QUEENIE BABY: On Assignment Read Online Free PDF Page A

added looking up at me. I felt like an Amazon next her. I looked down at her stocking feet with reinforced toes. It didn’t help that she had left her heels at the bar.
    There was a smattering of applause from the small audience and I could hear Woody’s shrill whistle from the bar loud and clear. Must be something they taught in bartender school, I thought randomly. I was feeling nervous. Bizarre. I played out at least a hundred times a year and I was worried about singing karaoke at McGlynn’s? Really? It was all that manly smelling Mark’s fault. Just like the big bad wolf. The better to watch you with, my dear. Who says stuff like that?  
    And then we were singing. I gave it my best shot. We even managed a few Nancy Sinatra dance moves. By the end of the song the crowd was singing along and a couple of people had come up in front of the stage to dance. Not bad. And not once did I look over at Mark.  
    Carol was over the moon. She high-fived me as we were leaving the stage and said, “Next time you play out we should do a couple of songs together. We’d need to practice, of course,” she added. Great! I’d created a monster.
    I felt like a school girl as I walked with Carol up to the bar where Mark stood clapping his hands. “Great job!” he said with genuine enthusiasm. “You were terrific. You need to take your show on the road.”  
    Carol beamed. “That’s just what I told Diana!”
    I gave him a dirty look. He smiled mischievously.
    The bar was getting busier and Woody was flying around mixing drinks and pouring beers. “Another martini, Di?” he asked.
    I looked at the time—almost nine—and looked at my empty glass. “Better make it ice water,” I said.
    “No more water for me,” Carol declared. “I’m celebrating!”
    Woody nodded to me and then stopped and looked over my shoulder at the front door. He made a face. Shaking his head, he said, “You might want to rethink that drink order, Di.” He pointed to the door.
    Granddaddy Hacker stood in the doorway, thankfully wearing pants. He was carrying my guitar case. “I’ll have a Jack on ice,” I said as I stood up.
    “Hey, Queenie Baby,” Granddaddy called across the room. “Thought you might want to buy your Granddaddy a drink and play me some Patsy,” he said as he plopped my guitar down next to Mark’s bar stool.
    “I told you to stay home. I wanted some alone time, remember?” I said between clenched teeth.  
    Granddaddy looked pointedly at Mark. “Don’ look like you havin’ too much alone time here.”
    “That’s beside the point,” I said. “Why did you bring my guitar? I’m not playing tonight. I’m drinking.”
    “You didn’t say I couldn’t come,” he said. “You just said I didn’t have no pants to wear. Well now I do! Got ‘em out of the dryer myself.” He was actually proud of that. Anything domestic he called “woman’s work” and he expected someone else to do it for him. This list included, but was not limited to: doing laundry or dishes, cooking, performing yard work, and any form of cleaning. I hadn’t yet figured out what, if anything was “man’s work.”  
    “That’s not the point and you know it!” I said.
    Granddaddy pulled himself onto a stool and banged on the bar top. “Barkeep!” he called.
    I groaned. Woody looked at me and walked over to him. “Good to see you again, Mr. Hacker,” he said. “What can I get you?”
    Granddaddy cackled. “Well, I’d like me a piece of that brunette over there,” he said pointing to Carol, “but I don’ think she’s on your menu. Hah!” He slapped his palm on the bar top.
    Carol glanced down the bar at Granddaddy and took him in with a glance. Nope. She wasn’t that drunk.
    “Granddaddy, just order a drink. One drink,” I said sternly.
    “Okey dokey,” he said agreeably. “One drink and a Patsy song.”
    “Not going to happen tonight,” I said flatly.
    “Aw,” said Mark. “Sing your Granddaddy a Patsy song.”
    “Listen