backside was on fire. That 'odd' feeling briefly took me back over, I had to immediately let it go. There were customers to be waited on and drinks to be made.
Later on in the evening, I noticed my 'bar back' seeming 'impaired'. Strange, because I hadn't made him any drinks other than soda off the bar gun. Ha! later on ~ EXPLAINED ~ I saw him sneak a bottle out of the liquor room and out the back door. I was too busy to 'confront' him at the time and I did need what help he had to offer. I thought to myself, mmmm, come tomorrow, I'm gonna be 'fixing your wagon'. At closing, when I did a liquor room look before locking it up, I took note that it really looked like two bottles of vodka had been taken. I was secretly fuming ~ "not on my watch anymore" was this going to happen.
SATURDAY ~ 11:00 AM Saturday, I was in the hardware store, I found what I was looking for, a reel pull key chain with a clip on it, after I got the bar set-up the way I wanted it for opening. I locked the liquor room door, put the key on that chain and attached it to my bra. Not a really busy day, but steady with people in and out, not steady enough to even need the bar back except it was good for him to be around. I had needed some help tapping a new keg for the draft beer. He was looking a little shaky or 'shook-up'. We closed at 9:00 PM.
SUNDAY WAS THE DAY! ~ Some of the same group of fellows came in on Sunday that had been in on Saturday. They brought me a cheeseburger and French fries. I was thrilled! I was hungry! They wouldn't take money for the food so I said I would buy them a round. (Let's talk 'old school' right here, I paid for their round out of my purse. I didn't say I was buying them a round and letting my employer be the actual one to pay for it.) About 3:00 PM we heard a powerful racket of engine sounds outside. The door to the bar opens and a huge population of what appeared to be motorcycle people enter the bar, they just keep coming in. The bar is now full and it is a big place. The fellows at the bar give me a look, I had no clue what that meant and after all the motorcycle people get in, they immediately leave. I look around and my 'bar back' has disappeared. He had to have gone out the back door.
I go to what appears to be the most important of the group. Two fellows and two women who had taken a booth. I said, "It looks like my bar back left me and I'm going to have my hands full taking drink orders. How about I get your orders and bring your drinks out. If you need to order a little extra to hold you over until I get everybody taken care of, that would probably be a good thing, I can do that."
This man looks up at me with a shocking look that I don't understand. He's got this hat on that reminds me of the one Hogan wore in the movie "Two Mules for Sister Sara". I can't recall that it was an 'identical' hat, but it was close enough.
He just keeps staring at me. I see he's a young man, he can't be that much older than me, his face is hardened, a lot weary. I can plainly see when he was a boy he probably had the 'face of an angel'. I've always been a 'sucker' for blue eyes. He has the most incredible blue eyes. Right now they seem to be close to brimming with tears. He's staring at me, I'm know I'm blushing a little with discomfort at his staring. I can tell he's not staring at me in a 'sexual way'. I get their drink orders, get them back to the table, take the money, get it rung up in the till and I'm off and running to get all the drink orders taken for everybody else. The whole time I'm working, his eyes seem to be following me.
Most of the people had leather on, some had chaps on, not quite like I had seen the cowboys wear in the movies, they were a fancier looking leather. Some wore vests with a big logo that seemed scary on the back of the vests. When I decided I was going to write this, I tried looking up on the Internet what that logo was. I couldn't find it. I can for sure tell you they were not the "Hell's Angels".
I get back around to the first table and those eyes that keep following me. I get what drinks they want refilled or added to, I empty the ashtray, pick up the empties, take a quick wipe of the table, go fix their order, bring it back and "OH MY GOD, Mister Eyes has a BIG HOLSTERED GUN SHOWING".
I put the drinks down and I look at him and said, "I need to be Sister Sara to your Hogan. Mister, you got a big gun showing. Yes, I can see it's holstered. Now that's gonna make me far too nervous to serve drinks! Can I get you to check your gun behind the bar? (I tell them the amount for the drinks.) There's no extra charge for my amazing smile" I then looked at him, looked around at the rest of the table and smiled. A FULL SIXTY SECONDS OF SILENCE FOLLOWS.
