There is no such thing as a small whiskey

Another fine day indeed. I found a note from Captain Magpie on the board; the tavern is mine now! It's not the first time I've taken charge of a bar, as a matter of fact, but it is the first time I've been given the keys, and sole responsibility for the place so quickly. The fact it's presently a bit of a dump might explain it; the windows are filthy, and the spiders have moved out in protest about the number of... well, I'm not sure what they are exactly, but they scuttle around and hide in dark places. Despite the fact the bar's presently a thriving social centre only if you're a mollusc, it has been extensively stocked by whoever the previous owner was. Today I found a stair case down to a wine cellar, and a crate of nice, light Bardolino. One day, I'll wipe the dust off the older bottles and see exactly what's there.

Either way, I've moved in properly. There's a fold-out bed behind the counter, which is pretty comfy. I've also temporarily converted the bathroom into an aquarium. I was just packing up my things on the beach, and I saw that lobster again. I came right out of the sea and looked up at me with the closest thing that lobsters can manage to puppy-dog-eyes, given that they see through tiny black bulges. I felt so guilty for assuming he was an evil lobster when he just wanted to be friends. I wanted to make it up to him, so I've named him Steve, filled the bath with salt water, and brought him with me. He seems very happy to be here; I suspect he eats whatever I have an infestation of, so it's mutually beneficial.

I was about to go into the bookshop earlier, and I had the shock of my life. Well, I had two shocks. The first came from the fact that there's now a huge 'Books-a-Million' sign over it, but  there was also somebody in there! This blonde chap, staring off into space. Given I have been using the shop as a library of sorts, I will try to return the books I've 'borrowed' since I arrived, and maybe even buy a book as a gesture of good will.

Today is most certainly a good day. Haven't met the chap myself yet, but it sounds like the Powers That Be around here aren't going to throw me off anything high into anything spiky. At least, not yet. I'll make an effort to introduce myself and buy everybody a drink. Well, everybody old enough to drink, anyway.

I had another glance in the old tavern too; still completely empty, despite the fact it's fully stocked. Well, I've left up a note, and asked the captain - Magpie, I think I heard somebody say his name was - if I can take over the tavern from now on. It's just that I'm worried that some low-life might sneak in here, carry off a bottle of gin, make a visit to the (equally unattended) bookshop, grab a copy of Hume, and then settle down on the beach and discuss the question of human freedom with a mollusc until dawn. Somebody other than me, that is.