2026. June 21, 8;14. Sunset in 16 minutes. End of the longest day.
The light in The Lounge is soft, the trees outside are green and full. Not too many trees on either side of the building, on those side streets. A fellow named Chavez was at a middle table. It was a Sunday night, but kind of a lot of people. A new kid named Pascale was at the bar. He comes from Lynn. He works in their Public Works Department over there.
“What’s up with the juke box,” one of the nurses asked, standing in front of the OUT OF ORDER sign on an 8×11 sheet of paper taped on the curved Plexiglas front of the vintage Wirlitzer.
“Broken, Pascale called from the bar. “Getting it repaired tomorrow. The guy has to come up from Rhode Island.
“It’s alright,” said Chavez, looking at the daylight dimming slowly out either door, opened because everybody was waiting for the emergency guy to come and fix the air conditioner built into the wall next to the bar.
“Nothing working tonight,” said some guy.”
“Alright, it’s alright,” said Chavez. “We are at Stonehenge. We are at Bethlehem. We are on Everest. We are here, on our last mile.” He rose and went out the side door saying, “I must go to the beach. I must see the earth lurch away from Mother Son,” he said, disappearing out under the trees and the cooling macadam where the day had been long, indeed.
The air conditioner guy pulled up in his white panel truck by the door Chavez had just gone out.
The artist Knox, at his usual place on the usual barstool, sketching on a pad next to his half-drunk Blushing Monk, said without looking up, “He’s four minutes late. Sun set at half past.”
The air conditioner guy came in with his tool box to a round of applause. He bowed, then he said, “which one?” (Because the other wall air conditioner on the other wall was working, but not well.
“This one,” Pascale said, pointing to the one by the side of the bar. But Joe Barren (the owner) would like tyou to take a look at that one, too.” He pointed across the room.
“I shall be delighted,” said the air conditioner guy, so far nameless, but exhibiting al the characteristics of a moonlighting Summer Stock thespian.
Ah! Cool air would return soon, but darkness was finally falling, I thought to myself
There was a glow. Pascale had kept the lights dim. He’s an art student. I counted eleven people in the place. I was at the bar in front of a glass of ice water.
8:39 The longest day was, yes, darkening.
Summer was here.
I went out on the sidestreet, looked and saw no sign of Chavez. He’d be at the beach, standing in what light was left.
His beer, half drunk, sat on the table inside.
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