Tales From the Esquire Bar

TALES OF THE ESQUIRE BAR 2

The Origin of Earl

Preamble Ramble - This story started as part of Cheated, Cheater, Cheating which I redid as Tales of the Esquire Bar 1. This is the part that was removed and I was able to deconstruct and reconstruct it into an origin story of Earl who has appeared in several of the Greenville stories.

I always wanted to do a back ground story about the enigmatic Earl who appears in quite a few of my stories. And Earl doesn't have a last name. Kind of like Char, Madonna, Reinaldo. Maybe if I keep writing he might get one. But I like him how it is now.

Editing - I do the best I can. People may not understand that a vast majority of us who write and post on this site do this as a hobby. We're not professional writers. Those who say "well its basic English how hard can it be?" Try it. Writing and speaking are to different things. Too and to sound the same when spoken. Again, its hard to find an editor because that harder than writing stories. I 'm not speaking for everyone but I know we do the best we can.

I hope you enjoy the story.

Bob was wiping down the bar top when a pretty young lady came through the door around 3:30. Not pretty young as in age but pretty and young. She didn't look very happy but then again, most people coming into a bar at that time doesn't usually look happy, unless you're a regular.

She had the look of someone who had never been in a place like this before. The Esquire was a different animal. It was a neighborhood bar without a neighborhood. Set in an industrial area of the city. Most of the buildings were abandoned and the businesses hanging on for dear life.

He moves over to take her order throwing his towel over his shoulder. "What ya have Ms?"

"Jack and coke."

"Coming up" and he moves to make the drink. You don't get many if any women in the bar at this time of day. Unless they are meeting someone or taking a break from the stroll. He notices the lady appears to be about 25 years old around 5'5" tall, medium weight, reddish brown hair, wearing a nice gray business like pant suit and wedding ring. She wasn't on the stroll and didn't look like this was the kind of place she would be meeting someone. Unless it was for all the wrong reasons. She looked like someone who had something serious on her mind also. Bob guessed it was going to be that kind of day.

Everyone in the bar noticed the new patron. She was hard to miss being very pretty. Earl looked over to her, "How you doing today young lady?" in the way only Earl can introduce himself. He makes people at ease even in the most uncomfortable situations.

"I'm in a bar at 15 minutes to 4 on a Thursday drinking whiskey and coke. How can I be doing any better?"

"So what brings you in here, life can't be all that bad if I may be so forward?" Earl says with a smile.

"You're awful nosy for a stranger." The lady says with some heat and turning away.

"I'm sorry if I offended you. I just know someone of your caliber coming into a bar at this time of day is doing so to get away from something. And sometimes its good to talk to someone to get it out. A stranger might be that person." He says with sincerity

"There's nothing I need to talk about it and if I did its none of your business!"

"You're right miss, I apologize, Bob her next drink is on me okay. Again I sincerely apologize, you just looked a little troubled is all" Earl says respectfully and also turns away.

She turned back to Earl. "I'm sorry for being rude when you were only showing concern. Its just another mistake of many I've been making lately." Earl could see the sadness in her eyes.

"No need to apologize Ms?" Earl says with a smile.

"Juliet, I'm Juliet." Holding out her hand to Earl

Earl moves over a couple of stools, Taking her hand, "I'm Earl, Nice to meet you Juliet. You said you've been making mistakes. It can't be that bad.

"I cheated on my husband" Taking the last chug of the Jack and Coke. Earl motions to Bob for a refill of her drink and replace his Miller High Life.

"Oh sweetheart, I'm not going to judge you. That's not my place. You don't sound like it was an ongoing thing. If it was you wouldn't be in here and so upset about it."

Hearing her confession took Earl back fifteen years ago to his previous life. It didn't happen often anymore but it did this time. He was working at an investment company in New York City. He was doing very well for a guy with only a high school education. It took hard work and dedication to get to where he was. All of his piers had college degrees. But not him. He moved up through being smarter than everyone else and making the right deals when people didn't think it would work. He was bringing in almost $300,000 an year, that would be $600,000 in today's money. Drove a new Mercedes Benz, same as his wife. Except his was white and hers black. They lived in an upscale development just off a golf course on Long Island. Even had a country club membership. The only thing missing to make his life perfect was children.

Earl was different then his friends growing up. He didn't always live on Long Island. He grew up in Flat Bush Queens. Its never just Flat Bush or Queens, its always Flat Bush Queens. He was a good student without being a nerd. Education came naturally to him. His best classes were math and social studies. Numbers and dealing with people were always his strong points. While his friends were into the growing rap scene Earl was studying Warren Buffet, Peter Lynch, Hetty Green and Phillip A Fischer, famous investors. While kids were reading the Source magazine he was reading the Wall Street and Forbes magazine. Earl was always a hustler but an honest hustler. While some of his friends were selling drugs he did odd jobs around the neighborhood to earn money. Everyone knew Earl and respected his hustle. He was never approached about selling drugs. Word was out, Leave Earl alone.

