The bartender didn’t answer him. He just looked over our heads and said, “What’s yours?” to a man who’d come in. “Rye,” the man said. The bartender put out the bottle and glass and a glass of water. Tom reached over and took the glass off the free-lunch bowl. It was a bowl of pickled pig’s feet and there was a wooden thing that worked like a scissors, with two wooden forks at the end to pick them up with. “No,” said the bartender and put the glass cover back on the bowl. Tom held the wooden scissors fork in his hand. “Put it back,” said the bartender.
The bartender didn't answer him even though Tom asked very directly with a potent tone. He just looked absent-minded over our heads and spitted, "What's yours?" to a tall stranger who'd come in. "Rye," the funny looking tall fellow said. The bartender scooped the bottle and glass over the bar counter, and poured a glass of ice cold water.