TheFlamingDuckThe Phoenix, more commonly known as The Flaming Duck due to the rather poor artwork on the signage, is the closest tavern to the university. It's a great place to hang out with friends, sing loudly, listen to local performers, and not study. The food is lousy, but no one complains about it because the cook, Richard (do NOT call him Dick) is also the co-owner and bouncer, and he has no sense of humor. His younger sister Rita? is the bartender and the other co-owner; she has a charming smile and a ready laugh, and her looks help draw in the university boys (and men) that keep the Duck in business. Rita flirts readily, and though she's known to be single, none of the Duck's patrons can honestly claim she's given them more than a kiss on the cheek. Richard and Rita inherited the Phoenix from their father, who rebuilt it and renamed it after a fire gutted it under the previous ownership (when it was known as The Eagle). Rumors persist of tunnels beneath the place, but there's no consensus on where the tunnels go or what they are for, and since the trap door to the cellar is right where Richard stands in front of the stove, no one is likely to find out. |
