Right Decision, Right Time

My last shift bartending at the Firehouse was on this past Sunday. It was uneventful, thankfully, as one certain crazy person did not show up. Several good friends did show up which totally made my rather long day and evening.

I arrived at 12 noon looking forward to a rather sleepy Sunday before Memorial Day.  After opening, an older bar regular named Brian came in. I think he is in his late 60's but due to the hardships and knocks of life, looks past 70. Brian dispenses advice with the thoughtfulness of a wise old sage. He speaks softly and deliberately. He always means what he says. It was an honor to spend my early Sundays speaking with him over his Camels, Yuengling Premium, and Crown Royal shots.

Brian had brought me in some National Geographic's to read now that he was done with them. He was very happy to pass on the magazines as he hates throwing them out.  We had one of our great in depth conversations and shoved off about 1:30 bidding me farewell. I was happy he stopped in.

I went through a stretch of an hour or two where no one was at the bar and then good friends from Lake Wynonah came in. John stopped in for a soda on his way to work. My good friends Sarah and Sue stopped in and hung out and then about 8 more from the Lake came in. Along with friends Carol and Joe, we all had a fun evening late into the night. I got home at 12:30 PM. It was a 12 ½ shift on my feet! UGH! Well let's just say, it was worth it. Good friends are always generous and I am extremely lucky for their company.

When I got home, I received more texts from my Lake peeps asking if I was open. Unfortunately, the Firehouse is in a dead zone and I didn't receive the messages until later. Otherwise, I would have gladly had everyone down! I am always about the more, the merrier.

I was disappointed that certain people did not stop in for my last shift. Such is life I guess. When you work in this business, whether full time or part time, you learn to differentiate between friends who come to your bar and just bar patrons.  Friends reached out to me, whether by text, conversation, or showing up. Others did not and honestly, it's no biggie, just an observation. It solidifies my decision to leave. It was the right decision for the right time.