Where Everyone Knows Your Name
by James L. Cambias
On a stretch of desert road north of Las Vegas, there's a windowless cinder-block roadhouse. The broken neon sign says "Indy's." From the outside, it's pretty shabby looking, and to the casual eye, it always appears closed. Inside, it's unlike any bar in the world. Some bars are biker bars, some bars are cop bars, but Indy's is the only Men In Black bar.
Background
Originally, there was nothing special about Indy's. During the 1950s, it was a hangout for airmen and contractors from Nellis Air Force Base and the Nevada Test Site. It might have remained just another bar except for one incident back in 1956. A quiet, dark-suited man was having a drink in a booth by himself when an amorphous alien creature escaped from his suitcase and attacked him. The bartender and other patrons acted quickly. After some tense moments, they managed to drive the blob into the barbecue pit and destroy it with charcoal starter fluid.
When the quiet man in black recovered from the attack, he found the bar had returned to normal and nobody seemed to want to talk about what had happened. They all understood -- these things happen, business is business, and there's no need to tell the police or the papers every time.
The next Friday night the man in black came back with a couple of friends. Word spread, and by the end of the year, Indy's was a regular hangout for quiet men in dark suits who can't talk about what they do.
Getting In
Because the customers at Indy's . . .
This article originally appeared in the second volume of Pyramid. See the current Pyramid website for more information.
Article publication date: May 9, 2008
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