Engineered: Chapter 6

We misplaced a barmaid somewhere in amongst this most un-linear of rambles

But what of Mhairi, the barmaid? She did not invite me to her bed, or her house or even back into the pub. She invited me along to a meeting where, in only twelve easy steps, the self-confessing circle and gawd will break you free from the “disease”. I made some lame joke about not catching alcoholism from anyone.

“Nobody sneezed vodka and failure into my face,” I said. The circle didn’t like that one. Not one bit, no. So, I just got on with it. And I got on with Mhairi. We drank caffeine from cardboard and had meaningful chats. I admired her lack of cleavage and abundance of smarts. She, in turn, listened and spoke and said insightful things.