One of the 'tough kittens' (woman) at the table kitty snarls "You think you're so cute, dontcha". This is followed by the Mister Eyes raising one hand up a bit, palm out. More silence ensues. Mister Eyes then says, "Where in mind do you have for me to check my gun?" I reply, "I'm thinking behind the bar, your choice where but up above where you can keep it in sight." He replies, "And how do you want to do this?" I say, "I'm thinking you can walk up behind the bar with me and place it where you think is best for you." He says "Fair enough, let's get this done."
And so we go behind the bar, he points out the spot, I clear some glassware, he asks me if I'd like to see the gun. I tell him I'm sure it is a very nice gun, I've never seen a handgun that looks to be that size in my entire life. No, I don't want it un-holstered to look at. I add in a whisper talk asking if he or any of his friends have other guns or weapons, please, I don't want to know about them and I sure as heck don't want to see them. He assures me that won't be a problem. He tips that hat at me and then remembers he needs to pay me for the drinks I had recently brought to the table. I bring him back his change and thank him. He's walking back to his booth as I'm off to care for the other tables needing waited on.
In the back playing pool there is this "giant" of a man. He's tall, got a big chest, big belly, big arms, big legs, an amazingly scruffy red beard. His head is covered with some kind of wrap (scarf?) thing I've never seen before. He has red chest hairs and very hairy red hair on his arms. I'm delivering drinks. I set them on an empty table off to the side. I empty the ashtray and pick up some of the empties and wipe the table. I holler a 'just a minute' and run back to the bar and get a dry clean bar towel along with an extra tray, and wipe up the wet where I had so recently wiped off the table. He says, "You're a fussy little thing, aren't you." I look up into his eyes and ask him "too fussy?" He's shakes his head "No, it's good, it's real good." and then he laughs.
I get back to Mister Eyes and the important table. Mister Eyes asks me if I'm from around here. I tell him no. I ask if they are from around here? He tells me no, they have an annual bike ride or run that brings them through here each year. Mister Eyes says "So, 'Two Mules For Sister Sara' ~ do you like Clint Eastwood movies?
I say, "I LOVE Clint Eastwood movies, but I've been missing going to the movies for a couple years now. I've been busy working. No time for movies." Mister Eyes says "You can't be doing that, missing out on Clint Eastwood movies."
I gush back, "I actually got to meet Clint Eastwood before I ever even saw any of his movies." Mister Eyes says, "Tell me, I need to hear this." I tell him my Uncle Earl who was married to my daddy's sister was in the movie industry in Hollywood. We only got to visit with them a few times.
One time Uncle Earl took us out to this fancy place for dinner. He boomed out a greeting to a tall man, someone named Clint who came by our table. Uncle Earl stood up to exchange greetings with him. They shook hands. Then Uncle Earl introduced everyone around the table we to him and he to us. He was introduced as Clint Eastwood.
I looked at his face and got so flustered, I lowered my eyes and face right down at my plate of food. This Clint man came around the table to me, took both of his hands, lifted my face up, looked me directly in my eyes, then he turned my face to the left, and then he turned my face to the right, and then he lifted my face back up to him and looked me right square in the eyes again and then gently released my face.
I could hardly stand it, I know my face had to have turned beet red because it felt hotter at that time than any time I could ever remember before.
Mister Eyes said "No kidding?" ~ I said "OH NO KIDDING!" ~ I saw my first Clint Eastwood movie the next summer. I immediately knew who he was. Uncle Earl said he was going to be a big star and he's was going to win many Academy Awards. (We all know it was a many years before my Uncle Earl's words became 'solid truth'. The important thing is that did happen. Uncle Earl spoke the prophetic truth.)
Mister Eyes asks, "Where's your Uncle Earl now?" I answer, "I don't know which cemetery my auntie got him into, or if she had him cremated ~ lung cancer. We love each other, but we're not that close."
* * *
OH YES, sometimes 'really life' can be 'stranger than fiction'.
Part III How "Two Mules For Sister Sara" Saved Me will take you through
Closing Time
Secrets Revealed
The Aftermath
I'm @grammakaye on twitter. You are most welcome to leave a comment.
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