How you ever ask yourself where people would go if they messed up…to get away, and run from their problems. Maybe even try to seek help? Well they come to the right place to drown in their sorrows and cry about their pitiful lives in beer. How do I know this you ask? Well, I'm Paul and I'm a bartender and at the end of the day I know all the nitty gritty details that people had to offer. I try to be the best person and help them all out if I can, but some are just lost causes.

I ran this place here with my two best friends Sam, Jared. It seemed the best fit because we've been best friends since high school. You name it we've done it like the night we spent in jail in together. I really don't consider them my friends, their more like my brothers.

About six years ago, we were driving around and found this old bar in the middle of nowhere. I mean this place was dump; cracked walls and graffiti everywhere. It needed more than a little bit of love. When we finally pulled over and walked inside, we saw that there was an old man inside. By his looks, he was lucky to be alive. We sat down at the bar and he told us his name was John and that he owns the place.

We told him that we just went for a drive and happen to accidentally turn on the wrong rode and ending up here. He reminisced blissfully as he told us how people used to find this place because they had no place to go. They'd come and tell him about their hectic lives…After that night we never went back…

Until my girlfriend of four years dumps my ass…She wanted adventure, a life outside of the Rez. That was something that I couldn't give her. I was content on living on the Rez. I became overwhelmingly depressed and went for a night drive to clear my mind. Before I knew it I was at the same old bar with the same old man ready to down some alcohol.

There weren't too many people in there that night; a hefty biker dude playing some pool with what looks like one of his buddies, a pale brunette sitting by herself at a table with a drink with a forlorn look while staring down at the small picture frame in her hands. I sat down at the bar with a sigh and run my hands threw my unruly hair as John came up with a half-smile.

"What can I do for you son?" he asked warmly.

"A beer." I demanded.

"Look like you been hell and back." He said as smiled knowingly.

I gave a harsh chuckle, "You can say that. I just got dumped tonight."

"I been there and done that. It took me dating six girls until I find my Dottie; we had been married for 40 years. So why did she leave you son?"

"She said I'm not going any way with my life. The fuck up thing is I think she right." I frowned as I took one large gulp of beer.

"Most women are right about that stuff." He said with a small laugh.

"I guess, I 'm twenty-one living with my best friends and the only job I have is doing odd jobs around where I live. My whole life, I never knew what I was good at. "I said solemnly.

"Well, you'll never know until you try but who knows it just might be under your nose." He chuckled.

After the night, I went in every two weeks to talk to John and the other people there. I made friends with most of the people. After two month John gave me a job. Helping him around the bar. Then after year meeting the old man. He passes away in his sleep.

So I was lost again with no job or place to stay and I lost someone close to me. I was lying in my bed after week he passed away when I heard Jared yelling for me. So I put on some pants and went to the door. There was a guy in a suit. I didn't know what was going on. The guy told me that he was John's lawyer and that he left me the bar.

He also left me a letter so when I was alone. I open it and see what the old man had to say to me.

Dear Paul

If you're reading that mean I'm in a better place and I'm also with my Dottie. And you also know I left the bar to you. I know that you're thinking… Why did this crazy old man leave me the only thing he had in the world to me? Well Paul since that night you came here and told me about your girl dumping your ass. I saw a younger me in you. Some one that doesn't know what life has plans for him and so lost in himself. I'm hoping leaving you my bar. Everything will fall in place for you. You were the closer thing I had to a son. I know we only knew each other for a year but I know I'm leaving the bar in the right hands. If you ever need some cheering up, read this letter. And know there is someone out there that believes in your ass. I hope you the best of luck to you son.

Love,

John

Well now I have the letter framed and hanging on my wall in my office and every time I have a bad day I read it and know he's watching me. He was right, after fixing up the old place everything falls right in place.

The bar is still going good. We still have some of the old people that came in every night but now there were some new comer too. I love life now and how it's going. I'm twenty-seven now, still no girlfriend but I like it that way. Sam and Jared are both married to good girls. Sam had little boy Max about two years ago. Jared and Kim find out they having little girl in October. We are still friends here that help out at the bar here and there, but I run it mostly. I have some the guys from the Rez working here too.

It was Sunday night; it was raining hard out. I have a feeling not a lot of people were going to come in tonight and that was fine with me. I have a lot of paper work to do. I'll just let Seth and Alex work the front tonight. It was about ten o clock when Alex came in my office and asked if I can cover for him so he could take break to call his girlfriend. I told him it fine and put down my pen. I walk out in the front it mostly dies.

There was Mary; she was in here about every night. She doesn't have any family here, so she comes here most night so she wasn't sitting at home alone. Then there was Bill and Bob they come on weekend to play pool and just mess around.

"I hate night like this." Seth pouted as he cleaned off the bar.

"I like these night, you don't know what will come through the doors." I smiled at him.

I was used to be like Seth; I hated raining nights too, but the old man pointed out that even when it is not raining the same people came in, but with the rain and wind brought in new people.

I was talking to Seth about the game. Then I heard the doors open. I turn and look to see who it was and saw a small girl who could be around 5'3 or 5'4 with long brown hair that was wet from the rain. As she walks to the bar she looked at me with big brown eyes. From the looks of it she might have been crying. I told Seth go and get my towel from the back. Seeing how wet she was I think she walked all the way here. Seth hand me the towel as she sat down on a stool by the bar. Before she had time to say anything I handed her the towel.

"Thanks…" she mumbled timidly.

"Any time, anything I can get you?" I asked with a smile.

"Coffee?"

I nodded and went off to start making some coffee. After it was down and gave her the cup.

"So what are you out on these nights?" I asked with curiosity.

She just looked up with those big brown eyes of hers again and I felt little Paul pushing to get out.

"I just needed to clear my head. I haven't had best day ever. Oh hell I haven't been having the best year!" She huffed. "You know this place in middle of nowhere?" she asks as she drank her coffee.

"Yea that why I like it?" I said playfully.

"Why? If it's hard to find the place people won't find it. Do you get a lot of people in here?" ask again.

"It does alright, and that's why I like it. Because only the people that really need place will find it." I smirked.

She looked down at her cup as if she was scorned then suddenly as if it didn't happen she looked back up, "So you own this place?"

"Yea about six years now."

"I bet you get some odd people in here." She laughs.

"No one odd, just people that need a place to go." I said to her.

"I guess that why I find it huh?"

"You know the best person to tell your problem to?"

"Who?" she asks

"The bartender." I smile at her.

She gave me a small laugh and smiles at me. You could tell she been hurt in the past. She had broken smile. I just stood there wounding what her story was. She just sat there drinking her coffee and ask me more stuff about bar. She just had another cup of coffee as we just talked. She didn't tell me much about herself. Only it had been a bad year and nothing about or more. I looked at her hand I didn't see a ring on her hand but she had something around it…

"It looks like the rain let up." I said.

She looks at the clock it was almost one, "Yea and it's late I better get going." She said as she was getting up.

I didn't want the night to end because I didn't want to her to leave. I felt a pull to her like I need to know about her.

"I'm Paul by the way."

"Bella." she said in a small voice

"Well, Bella your welcome here anytime."

"I might take you up on that Paul." She said as she waved good bye.

I watched her leave like I was in a trance. The old man was right; you don't know what the rain and wind will bring in. I'm just hoping she wasn't a one nighter. I hope the wind will blow her back in here because I want to know her story and why she has the most beautiful broken smile I ever seen.

Hi guys

I hope you like, let me know.

Have a good weekend

Allie