The bar was located on the third floor of a renovated Italian Renaissance-style office building. In place of the original French-style windows were 8’ high plate-glass windows that spread the entire length of the place overlooking the bay, hence the unimaginative name Bay Bar. Located only a few blocks from the business district, it was a popular diversion for those wanting to wait for the traffic to let up.

Jeff made plans with Alan to meet him there after he picked up Carolyn. Since Alan’s wife had left him, the couple had made it a point to see him at least once a week. Even though most of the conversations revolved around Alan’s inability to cope with the divorce, Jeff felt an obligation to his college friend.

As Jeff and Carolyn entered, Alan waved them over from where he was seated at a table facing the bar. He always took that seat because it gave him the best view of women entering or sitting at the bar alone. The chairs were plush, so as long as he maintained his view, he didn’t care where Jeff or Carolyn sat.

“I’ve been thinking some more”, Alan said. “And I’m sure she left because she was just intolerant. How many times did I need to explain how the world is changing but she refused to see how conservative politicians are ruining society”.

Jeff thought that the changes were fine with him. He wasn’t rich and the tax cuts increased his income substantially.

“Well, she was always a difficult woman. Probably didn’t take much to set her off.”

Alan massaged his lower lip and said, “Yeah, and she never could understand how we have to make amends for the centuries of oppression that we heaped on Black people all the way back to slavery. She just couldn’t understand the burden we have to repair the injustice heaped on those people.”

“What’s there to do about it?”, asked Carolyn.

“Well, I’m reading books by minority writers about their American experience and the effects of colonialism. I belong to this online group and we discuss how our guilt manifests in everything from unconscious bias to microaggressions. It’s a serious problem.”

Jeff was a cop, and he worked with many Black people. He got along with them fine and never felt any guilt.

“Are any members of your group Black?”, Jeff asked.

“No, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t feel their pain.”

Carolyn had heard this before and preferred to watch the boats out in the bay. The sun had already set and the twinkling lights on the water reminded her of skaters on a dark pond.

As they ordered their drinks, Alan flirted with the waitress. This always bothered Carolyn who thought he was invading her personal space, and it reminded her of how she felt whenever her boss came to her desk to point out something on her computer screen. She always wondered why Mr. Chang couldn’t just explain from a safe distance.

Jeff excused himself to go to the bathroom as the waitress left. Alan snapped off his lingering gaze from her backside sensing that Carolyn was not happy.

“Aw, cut me some slack. I’m legally single now. What’s the harm?”

“Your daughter Sarah’s not much older than her. She’s somebody’s daughter. Have some respect, that’s all.”

“I’ve got all the respect in the world for young women. I was talking to Sarah just yesterday and she told me about her problems on campus. It seems that these bullies were shouting down her group of friends who were just minding their own business in the cafeteria. When she brought it to the attention of the dean, she wouldn’t do anything about it. Tomorrow, I’ve got an appointment to remind her that the school is supposed to provide safe spaces and not allow that type of harassment.”

Carolyn thought that what Sarah needed was a kick in the ass instead of dad going to bat for her. She had told Jeff that she was just a whiny princess and would do better if she minded her own business instead of wanting to say everything that popped into her head and not facing any consequences. That was what she wanted to say, but she smiled instead.

Jeff had stopped at the bar on his way back and was talking to someone. Alan’s talking had Carolyn practically on the verge of panic and she needed a rescue, so she gave a little wave to get his attention.

“What took you so long?’, she said.

“That’s Dave over at the bar. He works in my precinct.”

Gulping his drink, Alan launched into a recounting of recent news stories about a police shooting. As he ticked off each offensive detail, his voice grew increasingly louder. As he finished, Jeff was left agape.

“You do remember that I’m a cop?”

“Oh, you’re not one of those!”

Jeff reminded himself that Alan had just been through a protracted divorce and that there was no use getting him more excited. Although he believed that society was under assault by people who undermined the authority of the police, all he said was, “Well, that was somewhere on the East Coast, right?”

Alan started to further defend his point, but Jeff shut off the voice in his head and tried to put on the calmest look possible. He looked over at Carolyn who’s face had also become a one-way mirror that let none of her inner turmoil show.

“I’m feeling a little flushed”, said Carolyn as Alan was winding down the latest round of carping.

“I didn’t realize how late it was”, said Alan.

As the three rose to leave, Alan was oblivious to what Jeff and Carolyn were thinking as he continued to rant about the injustices of the world.

The temperature had dropped nearly 20 degrees since they had arrived and a cold gust hit them as they stepped onto the sidewalk. Neither Jeff nor Carolyn was in any mood for further indignities so they shivered, said their goodbyes, and quickly turned to walk down the block away from Alan.

“Ugh! If he started another story, I was going to shoot him”, said Carolyn.

“Yeah. I definitely think we should take a break from this weekly thing. But it’s good that the two of us can hold our tongues. Sure, he says some stupid things, but when I knew him in school, he was different. Maybe he’ll come to his sense after the trauma of the divorce eases.”

“I don’t know. Anybody that angry… and that loud… doesn’t just settle down into a happy place. Hell, half the bar heard everything he said.”

Just then, angry voices rang out in the night behind them. Two figures were arguing outside the bar entrance. In the glow of the street lamps, Jeff saw that it was Alan being confronted by Dave. Alan shouted something unintelligible and Dave slugged him so hard that he stumbled back, fell, and his head hit the pavement with a sickening thud. Jeff and Carolyn exchanged a look and turned to walk to their car. They thought about it often, but they never said anything to anyone.