Fiction of the outside world. Samurai Knitter: Space orcs Easy To Forget.
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A bar in a closed community. For example, on the moon but not Moon Rats (they don’t use money, but that’s a different topic). You cannot buy yourself a drink. Someone has to buy it for you. [What? Moon Rats links]
Hijinks ensue.
Usually it is a simple one for one. I buy yours. You buy mine.
OTOH, it doesn’t have to be a straight up swap. You just have to talk someone else into footing your bill.
If you finish early, you wait until your partner, or someone in your party wants another, or is willing to buy you one without getting one for themselves.
If you can’t get anyone to buy you a drink, it becomes a social statement. Either, you are unpopular within your community, or they love you but think you’d had too much/drink too often. Of course there is always both, we don’t like you and you’d had too much.
Are allowances are made for new people? Or do they have to dive in and hope a stranger buys a drink? Maybe they go with a co-worker, after all the point is a small, closed community.
Is it the only bar? Does another bar sell in the standard fashion. Narratively, this takes the pressure off, so no. This is the only source of alcohol. Aside from bootleg. Of course there is bootleg. Where you have people, you have bootleg alcohol.
Do people keep track of how many they have bought and for whom, versus who has bought drinks for them? Probably some do, some don’t.
Drinks become a form of transaction. Hey, take this shift for me I’ll buy your drinks next time.
All drinks are the same prince. Differences in quality are addressed by differences in quantity. Everything is X cost. Imported fancy drinks come in small servings. Home-brewed beer comes in bigger containers.
Can you buy ahead? No. Too confusing. All exchanges with the bar are cleared by the end of the night. Whatever promises people make are between them, see above.
You can buy drinks for others, but they have to agree. No glad-handing.
However.
I remain reluctant to write about alcohol. [Belly Up To The Bar]
Alternatives.
Restaurant, cafe, or other food purveyor. Narratively, a refusal to feed someone becomes a totally different story. Possible, but darker than interests me.
A non-necessity? A coffee &/or tea shop? Coffee is available at work stations. This is better, or possible just different.
A luxury food? A cupcake shop?
These lack the option of we love you but you’ve had enough. The only reason not to buy someone a cupcake is dislike, which becomes a straight up popularity contest. Again, possible, but no interest over here.
Where does that leave me? With over 450 words of fiction, or near-fiction. I’m calling that a success.
Onwards!
Katherine
Virtual Brush Box 