CHAPTER THIRTY SIX – BIRTHS, DEATHS, AND MARRIAGES
"What we need is a gimmick," Aidan said to Brendan.
"Like what kind of gimmick?"
"Something to really help drag the tourists to Ballyk, something to really bring in the money."
"Brian Quigley would have been your man for that now," Brendan chuckled.
"I'm serious Brendan."
"So am I," he laughed.
"Let's face it, this place has been a morgue lately, we need something to liven it up!"
"Pubs in Dublin offer music and entertainment."
"I can't afford to pay anyone, that's the problem."
"Right, well people don't like to work for free Aidan."
"True, true," he sighed resting his head in his hands.
"Is there any truth to all this gossip?"
"What have ya been hearing?"
"You and Anne going back to Dublin at the end of the season?"
"We've talked about it, she wants to go back."
"Do you?"
"No really but look it, this place isn't making me any money. I'm so far in debt I have all my creditors after me for years to come, Brendan, I may not be able to hold on to this place by the end of the summer."
"Leave it with me," Brendan winked and pulling himself off his barstool eagerly trotted for the door, knowing he couldn't let his local pub die.
Brendan sat in Peter's kitchen with a coffee cup and a neat whiskey in front of him.
"Aidan is going to lose the pub?" Peter said astonished.
"Well, not yet, but its close."
"Right," Peter said looking down into his coffee cup.
"I know you weren't here after Assumpta died."
"Brendan …"
"Just hear me out, we had throngs of people trying to make this place work, it doesn't make a lot of money and we are just too remote to pull the Dublin type crowds, it takes a special person to pull this off and that person is Aidan."
"So what do you recommend we do? Have another festival, a play, a food faire?"
"How about a just basic fund raiser?"
"What like another poker tournament?"
"Sure why not?"
"Because it's illegal."
Peter sighed, "And what about the Garda?"
"What about them? Sure they drink in here just like the rest of us."
Brendan and Peter exited the police station and started to make their way down towards the street to the pub.
"This is unreal I can't believe they are going to let us do this!" Peter exclaimed.
"Its fine as long as 100% of the proceeds go to the pub, and what is even better is Aidan will be allowed to sell during that time so it's a win win."
"Right so when do we do it?"
"Well we will need some time to get it organized, let's give it a week or two, see if we can round up the usual suspects to seek interest?"
"Sounds fair to me."
"Shall we go tell Aidan."
"I think so," Peter said smugly.
The two men quickened their pace to the pub. For the first time since he had arrived Peter felt that spark of Ballyk that made him love the little village all those years ago.