The bar that I work at is a hodgepodge of characters. No two people are really that close to each other in terms of type of personality. They range in style from jock, to sorority girl, to hippie, to stoner, to alcoholic, to ladies man, to husband, to wife, to home owner, to vagabond, to writer. And that's just a basic label, everyone is much more than that. We tend to have strong personalities, even if some are somewhat reluctant to show it. Due to our schedules, we tend to have few opportunities to really get together. Being in this college town, (repping you PSU) the staff is comprised mostly of college students of some capacity, undergrads, grads, law, etc. this basically means that if your not in class, you are probably studying or working, leaving very little time for a social life. Meaning that when the staff does get an opportunity to get together, we tend to let loose. We let loose like we may never get another opportunity quite like this one. This would be one of those times.
My roommate (we'll call him George Michael, yeah the same from the 80's story post) and I have decided to go out. He is coming off a tough break up and as a good friend I want to be there for him. Hang out for a few drinks, talk about whatever, joke, try and help him forget whatever is on his mind. He mentions that perhaps Sylas and Bill might be out. This signals a warning sign in my head. The last time a premeditated meeting of off duty staff occurred, I ended up shot-gunning a 4loco and passed out face down in a completely barren room that had yet to be moved into. Clearly if this night was going to happen I would need to be on my toes, because lost focus would mean in all likelihood a lost night. One when many interesting things may be happening but you might have been just a bit too inebriated to remember many of them.
We smoke a little bit of pot to calm the nerves before heading in. I love this practice. I'm a bit of an anxious person and will nervously sweat small social details like non-verbal communication, greetings, and what not. The act of smoking makes much more at peace with my surroundings, and less self-conscious.*
When we arrive we are greeted by the staff, who seems very happy to see us come through. Though also appear to perceive our current slightly sluggish state of mind and I am sheepish about the fact, but neither myself nor George Michael is apologetic about our actions. We're out to have fun. It's Friday night after all. We saddle up at a table, beers in hand, and so begins the night.
I start by picking George Michael's head about football. Football in America has become such an awesome phenomenon that I really think I can go anywhere in the world by just being able to strike up a conversation about that particular sport. I'd say about 85% of guys like the sport in America, thus making it a great conversation piece at any given time. Not more than ten minutes come by before Sylas and Will enter. I'm on my first beer. I am still fine, and feeling upbeat and curious how this night will go.
As Sylas and Will sit, the energy seems to build. Voices become boisterous, jokes become more regular, more vulgar, and our manager has just brought over a round of shots. It goes down easy, a short burn quickly replaced by the tartness of lime and sprite. I order another round. Now this was not something discussed at all. I just went by feeling. I felt like another round would just set it off right, set everyone in the mood. And it did. Soon after another shot, William orders yet another group of tasty, poisonous delights. So it goes. round after round ordered. consumed. Not so much of a word as to how or why yet somehow in the span of 47 minutes and 36 seconds we had consumed 8 shots and a few beers. It is not yet 10:30. I fear the worst for the coming assault we are about commit on human dignity.
We are attempting to fuck with our boss now. Our GM is coming down to bartending for the night. A rarity for sure, this is the first time in probably 3 years I've seen him take a bartending shift. I ask asininely for car bombs, knowing full well, that while they are simple steps to take, they are monotonous and tedious steps. He is not smiling as he takes the 3 steps to the right, the half pour of Jameson followed by the slow drip of Carolan's Irish Cream. I try to cheer him up, suggesting perhaps it might be fun to do the service thing again, an adrenaline rush perhaps.
"I fucking hate this shit"
"Oh"
I had little success.
I return, the realization I may be overstepping my bounds clearly expressed on my face.
"Guys, I'm not doing that again. He's pissed. Someone else is welcome to go, but I suggest to use caution."
Chris, yet another off duty employee, has joined our pack and welcomes the challenge and agrees to go. He order's B52's, a layered shot that has to be eye balled and done with care.
"Are you guys fucking with me?"
Guilty. But at this point we're bullet proof. We're all having a blast. We're united in our off-dutyness, and general affinity for crazy nights out. And our boss quickly sees this, and embraces our joy. He may not like the regular customers, however the off duty staff are the people he trusts to make the place how he wants it. And if it's all in fun, with no malice, we are allowed to fuck with the boss.
The night proceeds flawlessly. Eventually we would split up and lose one another to the night, some would come back, others not. My personal adventure took me to the undergrad apartments and Griller's at the end of the night. chowing down with a couple of the girls who worked tonight. I'm not exactly sure how I got to their place, but they seem fun and happy to have me over as company. However one gets a phone call asking to come down and check a head wound to see if the victim should go to the hospital, and at this point I think it wise to take my leave. They are nice enough to call me a cab, and I part, hoping mostly to go home and fall asleep. I've already had a pretty fun night and can't see how it could become better. That's when the Cab pulls off to the side exactly at the foot of the drive way of the house that's best known as the "Canary".
The canary just happens to be where 2 employee's as well as two other good friends live. For those keeping track, it is also where I passed out from the shot-gunning of an orange 4loco. I can see movement on the porch and I just know I want to be a part of it. I'm out for adventure, I'm out to find what moves people.
When I arrive I'm greeted with high fives and hugs from people I've just met as well as friends that go back for years. It's my friends birthday at midnight, and we have a celebratory smoke. I am extremely intoxicated at this point, but I still feel incredible. My emotions are of joy and laughter, there is no negative emotion still in existence in this moment. And now our gracious hosts have suggested a jam session.
I love music. I really do. I can't stand not having music in my life, and honestly I feel like life gets just so dry with out it. So when people just start performing it, even at an amateur level, I get pretty psyched up. Right now I'm loaded on alcohol and THC, and I can think of nothing better but to attempt to have fun writing lyrics and singing along in a free style. How often do these opportunities happen anyway? Whatever I sang and wrote was, in all likelihood, terrible. Something about a girl wanting to play and get paid...some kind simple rhyme like that with minor adjustments.
At some point a girl steps in and begins to sing. She is much better than I am. Which is fine by me. I'm not trying to be a singer anytime soon. I probably should have listened to the drummer who kept insisting I should write my shit down, (I tried...I got 3 lines, all terrible, all scribbled horribly, and not really making any sense.)
I finally feel the need to rest. I stumble home to bed, having had what was in all likelihood one of the best times I've had all year. Mostly due to the beginning attitude of the guys night out.
*I'm anxiously awaiting to the results of California's marijuana laws. If it's successful, as I think many believe it will be, I think American culture will change in a way not so dissilar to when prohibition ended. Honestly, it's one of the biggest issues that is coming up in this country, and it should be discussed openly
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