Chapter 16: Meeting the Others

-set during "False Positive"-

I've thought a lot sometimes about where my life is headed. I've wanted to own a bar, but I ended up working at one instead, as a regular bartender. I've wanted to consider settling down, but that's never happened. Meanwhile two of my regulars did that years before I got to this bar: Marshall and Lily.

That night Ted walked up to the bar.

"Hey Ollie, can I get 3 beers?"

"You sure can, Ted. But why three?" I looked over to the booth, where Robin, Marshall and Lily were sitting. "Who's sitting out?"

"Lily." Ted replied. Then got up real close to me. "She's pregnant."

"No way! Dude! Lemme help you carry!" I grabbed the beers, and carried them over to the booth.

"Heard your guys' big news! Congrats!" I said, smiling.

Marshall and Lily looked at me a little awkwardly, until Ted spoke up.

"Guys, this is Ollie. He's been a bartender here for a few months already, and I've met him before on another occasion, so he's a friend."

Marshall, Lily, and Robin all nodded at me, and I beamed.

"If you guys need anything, don't hesitate." I walked back to the bar.

Not long after, Barney walked in, up to the booth, and then called out

"BARNEY'S FAVORITE THIIIINGS!"

No one reacted, until Barney started bringing guys into the bar, producing random gifts. The next hour got interesting, with Barney giving away things to people in the bar. I ended up with a PS3, games for it, and an iPhone.

"Last but not least, a fleet of limos is waiting outside, to take us to..." Barney paused dramatically. "A STRIP CLUB!" The bar went into an uproar, with several of the guys in the bar already making their way to the exit. My best guess is they were cheering at anything that Barney said because a lot of them were really wasted.

"Yo, Ollie! You coming?!" Called Barney, as he ran past the bar.

"Yeah, I'll be there. I'll just have to lock up!"

After doing so, I ran up the front steps to the street. Barney wasn't lying when he said fleet; I saw at least 20 of them lined up the block.

"Yo! Ollie! Get in!" Barney was standing in one of the limo's roof window, waving to me. I clambered into the limo, and it drove off.

I looked around, seeing Ted and the others looking at me. Barney sat down across from me.

"Sorry, what is your name? Ollie?" Said Robin.

"Yeah. It's short for Oliver."

"Aha! I see." She replied.

It was an awkward silence for a few minutes before Ted spoke up.

"Ollie. I saw you talking to Zoey a few weeks ago. You getting to know her?"

"I know her already, Ted. She's trying to sabotage GNB's plans. I don't need anything else."

Marshall inhaled through his teeth uncomfortably.

"What?" I asked.

"Well, Ollie, she's kind of our friend now, and we've been inviting her to the bar a lot lately." He said.

I didn't reply. The ridiculousness of it all was too insane.

"You can't really say much about it, Ollie." Said Lily. "We're starting to like her. And some of us only just met you."

I sighed. "Whatever. New topic: what's your thoughts on the baby? Are you hoping for a boy, or a girl?"

Lily was caught by that question. "We're not really sure. I was thinking a girl."

Marshall laughed. "I'm thinking a boy."

"You know one of my high school teachers was pregnant." I interjected. They all looked at me. "She, ah, said it was her first. I asked her what she wanted, and she said she didn't care. Boy or girl would have meant the world to her. I think that should be the solution."

"Not really up to you, now, is it? I mean, we barely know you." Said Robin.

"Easy, Robin." Said Ted. "He handles our drinks. Who knows what he might slip in them if you keep running your mouth?" He grinned at me.

"Thanks, Ted. But Robin does have a point: you guys don't know me until now. Easily remedied though. I'm from Port Angeles in Washington state."

"No kidding?" Said Robin. "I'm from Vancouver! Canada, though. Not Washington."

"Oh! Beautiful city!" I exclaimed.

"You lived in the Northwest? Did you ever see Sasquatch?" Said Marshall.

I smiled. "You know, several times I think, but I remember a Halloween prank I pulled on random hikers involving me in a Sasquatch costume."

"Wow, Ollie. That is evil." Said Barney, raising his hand for a high five. I took it.

"So what college?" Asked Lily.

"Hah! Funny story: I was in Ted's wrong lecture hall!"

All 4 of them looked at me, then back to Ted.

Ted shrugged. "It's true. He said he was in Econ 305 when I showed up. But we met 2 and a half years ago on St. Patrick's Day. That night at the club."

"So how do you enjoy working at the bar?" Asked Marshall.

"Oh, it's awesome. Maclaren's has the best people around. There's no other bar I'd rather tend to."

"Guys, I think we found the best bartender ever!" Exclaimed Ted.

The limo stopped a few minutes later, and we headed in. But I soon bailed after the first 10 minutes, as stuff was starting to happen in there. It just went to prove to me that Barney wasn't as awesome as he sold himself to be, and yet just as awesome in other ways. He and Ted were accepting to me, an almost complete stranger.