They pulled their cars into the garage and Anna got out to greet the man with a grin and auburn hair shaking his head at her car.
"You really clipped it this time Ms. Smith."
"No, someone clipped me." Anna pointed to Mr. Bates, getting out his car. "A Limey for you."
"It's the roads." He shook Mr. Bates's hand, "They're on the wrong side."
"Finally, someone who understands." Mr. Bates released his grip, "Though you're not any further east than the Emerald Isle by the brogue in your voice."
"Dublin, but not the one an hour or two north of here. Tom Branson, nice to meet you and excited to fix your car."
"It's a rental so I guess it's safe to say I'm not getting the deposit back." Mr. Bates laughed a bit, "Par for the course for me really."
"Do you really damage cars?" Tom almost appeared affronted. "They're delicate creatures."
"Not cars, generally, but there's always something that goes wrong on all of my trips." Mr. Bates started ticking it off on his fingers. "There was the time the hotel caught fire and I lost half my luggage, there was the time the airline lost all my luggage and I wore the same dress shirt for six days, and then the time the conference center had a bomb threat so they shut the whole thing down and I got stranded in Shanghai for two days s you could say that I've got a bad run of all of it."
"Maybe you should travel less." Anna suggested, digging her purse from her car. "You know, settle down somewhere and not try your hand at as many adventures as you obviously do."
"Can't be helped," Mr. Bates waved his hands open, "It's the nature of the beast I've chosen to ride given the profession I have."
"And what exactly is that profession, Mr. Bates?" Anna adjusted her purse on her arm. "What could have you gallivanting across the world in such a rush to endure that kind of discomfort?"
"I'm an industrialist and an entrepreneur."
"How very intriguing." Anna smiled, "Not sure I've ever met someone who could claim those kinds of titles."
"I claim them as well as I can. But please, call me John because 'Mr. Bates' is what people who want my time or my business call me and I'd rather not think that at happy hour."
"You attend happy hour?"
"No"
"Then why propose a drink to compensate for what you did to my car?
He laughed, "Because I know the value in it. I've used happy hour to seal more than a few deals so there you go. It's a great opportunity to convince people to make daring decisions."
"As aided gloriously by our friends Jack and Bud?"
"Depends on where you are. I've been lucky enough to meet more than a few friends in various colors of amber." John opened his mouth as if to say something, paused, and then went for it. "Since I damaged your car it's more than fair that I offer to pay for the damage."
"I've insurance for that so we'll exchange that information and let your rental company bill you for the equivalent damages. But, since you mentioned happy hour and offered me a drink to compensate," Anna chewed on her lip, "You might go with me. My friend wants me to go and I actually hate it but if I've got someone a little more interesting to talk to then the locals… who I already know too much about."
"Small town politics then?"
"It's small town everything here." Anna pointed just outside the garage, "And it's a small town bar so if that doesn't put you off then I think you might want to give it a try."
"I've been to many a small town and I find them all fascinating."
"Like exhibits at the zoo?"
"No," John laughed a bit, "More like a chance to see lives we never imagined. It's all got a bit of sonder to it."
"Doesn't it just. But I also tend to sonder a bit about the animals I see in cages as the zoo."
"Don't small town people do the same thing when they decide to go visit big cities or when they gawk at monuments?"
Anna shrugged, "Having seen a bit of the world I could say that there's a lot to be said for gawking at things."
"Me too. But it doesn't mean that there's not more to the world than those things we're told to gawk at." John turned to Tom, "When will the car be fixed?"
"Have you got a pressing appointment?"
"I've got meetings tomorrow morning and then I'm driving to the airport in the evening so I'll have to return the car to get the rental back."
"I can have this done for you by the end of happy hour if you need it done by then." Tom nodded at Anna, "And your car at the same time. It's not too rough of a graze so mostly it's just paint and cosmetic."
"That's good." Anna huffed, "It's all I can do to keep myself gassing up my car before the gas light comes on."
"I'm not a person to really care much about cars really either because I see them as a way to get from point A to point B. But," John pointed toward his car, "I think there's a need to keep them running well or else they'll betray you."
"Too true. However, if we stay here too much longer we'll delay the repair of our cars and then where will we be?"
"Stranded in a small town."
Anna motioned John to follow her and they left the garage. They walked along the side of the road, keeping clear of the few cars that passed them, and Anna guided John in the direction of town. She raised her voice slightly to be heard over the sound of the road and nature.
"You mentioned that you were on the way to Downton and I'm curious as to why." Anna cringed, "If I can ask that."
"Why not?"
"Well, we've only just met and it's not normally something I ask people I've only just met unless I'm trying to find something to talk about over drinks I realize I didn't want."
"Does that mean you don't want drinks with me?"
"No, it means that I only ask this question, normally, to people I want to know more about in pretense."
"But now it's in sincere interest?"
