A bump brings him from the dream. His head against the cool window. Bill driving and Jonathan smoking and Jim, well, that pain in his head can only be fixed by one thing, and that one thing is what they're heading for.

The pub is near empty, but still they head through the dining room to a backroom, towards a voice booming that can be heard from outside the front door. That'd be Courtney.

When the three walk into the backroom, Courtney is sitting across from Nigel, going on about some kid who tried to by dope from him. "He comes up to me and says, ‘Motherfucker', my words, ‘Motherfucker, you know where I can get some disco biscuits around here'? Me, well, I tell him I'm holding, lead him down an ally, and smash his Cambridge ass against the bricks and take his notes with me." The way he laughs, loud and boisterous, they know every word of his story was true. He puffs on his quite expensive cigar and looks up from Nigel to see who just came in.

"Jesus fucking Christ, is that who the fuck I think it is? Jimmy Halpert, as I live and breath." He's on his feet and Jim takes him in. It's been years since he's had the pleasure of Courtney's company. The man is early fifties, fashionably shaved dome, two inches of scar by his right eye. He crosses the room in a stride and takes Jim in his arms like they're family. They are, but not blood.

"Hey Court. Good to see you, man."

"Fucking-A right. Hate the circumstances, you know, but it is always good to see you, boy." He waves a hand to the table he and Nigel were sitting at, and the three join the party, Bill and Jonathan exchanging greetings with the two as they sit. A waitress comes in and before anyone can say anything else, Courtney says, "They'll have three of the black stuff."

"Three Guinness', right up, sir."

"Thank you, doll." He watches her ass as she leaves.

* * *

From her bedroom window, Pam watched the sunrise over Scranton while sipping a glass of tepid water. She's tired but still, can't sleep, though the cause is different from the night.

* * *

"I first met Chinaski in '62. He was doing a stint with Sun Ra, playing trumpet in his Arkestra or whatever the fuck it was he called his band. Boy lost his damn plot. He could wail. Went up to him once they finished their set, telling him how much I enjoyed his playing. Was the truth, to be sure. Hate to say, your father, well, he asked if I knew where a man could buy, and at that point in time I was still a punk, still dealing. This was before the Russians were selling anything worth a damn and the Asians had a hand in it, so a man could make a decent living slinging, which is what I did at the time." The cigar was down to his fingers, but Courtney made no moves to put it out.

"I got to know Charlie Chinaski pretty well over the years. Was glad to help his boys out when I could. I want to let you two know, and this is hard for a man of my station to admit, but when I heard about the fate of the man, I cried. Cried like a little pussy, I did. And it's from the bottom of my heart that I say this: boys, you need anything, and I do fucking well mean anything, all you've to do is ask."

* * *

Karen was asleep on her couch. The woman could snore, that was for sure. It was a bitter laugh that escaped Pam's lips when she thought about how Jim had handled it, but when she considered some of the things the passed out woman had said on where the whole situation stood now, the bile in her stomach was calm. It was barely six in the morning, either too early or too late to be holding her cell phone, contemplating whether or not to make the call.

"Fuck it," she said in a hoarse whisper.

* * *

Before they left the pub, Courtney took Jim aside and presented him with a small box.

"What's this?"

"Late birthday present."

"You even know when my birthday is?"

"Does it fucking matter? Open it."

"Knuckle dusters?"

"My favorite pair. See there, that notch there? Took that from Mad Fraser's teeth as I got back what he owed me."

"You always surprise me, Court."

* * *

"Jim? Hey, it's Pam. Guess you kind of realized that? Karen told me what happened. All of it, I guess. Don't know if you really wanted me to know, I guess. I don't know. It's, like six in the morning and I haven't been to sleep yet. Can't. Too much on my mind. Jim, it's over between me and Roy. I'm a fucking fool, Jim. Thought it could be different between us. Thought I could love him. Jim, he knows we kissed. I thought if I was honest, things could work. He went nuts, trashing the bar. We were at a bar, by the way. Poor Richards. Looks like I can't go back there again. Chili's all over again. Jim, you need to be careful. He, shit, I think he might try to hurt you. I told him I kissed you, that I had feelings for you. It's the truth, Jim. Still is."