The Barman and the Old Man

On a night in November for sixty-odd years
An old man would come and order two beers
He'd only drink one, left the other alone
Then he'd quietly leave and make his way home
The barman was watching, he was new to the place
But he could clearly see pain on the old mans face
He couldn't help wondering who he was, what he'd done
And why he took two beers but drank only one

The following year was the same again
The old man arrived at a quarter to ten
With no hint of a smile but a heartfelt 'cheers'
He sat in the corner with his couple of beers
The barman, now the manager, had a thought
Turned to his barman and said 'Hold the fort'
He looked over to where the old man would go
And said to himself 'I really must know'

'Good evening sir. Can I take a pew?
If you don't mind, I've a question for you.
You order for two, and yet I've never known
Why you only drink one and leave the other alone.'
The old man sighed, he barely looked up
'You wouldn't understand, you're barely a pup
But if you really insist on hearing my tale
Come close, for sometimes my words may fail'

'I always drink one but leave the other
To the gallant memory of my dear brother
Twins we were, and just twenty four
When we answered the call with our country at war
Luckily posted in the same regiment
Straight into the fighting, to the fields we were sent
We cut through the hordes and thanked God we were well
Until we came across that mortar shell
It was the dead of night and I didn't see
The bringer of death that had been aimed at me
But my brother saw and he got in my way
And he, sir, is the reason I'm here today
So now you know why, each and every November
I will never forget and I drink to remember
My dear brother died at a quarter to ten
The other pint's to his memory ever since then
So now you know. Wasn't that your phone?
I'll ask you respectfully to leave us alone. '

The old man softly wiped away a tear
The manager brought up the phone to his ear
And said 'Call me back later will you?
I've got something more important to do'
He gently took the old mans hand
And said 'Please don't think I don't understand
I had a brother, just like you
And he was killed in action too. '
The old man said quietly, 'I'm so sorry son
Forgive me for thinking I was the only one
Will you join me in drinking to our departed brothers?
I've bought two pints. Why not have the other?'
A friendship formed that November night
As they talked of their brothers, called up to the light
The old man then finished up his beer
Made a solemn pledge to return next year

The next year there was an empty seat
At the table where these bereaved brothers would meet
The news filtered through that the old man had died
And was laid to rest at his brothers side
The manager saluted and wiped away tears
Then sat at the table, and ordered two beers
Remembering his brother, he drank only one
That November a new tradition had begun
Years passed by, and he returned without fail
To the corner table where he first heard the tale
He left the one beer where the old man was not
Drank the other to remember, and he never forgot.

'Lest we forget...'