Confessions of a 7 year old bartender

He also told me to cooperate with her and be as helpful as possible

I heard my parents talking about it while they didn’t think I was listening to what they were saying. They were wondering what to do about me on Columbus Day. At that time Columbus Day was a big time holiday, no school and all that. My mother, who was an RN and was a once a week private nurse for a rich woman who lived in a mansion in Deal, New Jersey. My dad had a diaper service and worked all the time, delivering clean ones and picking up dirty ones.

The problem was they both had to be at work Columbus Day and I didn’t have school. Would it be okay to leave me home with Delilah, a woman who came over to our house once a week to straighten things up.

I liked Delilah, she always was nice to me and once brought me a Tootsie Roll. She said that they were giving them out for free in front of the new Acme Market that was opening in Asbury Park. She said she didn’t like them. Something about getting stuck in her teeth (which looked pretty gruesome to me).

My mom and dad didn’t know that I knew they were going to let me stay with Delilah for Columbus Day that year.

At dinner that night, my dad put his serious face on and told me about them having to work on Columbus Day and how I’d have to stay with Delilah while she was cleaning. Stuff I already knew!

He also told me to cooperate with her and be as helpful as possible.

I said that I would.

I was looking forward to it, a little bit.

My father left for work that Columbus Day at his usual time 5:00am. Mother waited with me until Delilah showed up at 8:00.

Mom gave me last minute instructions, mostly on how to behave and was off to do her nursing.

Delilah asked to see Smokey, my cat. I found him under the couch and pulled him out to let Delilah see him.

Delilah then took off to clean the upstairs.

I played with Smokey and my GI Joe’s in the living room.

In a little while Delilah came down into the living room and asked me if she could get something to drink from the refrigerator.

I said, “ Sure!” She really didn’t have to ask me.

She even came back and explained, “You have milk, orange juice, water and ale. What should I have?” she asked.

I remember mom telling me I should cooperate, “What do you want?” I asked.

Delilah replied quickly, “Ale!”

“Sure,” I said.

About a hour later, Delilah asked me if she could have another ale. I remembered my manners and said, “Sure.”

A 1/2 hour went by and Delilah asked if she could have more ale.

“Yeah!” I said agreeably.

She was still cleaning the upstairs. My mom was going to be home soon and Delilah still hadn’t started the downstairs.

I heard the refrigerator opening and shutting.

Mom came home at 5:00 and Delilah was still cleaning the upstairs.

Mom asked me how my day went. I said, Great!”

Delilah left after my mom got home. I thought she, sort of, tripped going down the front steps but she probably didn’t.

Delilah seems to have only done the upstairs; not very well according to my mother. When dad got home, mother and he talked quietly but I heard parts of it. He said something about 9 bottles of Heineken.

I never saw Delilah after that Columbus Day.

I hope I behaved myself.