10 - ‘Come gentle night…’

Sinclair chuckled. “Word of advice for the next time, never say you need a job. It makes you sound desperate.” Resting his elbows on the bar he said softly, “You’re real pretty. Do you think you can fend off guys that will for damned sure come on to you?”

“Yes sir. I’ve been doing it forever.”

“Kinda figured that would be the answer. Question. Why the hell do you want to work in a place like this anyway, when you’ll have to deal with that a lot?”

Kemp glanced towards the small bandstand at one end of the room before looking back at Sinclair. “Because, well…”

Sinclair obviously caught the look and shook his head slightly. “Don’t tell me you’re a musician trying to work your way into a gig? What instrument do you play?”

“I sing actually,” Kemp replied almost defiantly.

“You any good?”

Kemp shrugged. “Some people think so.”

“Other than family?”

With a small laugh Kemp said, “Since the only family I have is my brother that would be a ‘yes’.” There was no way he was going to mention the rest of his family. The part that resided in a large manor house thousands of miles from here.

“Next question, your ID’s from Washington. Are you a runaway?”

“No sir. My brother knows I’m here, if that’s what your asking.”

“And he knows, not to put too fine a point on it, what you are?”

“Yes sir and he’s got no real problem with it.”

Sinclair nodded and seemed to come to a decision. “Stop calling me ‘sir’, Kemp. Boss works better.”

Kemp’s face lit up in a wide smile. “Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously. You’ll start tomorrow, bussing. If you can handle that, and once you get to know the place and the customers, we’ll see about letting you wait tables.” He shot Kemp a look. “Don’t place your hopes on getting to sing here though. We’ve got a fine band and their singer is very good, and not willing to share the stage.”

“Thank you sir, umm I mean boss.”

“Welcome. Be here at five sharp. Wear black slacks and a white shirt. Generally you’ll start as six but there’s the usual paperwork to fill out and all that jazz. Now I’d better get back on the job before my bartender claims he’s being over-worked. Feel free to stick around and get the lay of the land. And welcome aboard.”