Chapter 7

“You didn’t have to get up,” I said. “I’m cool sitting at the bar.”

“Yeah, but I’m hungry. The lady who runs the place don’t allow food over there. She also don’t allow swearing, so watch your tongue. You get caught swearing in here, you’re out.” Ned motioned with his head to a sign hanging just above the bar entrance that proclaimed the law of the land.

Once seated, an older man came over with a menu that consisted of a few dishes that seemed oddly complicated for such a small place. Ned introduced the man as the son of the woman who had started the place years ago, who was also the one who made the no swearing rule. I ordered a dark beer and a bowl of homemade mushroom soup, then agreed to split one of their famous pizzas, which took almost an hour to make. There was another warning on the menu that indicated if you wasn’t hungry, this wasn’t the place for you.

“You gotta taste the dumplings here, amazing,” Ned said as he took a draught from his beer.