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Gil hasn't done this for a very long while and picks up the chalk with an indrawn breath. He wouldn't be doing it now except today is special, isn't it?

He consults his notepad and begins to write:

Dear Patrons of Milliways,

In honour of the day the kitchen staff is pleased to present a special St Patrick's Day Menu:

Irish Cheddar and Stout Fondue

Beef and Guinness Pie

Baked Cabbage with Bacon

and finally

Chocolate Guinness Goodness

...in addition to our usual choices.

We hope you enjoy it.

Milliways Kitchen

He draws a smiley faun to finish it off then puts the chalk back on the ledge.

He's tried the Chocolate Guinness Goodness. He had it for lunch.

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"Oh hai, Teja," says Gil. "Do you want your usual? Or are you feeling brave?"

"As you are offering a special meal," Teja says, "one should try some of it; but I do not know what which is."

"Um - did you have beer, or ale?" Gil asks. "None of it will make much sense otherwise."

"I have had both," Teja says, "but today, I had a beer called 'harp', which I was curious about as I play one."

Pause.

"A real harp, that is; not beer."

"They made you drink that?" Gil said. "Oh well, the beer I've been using is different. Stout - or Guinness - for my urposes it's been the same thing. It's black with a white foam on top and is bitter and tasty and you can feel it doing you good. The first dish is a thick sauce made with cheese and beer. And the second is beef and onions and carrots cooked in beer with a pastry crust and - um - you know about cabbage and bacon I expect. and the last one is a chocolate - er - sauce, like a thick foamy custard - and that's made with beer too."

"Do you think that harp beer is not good to drink?" Teja asks. "It was light and pleasant, if somewhat unlike ale."

Pause.

"I would take the second one; it sounds nourishing and warming."

"There are better beers than Harp," Gil says. "But it's very appropriate for today. St Patrick's Day. He's the saint special to Ireland and the heraldic symbols of Ireland is a harp so ..."

While he has been speaking he has stroked the Bar and obtained a plate with a good-sized helping of pie with a nice dollop of colcannon at the side. He pushes t across the Bar and adds a knife and fok wrapped in a napkin.

"There you go," he says. "One Beef and Guinness Pie."

"Thank you," Teja says. "What better beer would you recommend that I drink with it?"

He knows nothing of it all; so of course he would listen to one who does.

"Why Guinness of course," Gil says and a glass appears, white over black, the walls glistening with condensation.

Personally Gil prefers his Guinnes room temperature so that it's unique personality may be properly appreciated but many at the Bar prefer theirs chilled.

Teja drinks from the glass, and nods.

"This is more like the ale that I have known in my own world."

Then he tries some of the pie.

"This is very good, also."

"More of a meal than the Harp," Gil says with a smile. "Where I come from invalids and nursing mothers used to drink that to build them up. They say it's good for the blood."

"I am neither," Teja says, almost smiling. "But it is good ale, nevertheless."

"I expect you use a lot of energy hammering stuff," Gil said, taking a cloth from his apron pocket and polishing the Bar idly.

"I do," Teja says. "And I spent much of today in the forge, and got much done. Good ale and food are welcome."

"Business going well is it?" Gil asks.

"Yes," Teja says. "I might be offered a very large commission - but I do not know if I will accept it, yet."

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