This is the ending I eventually drafted, still need to fill in the actual plot of the story
As Adam finished his story, the keep turned his eyes to the bar and hung his head in reflection. While he remembered the events of years past, Adam turned to leave. As if on cue to cause trouble, two patrons took a look at the scar on Adam’s shoulder and his boots and eyed him with contempt. They were feeling their liquor, looking for a fight. One of them said to Adam, “Hey, crip.”
The bar fell silent. The keep kept his head down and said, “Barry, don’t cause my customers any trouble.” He rummaged silently around for the sawed-off ball bat he kept behind the bar for these cases. Adam looked the two men up and down, knew he was more muscular and younger. He didn’t want a fight, but he stood up and grabbed a bottle just in case. Barry’s partner decided to lay a hand on Adam’s shoulder and was met at the wrist by the captain’s hand; the keep gently laid the bat on the man’s elbow as a warning- he backed away from Adam. His buddy followed suit.
“Get out of here, you drunk *******s,” said the bartender, still brandishing the bat. They obliged, and Adam sat back down, released his grip on the bottle and turned to face the keep again. The keep turned to the captain and said with a shrug, “Don’t worry about them, son, they don’t understand.” Neither did Adam, who was still trying to digest the scene that just happened, until he saw the green beret and jump wings tattooed on the keep’s shoulder- hidden from view until he extended the bat. “Glad to help a brother. ‘Nam, 72-73. I came home to the same welcomes, and didn’t want to see it happen to some other man.”
Adam was dumbstruck, angry at himself for shunning the old man, in awe that, after all these years, the bartender still knew how to hold his own and defuse a dangerous situation. He choked for a moment, then simply asked the keep if there was anything he could do in recompense for keeping him out of a fight. The old man smiled and wagged a finger for Adam to lean in a little closer. As he spoke, Adam smiled. After a few moments, the two soldiers, each representing his own generation and realizing that they were no different, shook hands and parted.
Adam never went back to the juke joint for drinks again- from that day on, he found himself center stage.