Chapter 16: Darts, Et Cetera, Part 1

Another day, another performance.

All wrapped up nicely as usual.

And as Reynard and Nini leave this hallowed establishment for somewhere more intimate (we presume), we three wish them well by simply waving them goodbye.

As Leigh and I leave the stage, the owner and manager, Zach, takes our place.

"Listen up, everyone. I have an important announcement to make.

"There are some areas in this establishment that hasn't seen use in a few years; and they, as of this moment, are turned into temporary storage facilities for all kinds of things we have yet to use.

"And now, as I've inspected these areas myself, I've come to a realization…

"Why not make full use of these areas and not let them gather dust for the years to come?

"Therefore, expect something awesome in a few weeks.

"I have personally decided that these unused rooms… will be converted into recreational areas.

"Billiards, darts, whatever…

"What's important is that this bar is more than just food, drinks, and music…

"It should also have the element of fun!

"But take note that this idea of mine is still in its planning stages, and I have yet to consult my ever-loyal employees.

"So then… please stay tuned for updates on this.

"But for now… have a good time here at Mushy Baby's Drift Country Bar and Restaurant! Good evening!"

Whoa.

Expansion plans, basically?

Come to think of it, Zach divulged to us employees once that this bar used to be an abandoned office, and that he purchased this one-storey building for quite cheap.

And then, with a little bit of magic (actually interior design), he turned this dire place into a lively one.

Alright, now we're quite excited for what the boss has in store for this place Leigh and I now consider as our second home.

We three then head to the bar and have a conversation with Laurent regarding those expansion plans over some mocktails.

"Ah, expansions. This will be quite exciting, if you want to know my opinion."

I inquire, "Tell me more about it."

"It's an open secret that this bar used to be an abandoned office. Of course, our boss hates cutting corners, so even rooms which would not see use for years get fresh coats of paint. And those rooms are now being used as temporary storage facilities."

Aurora cuts in, "Oh, I see. Well, from an outsider's perspective… I can feel that while this place is a lot of fun… some of its areas are woefully deprived of it. They are… sorry if I use somewhat superstitious words… without a soul."

Without a soul, huh? I fully agree with that.

Those cordoned-off areas with signs that say "Unauthorized Personnel Keep Out" plastered on their doors… I can personally feel something otherworldly from them, based on my casual trips.

I then voice out what I expect will happen.

"Hmm… since our boss's plans are not yet set in stone, I personally feel we employees will be called for a special meeting tomorrow afternoon to discuss the nitty-gritty."

"Really? Deep down, I also expect this to happen. Our boss may be kind of eccentric, but when he's about to make important decisions, he wants us all to voice out our thoughts. All voices, as long as they contribute to the discussion, are equal to him."

"Yeah. Like I've said before, I'm quite excited for this. Right, Leigh?"

Leigh concurs, "Yes, yes indeed. We have so much space, so why not take full advantage of them? In the long term, we will rake in more profits, we will have fatter wallets, and we will serve our customers better because of added motivation!"

Once we three all go home after our duty's done…

The thoughts of expansion plans still dominate our minds as we all head to bed.

And it's a new day. Yes, it is.

We just have sugar-free cereals for breakfast, watch some boring TV afterwards, then have some fish fritters and kielbasa for lunch.

We'll just have to wait for the message from the owner himself.

And before one asks, Aurora will not be part of the eventual afternoon visit.

First off, she's not an employee. Second, we want to show her the finished product... because who doesn't love surprises?

As 2 pm drops on the clock…

The message Leigh and I have been waiting for has arrived.

"All employees of Mushy Baby's Drift Country Bar and Restaurant, we will be having a special meeting at three. I dare not call it an emergency meeting because we won't be discussing anything direly negative. Anyway, we will all discuss the particulars of the expansion plans."

With a quick change of clothes and a pat to her head, we two say to our dignified lady…

"Be a good girl, alright? In no time, the place will be better than ever!"

"Yes!"

3 pm. The bar itself.

All of us 22 employees, including the cooks under Felicia, are all present and accounted for.

Zach doesn't beat around the bush.

"Everyone… the time has come for our establishment to spread its wings. We have been receiving a good influx of customers in the past few days, and that is definitely good news. And thus, I feel that an expansion is feasible enough. See those rooms that have been gathering dust for a few years? We'll be using them as recreational rooms. We can have our clientele play darts, billiards, and have their own private conversations in these specialized rooms. That's basically the gist of our plan. Alright, can anyone voice their sentiments about this expansion?"

Sabrina Misora, one of the waitresses, speaks out.

"Sir, I understand that you have good intentions behind the expansion, but I'm concerned that some customers would use those rooms for… unsavory activities."

"I understand your concern, miss. I've actually thought of that concern once I arrived here, so one measure I plan to employ for those rooms is to remove the doors entirely. This way, there will still be privacy, but other customers will be protected from the shenanigans of the few."

"Thank you, sir."

"Is anyone else ready to speak up?"

Leigh raises her hand abruptly.

"Alright, Leigh. The floor is yours."

"Sir, regarding your suggestion of adding darts and billiards, I actually know someone who locally manufactures them, right here in Atlanta."

"Sure. Please tell me more about it."

"My former high school classmate, Marcel Weisenbaum, actually owns his own business named Weisenbaum's Recreational Supplies. The company makes darts sets as well as billiards and pool tables from only the best locally-sourced materials."

"I see. Maybe you can give me the company's contact details?"

"Actually, I have a spare business card with me. Please accept it."

She then hands over the business card according to standard etiquette protocols.

"Thank you, Miss Leigh. This will surely be a lighter load on our backs. Alright, anyone else who is willing to speak?"

The next few seconds are filled with silence.

"Alright, since there's no one willing to speak further, I will then lay out the plans for expansion.

"Since the bar will see an uptick in customer activity on weekends, we will not be conducting any prep work on those days. Instead, we will start such work starting Mondays – and I have already hired a local cleaning company to take care of the junk accumulated in those rooms for years. The extra tables and chairs that were stored will finally be put to good use once they are cleaned and refinished. Other things which will not see any use in the long term will be sold off, and Dax will take care of it.

"Once the prep work is completed in hopefully 2-3 days, we will then commence restoration and decoration work. It's inevitable that some of the paint may have chipped off, so we also hired a local painter to take care of this matter. Once the paint is dry, we shall commence with the decoration and placement of necessary furniture. We will re-hire the interior designer responsible for turning this place from a dull abandoned office into a lively bar and restaurant, so you all can rest easy.

"And finally, once those rooms are ready for use, we will set the day when they will be open to the public. We shall announce on local papers as well as social media our target date for the formal launch of the rooms – July 10, 2022.

"Now then, is anyone objecting to these plans?"

Again, seconds of silence dominate this place.

"Great. Then we shall proceed with the expansion. Everyone… you can all go home for now and return to work tonight, or you can stay here and wait until opening time. Thank you."

Since we left Aurora behind, it's our obligation to return to our apartment as soon as possible.

She readily asks us once we make landfall on our apartment…

"So… how are the expansion plans going?"

I enthusiastically answer, "Very smoothly. And if everything goes well, those rooms will be open in a week or two."

"Yay!"

"Just leave it to our boss," Leigh follows up. "He can be serious if the situation calls for it, you know."

"Yes, yes!"

And thus, we three look forward to the expansion of Mushy Baby's Drift…

...and that has the unintended, yet always welcome, effect of boosting our morale for tonight's performance.