Chapter 8

A man pulled his donkey driven cart just behind a building. He stepped down to greet a woman standing in front of the door along with a few more people standing behind her.

“Here are your barrels, Madam, just as you ordered.” He offered her a meek smile while untying the ropes which kept the cargo in place within the cart.

The women in turn ordered the people standing behind her to,

“Check every one of those barrels. I will not accept any barrel that is leaking.”

People did as ordered and started checking all the barrels one by one while the porter stood holding the reign of his donkey, watching silently. He had done his job and now waited patiently for the payment. He was offered water while he waited along with some food too. The lady ordering people right now was also the bar owner. She was nice like that. Tough in business yet caring for workers and their well being.

“All good, boss.” A worker hollered at the boss lady while standing on the cart.

“Then get them down to the cellar and be very careful with them.”

Her workers started to unload the barrels carefully while she turned her attention towards the porter waiting beside the donkey.

“The delivery slip?” She asked him to which the porter quickly brought out a couple of unevenly folded papers from his waistband and handed it to her.

She unfolded the papers and gave a thorough look over before pulling out her seal and stamping both of them with it. The boss lady handed one of the papers back to the porter while keeping another one with her. She signalled to one of her employees who swiftly walked forward and handed the porter something wrapped in a sealed brown paper. The porter, without opening the seal, put it within a lock box in his cart, hidden under his seat. It was not his place nor was he allowed to open the sealed packet ever.Once the barrels were all unloaded, the porter got back on his cart and drove away.

Inside, her staff were busy preparing the bar and the bar owner walked around supervising her people after picking up the barrel delivery. She was in her mid forties and can walk shoulder to shoulder with most men yet had an youthful look to her. After years of hard work, she had made a name for herself for running one of the best bars in the city.

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