[Late 2007 -- The Pacific Northwest]
Harp the bartender walked over to me. "Del, I heard a good one yesterday," he said. "How do you get virgin wool?"
"I don't know, Harp," I said.
Harp replied, "From ugly sheep."
I groaned. "Bad, Harp," I said. "Slow day today. Only one other person here."
"She's a regular," he said. "She looks down to me, man. Gets drunk on screwdrivers every damn night."
"She's not bad-looking," I said. "Don't know what her real hair color is, but peroxide-blonde looks good on her."
"She's gotta be in her late 40's," Harp responded. "I don't know, man. Del, I know you like 'em older, but..."
"How about a refill on the quinine water?" I asked. "Also, why is it $4.75 for it? Just make it an even $5, it'd be easier." I forked over a fin and Harp rolled a quarter at me.
The quarter rolled off the table and started to roll across the floor. I bent down to get it -- the luckiest movement of my life.
From my angle, I could see under the table of the blonde woman. She had a sharp knife blade resting against her wrist, and was clearly about to slash. I shot over to her like a bat out of hell and dived under the table, smashing the knife out of her hand before she could inflict a fatal wound.
I sprang to my feet and in the same motion scooped up the woman in my strong arms. Dragging her outside, I pinned her against a wall and looked her straight in the eye. "What the hell was that?!" I yelled at her, more scared than angry. "You can't kill yourself! You must have something to live for!"
"Who the hell are you?" she gasped. "Anyway, I have no reason to live. I'm a total loser. I have no family, my ex-husband is long gone, and all I do is drink away my sorrows. It's time to end it -- let me go!"
"I'm Del," I replied. "Who are you?"
"People once called me Bambi," sobbed the woman. "That was long ago... when I had a life."