Anna stopped, waiting for the light to turn, "I think so. But I can't be completely sure. Again, I don't know you."
"But you're curious?"
"Of course I am. An industrialist-entrepreneur came all the way to Downton to do what? Enjoy the sights of failing buildings and a crumbling town?"
"You don't speak very highly of your home."
"I don't mince words or waste them because who else can speak so sincerely about where they live but the people who live there?"
John conceded, "I've always found that people talk about their towns the same way they talk about their families. They'll rage and storm against them right to the jaws of Hell but then they'll defend those same relatives in front of Saint Peter and anyone else who might take the time to insult them."
"We're odd creatures aren't we?"
"My ex-wife thought I was quite an odd creature."
Anna pointed them toward a building with a slightly tacky neon sign. "You have a habit of giving me more questions than you're answering."
John laughed, "I do tend to avoid questions but it's got more to do with it being a bit of a secret."
"A secret?"
"Given that I'm here for a business opportunity and I don't want many people to know about it."
"You answer me with more questions." Anna went for the door but John grabbed it first, ushering her inside. "But I find it intriguing more than annoying."
"Intriguing?"
"Take it as a compliment," Anna waved over the bar at Mary. "Usually I find those things annoying but, with you I find it a little more interesting than I expected."
"Why's that?"
"As I once heard said, being mysterious is usually the last resort of people with no secrets. Usually, anyway." Anna went to take a seat, "In a town like this I find no one has any secrets at all."
"And you, do you have any secrets?"
"I don't know that I've ever thought about what kind of secrets I could possibly have." Anna took a seat next to Mary, pointing at her. "John Bates this is Mary Crawley, one of my oldest friends."
"And dearest I hope." Mary smiled at Anna before shaking John's hand. "Pleasure to meet you. Though I'm very confused as to how Anna managed to snap someone like you up from the side of the road."
"I sideswiped her car." John took his hand back and chose the seat next to Anna. "So, in a way, she did snap me up from the side of the road but I'm rather grateful for it since I got lost trying to find this place."
"It's a blip in the middle of nowhere so I could imagine how that'd be difficult." Mary swirled her drink. "What brings you here? We're about as out of place here as Route 66 is now so unless you ran into car trouble I don't see why you're here now."
"A possible business proposition."
"What? Another McDonald's at the freeway exit?"
John sniggered, "I won't say since nothing's settled and I don't want to say anything until it is."
"Good, because I hate McDonald's."
"Mary's a bit of a snob." Anna warned, digging in her purse for her card. "She thinks unless it's fine dining then there's no point."
"That's a long haul from here for something grander than an Olive Garden so I tend to drive my husband a little mad." Mary smiled, "Ah, here he is."
All heads turned to see a blonde-headed man enter the bar. He smiled and waved at them before making his way through the chairs toward them. Sitting down he blew out a belabored breath.
"Traffic was mad."
"I hear a touch of home in your voice." John noted, extending a hand for the man to shake. "John Bates, pleased to meet you."
"Matthew Crawley and I'm from Manchester." Matthew nodded at Anna before smiling at Mary. "I met Mary while she and Anna served in the Air Force at the base in Leeds."
"And followed her here." Anna grinned, "Love is a wonderful thing I think."
"It must be since it's an hour and a half drive from here to Columbus." Matthew turned to Anna, "Have you ordered a drink yet? Mary obviously has but I don't know what I want yet. Do you?"
"I might go for… I don't know. Nothing too strong because I do have to drive myself home but I'll go with something a little more simple."
"They've got home brew."
"No," Anna made a face, "Get Guinness."
"Okay," Matthew stood, pausing, "And you, John?"
"I'll do with water if you don't mind. Or maybe something fizzy."
"Alright." Matthew left the table and Mary raised an eyebrow at John.
"Not a drinker?"
"Not in some time."
"Got a sobriety chip?"
"Mary!" Anna looked at her and Mary held up her hands.
"What? It's a fair question."
"It's none of your business." Anna chided but John put a hand forward.
"I'm a stranger and it's not unusual for a bit of curiosity but no, I don't have a sobriety chip but I've been sober a long time and I intend to stay that way. For my sake as much as anyone else's."
"That's daring. I don't know if I could do it. I don't have the drive."
"That's not true." Anna snorted, "I think there's a great many things you could do but it's not one of those things you believe you should drive yourself to do."
"Not until forced, that is for sure."
Matthew returned with the drinks and Anna sipped at hers. He held his glass up, "A toast?"
"To what exactly?" Mary brought her drink up, the little left there.
"To Downton and the opportunities here." John took his glass to meet Matthew and Mary's.
Mary snorted, "I'm sure we can do better than that."
"I think it's enough." Anna glared at Mary, "Express gratitude where it is needed. We've got jobs, we've got homes, and we've got ourselves the lives we have now. There's nothing else to be more grateful for than this."
"How poetic." John smiled at Anna, "And I'll drink to that."