He took his first $100 to a small investment firm, Belvedere Funds. He put on his best clothes and walked in and asked to talk to a broker. Charles Walker greeted the young man wondering what he was there for. When Earl told him he wanted to invest and which companies he wanted Charles smiled to himself. How can this young Black kid know anything about which companies to invest in. He didn't take him very seriously as he was dressed in jeans, sneakers and a polo shirt with a dragon across the front. But after talking to him for 30 minutes he realized he knew what he was talking about. That meeting lasted almost 2 hours. He found a young man who listens and absorbed what was being said. He was very even tempered and slow to provoke.

Betting on, because that's what investing really is, new companies called AutoNation and Semtech paid huge returns. He came back once a month to reinvest more money. Companies that most people have never heard of, Biogen, SunOpta, Nixxy. Over the years they had returns over 200%. AutoNation did 1300% itself. He started to get some of the corner boys, drug dealers, to invest some of their ill-gotten gains. At the time he didn't know he was laundering drug money. He thought he was just helping his friends. Luckily for him it never caused any issues.

Charles Walker took a personal interest in this young kid. During the summer he had him intern to learn how things worked. Working alongside other kids who were in college, some Ivy League schools Earl stood out. Not because he was the only Black person working there but because he was the best of the best. Charles taught him everything he knew and even things outside the business. How to dress, how to act. Everything he needed to fit into this new world. He eventually became what they call a Rainmaker. Someone who makes lots of money.

That fateful day, we left work early to tell Georgette the great news. He was going to be named a Director. Fifteen years of hard work had paid off! In his eagerness to tell Georgette the great news he never noticed the Kelly Green Honda Prelude sitting at the curb. Walking into the foyer he yelled out for his wife but not getting a response. Walking further into the house he could hear her in their bedroom. She was making noises she hadn't made in some time. Sexual noises, the kind you make when you're with someone else.

He had known Georgette since their freshman year in high school but didn't start dating until their senior year. She was a pretty girl. Not one of the prettiest in the school but definitely in the top 20 percentile. Earl had dated a little but was focused on learning about investing. We finally approached her to ask to the prom and she accepted. They had a nice time and continued to date the rest of the remaining school year. Georgette didn't have any plans of going to college. She was working part time at Uptown Chicken and Fish. She found that Earl was totally different from the other guys she dated. He was a serious young man. She found him very focused. He came alive when he talked about the Stock Market. She had no idea what any of it meant. Earl wasn't the most handsome guy, or the flashiest. Being only 5 foot 9 inches tall and medium build. He kept his hair cut close with a slight fade. He didn't follow the fashion trends of others.

Listening to him talk about money and investing while others only talked about rap groups or drugs she knew she had a winner so she latched on to him. Was it love for her? A strong like if anything. She did have feelings for him but not as deep as he did. She was in it for the long game.

She found herself living the dream life eventually. Earl was earning only God knows how much money. All she knew was her credit cards worked whenever she used them. And she knew how to use them. They had a big house that she picked out and new cars every other year that she chose. Belonged to a country club of all things. While her friends were still in the projects eating ramen and fish sandwiches she was having dinner with CEO's and Board of Directors wives. Taking tennis lessons and vacations all over the world.

Earl slowly made his way up the stairs. 18 steps to the end of his marriage. Another 15 feet down the hallway to witness what every man dreads. He stands at the doorway, seeing his wife riding some strange White man. Screaming how good his cock was. Not dick, but cock. She never called his manhood a cock. It was always a dick. She was telling this guy how good it was, how it reached places that's never been touched before. Earl dispassionately wondered how big he could be. He himself was 8 inches long. She never complained before or seemed like she wasn't satisfied.

He noticed how her cellulite on her ass moved and puckered. The love handles jiggled. Especially how he didn't have to reach up to teak her nipples as her breast hung down lower than normal. Looking at her he wondered how he could have loved someone like her. That love died the minute he walked into the house. Its not a home any longer.

Looking back he could see how this had happened. Working 60-70 hours a week to keep them in the lifestyle they have grown accustomed too takes a toll on a marriage. Well that Georgette had grown accustomed too. Earl didn't need much in life to be happy. Looking back he had noticed a separation over time between them. She wasn't the same person he married. She was as his mom would say, uppity. Like she forgot she was from Flat Bush Queens.

"Excuse me" It was a simple statement said quietly that went off like dynamite. Georgette screamed in shock. The guy raised up throwing her off the bed. He actually looked frighten even though he was 10 years younger and in much better shape than Earl. If it came to a physical confrontation Earl would come out on the losing end. Earl realized he worked at the country club. He looked at Georgette, "The Tennis Pro Georgy, how cliché. I just wanted to tell you I'm leaving. You can go back to doing whatever it was when I interrupted you." He turned and walked out. 12 years of marriage over in an instant.

That was the last time he talked to her or anyone from his previous life. Two years later he found himself in Greenville with a new life. It was something about the city that made him feel at peace. It wasn't a big city nor a small one. In the words of Cinderella it was just right.

A bar patron overheard her confession of cheating on her husband and made a disgusted noise which bought Earl back to the present. She and Earl looked over at him.

She said sadly, "I guess someone is judging me." looking at him with sadness.

