Overheard at Chipperfields' ... Part XL ...

The Rev came in the door. It was a quiet night, a couple were playing Crib at the front table, a lone teen was text messaging someone from a table off to the side, and Ross and J-- were pouring over some 45s sitting on the table infront of the juke box.

"Evening gentlemen," offered The Rev, as he approached the counter and ordered a large decaf from Dani.

"I'll bring it out to you," said Dani cheerfully, as The Rev laid his change on the counter, "I'm just brewing a new pot. You take it with a touch of cream right?"

"Absolutely," replied The Rev as he turned to join J-- and Ross, "So what are you two up to?"

"Getting ready to re-stock the Juke Box," answered Ross.

"With some GGOOOODDDD music," answered J--, stretching out the word GOOD with a smile.

"Good music?" asked The Rev as he said down, "define good music?"

"Oh you know," grimmed J-- like the cat that had swallowed the proverbial canary, "Country."

Ross chuckled softly and shook his head.

"Good and Country are two words that don't belong in the same breath," muttered The Rev as he picked up one of the 45s spread on the table, "so where did you get these?"

"Flea Market at the Ukrainian Hall," grinned J--, "the whole selection for two bucks." He waved his hand over the two dozen or so vinyl records sitting on the table, "and EVERYONE of them a country classic ..."

"And you're letting him put them in Juke Box WHY?" asked The Rev looking at Ross.

Ross snorted with laughter and just shrugged, "He told me he'd lead a boycott if I didn't" siad Ross smiling.

"I'll lead a boycott if you do ..." said The Rev, laughing.

"Tough call," laughed J--, "so don't let the door his you in the butt on the way out ..." He reached across the table and offered his hand as he smiled.

"Yeah, whatever," snorted The Rev, "I'm not going anywhere ... and unfortunately it would seem neither is this awful music."

"Got that right," said J-- as he stood up to head to the counter for a refill on his coffee.

Dani set the coffee down in front of The Rev, "Do you need anything else?" she asked.

"Nope," answered The Rev, "I'm good. Thanks though ..." He lifted the cup and took a sip, "good coffee as always."

Ross nodded in agreement as Dani returned to the counter to help Anna.

"So, how are things with your son?" Asked The Rev, "still having hassles with his stalker?"

Ross nodded, "Yup," he offered glumly, "now the woman is telling people that he's lost his license for drinking and driving, and is going to lose his job because of it."

"Did he?" asked The Rev, concerned.

"NO," said Ross firmly, "turns out it was her husband who lost his job for drinking and driving, and she was picking up his bottles of vodka out of town so no one knew he was a drunk ..."

"Sounds like she's got issues," observed The Rev.

"Gee, you think?" laughed Ross, "How do you say it at church? Her issues are Legion."

"Hmmm, the underlying message of demonic possession," observed The Rev, smiling.

"Demonic what?" asked J-- as he returned to the table with his coffee in hand.

"Demonic Possession," observed The Rev, "Ross was just telling me the latest about his son and the cyber stalker that's chasing him."

"Oh, in that case Demonic Possession may be on the money," said J-- as he sat down, "Did you tell him about what the woman pulled yesterday?"

"No, I was just getting there," said Ross shaking his head sadly.

"What happened yesterday?" asked The Rev intrigued.

"Well," Ross drew a breath before continuing, "my son rolled into work at his normal time of 9 am and was greeted at the door by two members of the RCMP."

"Really?" asked The Rev. J-- was giggling softly to himself in the background.

"Yup," continued Ross, "they tell him that they needed to talk to him about the threatening emails he's been sending from the office."

"The what?" asked The Rev.

"The threatening emails," Ross was enunciating the syllables like he was talking to a child.

"I'm not an idiot," observed The Rev.

"Coulda fooled me?" laughed J--.

"Didn't ask you," snapped The Rev with a smile, "carry on Ross ..."

"Well, it turns out that dozens and dozens of emails were being sent every single day from the webface of the internet server for the office," said Ross, "It seems that the stalker had the codes to access the email account from home and was sending emails to dozens of people ever day and signing them from my son."

"NOW, that's something you can get charged for," observed The Rev.

"If you can prove it," said Ross, "the problem is that there is no evidence connecting her with the crime. And she's denied everything, and she's still blaming my son for the mess in her life."

"He force her hubby to drink?" asked J--

Ross shook his head.

"Well, until they deal with that issue it's thier fault and only thier fault," J-- offered a sly smile, "this is something I've learned a bit about in my day."

Ross and The Rev nodded in agreement.

"It's always easier to blame someone else rather than look in the mirror and see our faults and foibiles," said The Rev as he picked up his coffee, "and when you throw alcohol into the mix it is seldom pleasant."

"And it's always someone else's fault, not mine." observed J--, "Ross, tell your son to hang in there, crazy people who have out of control lives usually crash and burn sooner or later, or they run away because of F.E.A.R."

"FEAR?" asked Ross, "what's FEAR?"

"Mmmmmm, Everything And Run ..." said J-- smiling, "every alcoholic and every enabler gets there eventually. It's sad but true."

Ross looked perplexed, "Mmmmm, everything and run ... I get the 'everything and run' bit, but what's the 'Mmmmmmm' bit?"

"You serious?" asked The Rev, "you don't get the "Mmmmm" and the 'F'?"

"Think eight minutes," said J-- dryly, "just think 8 minutes ..."

Ross looked at J-- and back at The Rev as the penny dropped, "OH !!" He exclaimed, "Oh, 'Mmmmmm' Everything And Run ... Now I get it ... Eight minutes ??"

J-- and The Rev both laughed as the Juke Box began to warble an old country song about spending the night drinking whisky, losing your job, shooting the neighbour's dog and watching as your wife walked out on you ...

J-- listened to the song for a moment, then with his eyes closed and his head tilted back, he smiled and observed - "Now, that's music ... when you think you got troubles, there is nothing like a good country ballad to put it ALL in perspective ..."

"I think I'm gonna practise a little bit of F.E.A.R. tonight if you keep playing these so-called 'GOOD' 45s," observed The Rev with a laugh, "especially the R ..."

J-- and Ross laughed and joined in the chorus of the song ...