Creative Writing

The Power of Ritual

I like bars just after they open for the evening. When the air
inside is still cool and clean and everything is shiny and the
bar-keep is giving himself that last look in the mirror to see if
his tie is straight and his hair is smooth. I like the neat bottles
on the bar back and the lovely shining glasses and the
anticipation. I like to watch the man mix the first one of the
evening and put it down on a crisp mat and put the folded
napkin beside it. I like to taste it slowly. The first quiet drink
of the evening in a quiet bar – that ’s wonderful.

Raymond Chandler, The Long Goodbye