Haymaker in Meredith NH
Lake Winnipesaukee was heaven in June. In the morning. Steam rose over the flat lake as the sun beat down on the cold water. I wasn’t a serious bird watcher but I enjoyed watching the cedar waxwings and cardinals. The evenings were still chilly but the afternoons were blissful. Having gone to college in the area, I knew it well. Meredith was a small resort town on the lake and I was lucky to be there just before peak season. June is a good month for weddings and I could see a reception being set up where I decided to have an evening cocktail. I had been at a wedding the weekend prior and I was still recovering from four days of celebration. I walked out to the patio bar, heated by overhead lamps.
“Is it O.K. to order a drink while they’re setting up?” I asked Tina the bartender who was stocking the bar for the upcoming event.
“Are you here for the Miller Wedding?”
“No I’m a holdover from last week’s Bask/Sonuski bash. Oh my. That was a heck of a wedding, one that, I will not soon forget. What is that couple drinking?”
“That’s the groom and his friend and they’re have a specialty cocktail. They taught me how to make it. It’s a haymaker, want one?”
“I have no idea what’s in it but I like surprises so yes, make one of those.”
Tina who was in her mid-40’s retrieved a slip of paper from her apron pocket that had the recipe for the haymaker. She called out the ingredients to me as she made it. “I’m going to fill a shaker with ice and add two ounces of vodka. To that, I’ll squeeze ½ a lemon. The recipe calls for ½ an ounce but I’d figure I’m close.” Tina paused. “What’s your name sir, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“Cecil, Cecil T. Wulfe.” I smiled.
“Back to the drink Cecil.” She snapped open a can of pear puree and added a couple of ounces, which was followed by a tablespoon of ginger syrup. “Now, I shake and pour into a champagne flute. The final step is a topper of ginger ale to give it fizz. Let me know how it is Cecil. We had to purchase the ginger syrup and pear puree just for this drink. The bride prefers it to champagne for the toast.”
“It’s very festive. I hope the bride enjoys her special drink before her disastrous marriage.”
“That’s not a nice prediction when you don’t even know the couple getting married.”
“You say that’s the groom and his friend. I know she’s more than a friend and they’re hiding their affair in plain sight. Her sandals are off and she been rubbing her foot up his leg. A few more inches and she will have reached her destination. They aren’t meeting in some out of the way seedy bar because they’re both staying here at the inn. With that spray tan, she’s photo ready and probably a part of the wedding party. The young lady is newly divorced or disengaged because she has a tan line on her ring finger.”
Tina lived her romantic life vicariously through the couples that were married at the inn. She didn’t like that I was uncovering distasteful details about the presumably happy couple.
“Maybe she’s just a flirtatious best friend.” Tina seemed to be searching for a successful conclusion to this scenario. She washed down the table next to theirs to get a closer look at what was happening.
The woman slid a room key across the table towards the groom. He smiled and placed it in his pocket. I looked at Tina who also saw what was happening and looked disgusted.
“I guess we know where this is going. He’s comfortable with the woman and he’s not afraid of being seen with her, it’s as if they have reason to be together.” As Tina and I were wasting time witnessing the inappropriate affair in progress, a young woman approached.
“Hey Tina,” the woman chirped. “I hope it wasn’t too much trouble getting the ingredients for the haymakers. They are an absolute must for my sister and me at the wedding. She’s been my right hand in all of the planning at a time when she’s going through a messy divorce.”
“No problem at all Lucy. It’s a yummy drink so I’m sure to use the ingredients.”
As Tina was chatting with the bride, the groom and his future sister-in-law got up and left. They were buzzed and laughing as they entered the elevator. The bride missed what was happening right under her nose. When she left I updated Tina on the groom and his friend.
“I think you’re going to want to make her haymakers extra strong. She’s going to need it. Unfortunately there will be no way to make hay out of this situation.”
“Ha. It’s entertaining but sad Mr. Wulfe. Can I get you another drink?”
“I’ll stick with a beer this time. Thanks Tina.”
I sat back and stared out at the water and a few men in the distance dipping in their poles. Sometimes, I looked too closely into people’s lives and didn’t like what I saw. In the end, I saw more good than bad. Unfortunately, this time it was the latter.
