Hi, Schudown readers! As promised, here is the second installment of this chapter to bring you into the weekend. It felt like a long week, so I hope you can decompress with it. After all, the narrative takes place before there was even such a thing as doomscrolling! 

In case you’re new here (welcome and thank you!), this link here is where you’ll find a synopsis explaining what all this is about. 

If you need to catch up on the first part of Chapter 4, or any of the previous chapters (including anything else Schudown-related!), they can be found here in the archive. 

The main character, and all characters, places, and events in this story are made up. Any references to real people and places (like Keens)(and drinks!) are fictionally represented but intentionally recognizable. 

Let’s stir up some Manhattans as we reconvene with Eve and Bhanu at the bar. (And if you’re enjoying this story, please don’t keep it to yourself!)

Perfect Manhattan: Chapter Four (Part 2)

Manhattan

A Manhattan for Eve and a Perfect Manhattan for Bhanu are placed in front of them on round cardboard coasters printed with the classic black Keens logo.

Eve has a pet peeve about those bamboo cocktail picks with knot handles every bar seems to be using to skewer garnishes then balance them on the rim of the glass. This serve always forces an awkward first sip (Temporarily remove the garnish and place it back over the glass between sips? Shove it in the drink with the handle sticking out of the glass? Attempt to sip around it and risk gouging out an eye? What do you do with the pick after the cherry is eaten anyway?).