Eddie was understudy bartender at
La Ida saloon. He filled in when the regular
bartender was sick and he kept a gallon
jug under the bar. In the mouth of the jug
there was a funnel.

Anything left in the glasses on the bar each
night Eddie poured into the funnel before he
washed the glasses. The resulting punch
which he took back to the Palace Flophouse
was always interesting and surprising.

The mixture of rye, beer, bourbon, scotch,
wine, rum, and gin was fairly constant, but
now and then some effete customer would
order a stinger or an anisette or a curacao
and these little touches gave a distinct
character to the punch. It was Eddie’s habit
always to shake a little angostura into
the jug just before he left.

On a good night Eddie got three-quarters
of a gallon. It was known in the neighborhood
as Old Tennis Shoes.

Eddie was a very desirable inhabitant of the
Palace Flophouse. Mac and the boys never
asked him to help with the housecleaning and
once Hazel washed four of Eddie’s socks.