Waste of time. All this talk. Going back and forth over what? Opinions. That’s all there is. Just opinions. Most of the time, we don’t even know what we’re saying. Just talk to hear ourselves talk. Our own voices. No listening. Words. Babble, he said, taking out a cigarette and lighting it. What time is it?

There’s a clock above the bar, the young man told him.

I don’t want to look at the clock. I’m asking you. Why do you have to be such a smack?

It’s ten o’clock. Time for you to go home and go to bed, he took a drink of his beer. People don’t like you. I’ve seen you before in here. You start trouble. Patrons don’t like you. The bartender doesn’t like you. Nobody does. And yet, you come in here. Haven’t they thrown you out a couple of times? the old man looked at him. Yes, I’m talking to you. You come in here like you’re some kind of royalty. A king. Except you don’t have any followers. No country, the kid said. What are you in exile? the old man laughed.

You should respect your elders. one of these days we’ll all be gone. And you’ll be stuck with rainbow flags and cute transexuals selling beer. I’m out of here. I’m gone. You remember what I said, the old man took one last drink and walked out the door.

Who was that? the young man asked the bartender. I’ve seen him before, but who is that? Where does he get off? Just who does he think he is?

A dinosaur.