"Work is work. You'll get used to it." Ned couldn't say he had always wanted to do the job he did but over time it became second nature to him. It was something he became good at and, if nothing else, he was in it for the people rather than the work itself.
"I don't mind. No one really goes to pubs for the ambience," Ned commented. Robert's taken him to the bowels of London's East End and back. Seedy in Southern California likely couldn't compare.
Besides, Jon probably didn't want to be seen with this old man in a posh establishment.
The place was dimly-lit and it felt as old as it was masquerading to be. It wasn't buzzing for a Friday night but there was a constant low thrum of background noise behind where he and Jon took up their seats.
"What'll you have?" Ned asked as he pulled his wallet out of his back pocket before sitting down.