"I don't know you to judge you Miss. I'm judging the fact that you would cheat on your husband." As he was shaking his head in distaste.

"You can't judge me worse then I already have judged myself. Saying I love my husband and it was all a mistake sounds so cliché right now. But I do and it was. If I could go back in time I would." Earl was afraid Juliet would start crying at the way this man was treating her.

"I don't mean to be nasty. I'm taking what is happening to me out on you. I think my wife is cheating on me."

"I'm so sorry to hear that. What makes you think she's cheating?"

The man told his story and concerns. Juliet listened with rapt attention. The bar was quiet while he told he tale of woe. When he was done he motioned to Bob or another drink. This was his third so Bob added a little water to this one.

He introduced himself as Devin and looked over to Juliet, "Is that the way you treated your husband?" He didn't say it in a mean way but its the only way it could be taken.

"No it wasn't. I didn't and don't have an ongoing affair. It was a one time thing that happened today. I said I regret it and I do.

"How did it happen than. Something like that doesn't just happen unless you were blackmailed." He looked at her suspiciously.

"We worked together. Have been for almost 3 years. We started with the company at the same time. On boarding and everything together. We work in the same department."

"Why now after three years?" Sid asked from the other end of the bar. The other patrons where invested by now.

"For the dumbest reason ever. We were hired out of college. He had been dating the same girl since high school. I had been with my husband the same way. He and I would have lunch together occasionally. We have even gotten together as couples with my husband and his wife for social events.

One day we were all out to lunch. A bunch of us from the same department. Susan was talking about dating this new guy. She's single and dates quite often. Someone asked her about it and she said how she loves the variety of having different lovers. Somehow they got to talking about past lovers. He and I were the only people who had been with one person our whole lives. Our coworkers were shocked and started to tease us about it. It went on for a while.

To my shame the more they teased us the more I wondered if I had missed out on something. Jason is a great lover. I was always satisfied. But that nagging feeling in the back of my mind that I had nothing to compare it too. I never once thought about what if its so much better and I would be unsatisfied with Jason afterward. I talked to Ed and he was having the same thoughts, what if he had missed out.

We both knew we couldn't go out and find a stranger to do it with. What if they were crazy, or had an STD. And we didn't want to go out to the single bars looking for someone. How would we be able to explain that to your spouses?"

"Please don't tell me you and him got together? That sounds like one of those stories you read online." Devin said with even more revulsion.

"Yeah, that's exactly what we did. We decided it would be safe with each other. We knew we wouldn't leave our spouses for each other. I never had any romantic thoughts about him. He said the same about me. No one else would know. So we made arrangements to meet today at the Rodeway Inn down the street after lunch taking a half day off. It was the worse mistake of my life.' Juliet did start crying then. 'I don't know what I expected but as soon as we where done we both knew we made a horrible mistake. I love my husband so much and I gave away something that should only be my husbands. I don't know how I can ever face him again." She was full out crying now.

None of the guys knew what to do. This was beyond Bob's expertise as a bartender. Devin did feel bad about the way he treated her. She was showing real honest remorse for what she did. She made a mistake. He even prayed everything worked out for her. It still made him think of his failing marriage. We would need some type of proof. He knew he couldn't go on like this much longer.

Juliette got herself together. She had to get home. Not because of what happened but because she was always home when her husband Jason got there. She wanted to start a new life with Jason. To prove her love everyday. She told Devin good luck with his marriage, Thanked Earl for listening and not judging her.

She didn't confess to her encounter but was the best wife Jason could ever want, just as she was before. It was a secret she would take to her grave. They ended up with two boys, Jason Jr. and Kendall. She and Ed drifted apart with him eventually taking a job in Charleston South Carolina six months later. He caught his wife cheating a year after they moved. They are trying to work things out.

Earl in these situations thought back over the last 15 years. Before he left New York the only stop he made was to clean out the bank account, close his investment fund and resign from his job. Leaving town with almost 3 million dollars. He sold his Benz in a little town called Oil City in Central Pennsylvania and bought a used Toyota Forerunner. He never filed for divorce. It wasn't until 4 years after that fateful day that he heard from a lawyer. He was surprised to be found. He wasn't hiding per say. He had no job, paid almost everything with cash or used checks. He didn't have a cell phone. He lived a simple life. He figured the money he had would carry him until the end if he was smart and Earl was very smart. Once he was found things changed slightly. He did wondered how she had the money for a lawyer let alone be able to hire a private investigator to find him. But find him she did. Georgette sued him for half the money he took. He settled for giving her a third. She had no clue how much money he had actually made, saved or invested over the years. She was more into spending it. With the money he had left he used his knowledge to invest wisely. He was a secret patron of several programs to help kids. No one knew where the hundreds of thousands of dollars came from each year. Earl didn't need to notoriety. He would just smile when he drove by a gym or seen kids paying in a playground he had paid to have refurbished.

The good thing about all this is Earl found that he didn't need a big house or fancy car to be happy.

The End?

Earl as appeared in several Greenville stories. Most notably The Mouse That Roared, This is a Test, Cheated, Cheater, Cheating.

Sid was briefly mentioned in several stories involving the Esquire.