Summary: “Bertha” is a short story about a strange woman who frequents a local bar. The bartender has a habit of noticing peculiarities about this woman and creates little stories about her in his head each time she visits.

Hello ? This short story is broken up into multiple posts. I am working on this story and want to see where it can go; if I can expand or shorten it into a more final version. I’d really appreciate any feedback, leave a comment below!

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Bertha (part 1)

Her body sways as she walks. Each step clumsy, her shoes slap the ground in a slow rhythmic dance to the door. Opening a brown purse that looks like a flat football she pulls out a few wads of ones and places them on the bar.

Emilio, the bartender, sighs. There is not much to do and this lady never tips. She just stares at him the entire time she drinks. At first it was unsettling but now he has grown accustom to her habits like all the other regulars.

He can hear her saddle up to the bar, the loud creak of the stool, her heavy muffled groan. She doesn’t talk anymore, the only words she ever said to him in the beginning were what beer she wanted. Now since he knows what she likes she just grunts and nods her head.

Emilio calls her Bertha, it seems fitting some days while others she appears more ragged, more like a swamp witch from old fairy tales. Today there is something strange about her, he notices that her left eye is transfixed in one position, lolling to the the left while her other eyes rapidly looks around. 

To be continued…

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