New take on proof of age...

[Jester]

I had a new take on an old theme last night, one that, after 20 years of this nonsense, I had not seen. And that is pretty damn impressive.

I had been waiting on a couple in the outside bar. A couple of their friends joined them. The new woman was not an SC, but was creative. Her husband/boyfriend was, and wasn't. Follow that? Good. Because here we go.

NW: New Woman
NM: New Man
JESTER: Mr. Rock and Roll!
Jester's thoughts in italics.

JESTER: Hi there! What may I get for y'all?
NW: I'll take a vodka and cranberry, please.
JESTER: No problem. May I see your ID? (Woman looked to be mid-twenties. If you look 30 or under, I must card you.)
NW looks a bit surprised by being carded.
NW: I don't have my ID with me.
JESTER: I'm sorry, then I can't serve you alcohol. (Oh, crap. Here we go again!)
NM: What's going on?
NW: He carded me. (sounding genuinely surprised, but not sucky)
NM: (to me, with attitude) Are you kidding me? We've been to at least 18 bars today, no one asked us for ID.
JESTER: (And I don't work at any of those bars, nitwit. I also can't control what they do at those bars. I can, however, do my fucking job.) I'm sorry. (about to start explaining the above thoughts in a politer form)
NW: Oh, I understand. You're doing your job. I've bartended.
JESTER: (If you get this, and you have done this, then why the hell are you putting me in this position, lady? And why are you letting your boy be such an ass?) Again, I'm sorry.
NW: Let me ask you something.
JESTER: (This oughtta be good.) Sure.
NW: As I’ve said, I’ve bartended. I did it for seven years. If I get back behind the bar and start flipping bottles around, will that convince you?
JESTER: (Okay, that WAS good! Bonus points to this one for something original.)
I’m sorry, no.
(I won’t even be an ass and tell them that the State of Florida doesn’t give a crap about flipping bottles, or that it is not proper ID, or that people can, and do, bartend under the age of 21. I also won’t mention the very pertinent fact that, once I ask for ID, if you don’t have it, I absolutely cannot serve you.)

NM continued to be sucky, NW was very pleasant, but I did have to give her credit….that was different.

Suggestion to vacationers: when you go to a bar that is not familiar with your shining face, if you think there is any chance, any chance at all of someone asking for ID, bring your ID. And if you think there is no chance? Bring it anyway. And if you are a girl, and don’t want to walk around on vacation with a purse, do what so many women do these days….have your boyfriend/husband/male friend/sex toy stick your ID in his wallet. And if you can’t be bothered with any of that, and I ask for ID? Be nice, like the above lady. Do NOT be a dickwad like her husband. (I know it doesn’t seem like he was that bad from what you see above, but trust me, he was.)

[friendofjimmyk]

I had a new take on an old theme last night, one that, after 20 years of this nonsense, I had not seen. And that is pretty damn impressive.

How bout this gem I pulled when I was still drinking...

Now, having tended bar before, I KNOW the scoop, if I so happen to forget my ID - I am SOL if I am asked for it and don't get served because I can't produce it. I was okay with that.

I have a few tattoos. When I was 25, I added my tiger. I was born during the year of the tiger (Chinese Zodiac) in 1974. My tiger is cool and it has "1974" inked right under it.

Yep, I've jokingly tried using that as an ID before! For alcohol and, when I was still smoking, cigs. Using the line "Now, do you think I'd tattoo 1974 on my back for the fun of it?"

It was a joke and I would not be an asshat if they still said no, but they got a chuckle out of it.

Side note: It has worked a few times for cigs, never alcohol.

[Spiffy McMoron]

I have a few tattoos.

<snip>

Yep, I've jokingly tried using that as an ID before!

I've told this story here before, but I was at a 7-11 one day, when a guy wanted to buy a lighter-which you have to be over 18 for. Customer didn't have ID, so the clerk refused the sale. Customer freaks out, points to his tattoo sleeve, and starts yelling at the clerk that if he was under 18, he wouldn't have any goddamned tattoos. Clerks says something to the effect of "That's nice. It's still not worth me risking a $5000 fine. Come back with ID."

Customer storms our of the place, (leaving his purchased goods on the counter), all the while swearing up a storm and calling the clerk a "goof".

(Possibly related fact: I resently found out that the term "goof" is prison slang for a child molester-essentially, the criminal even the other criminals hate. I don' know if that's what Tattoo Guy meant, though.)

[Seanette]

Yeah, right. I've seen plenty of under-18s (and I'm sure of age) with tattoos. Some tattoo artists don't care about the client's age, some people get home jobs, and some parents will actually sign consents for their kids to get them done.

[Misanthropical]

What is it with people who don't carry their ID? I always have mine on me.

I have never gotten offended by being carded. It actually makes my day to be carded, since I'm almost 36 years old.

The only time I got miffed was when a store in California refused to sell wine to me, because my ID was from South Dakota, but had no problem selling it to my husband who offered to buy it for me. Why sell it to anyone with me if they think my ID is fake?

[DesignFox]

I think the problem, unfortunately, is that not enough servers follow the laws. Since I have learned what the laws really are, I always make it a point to have my passport with me when I go out (my driver's license is from the last age where you were permitted to get one without picture). I only ever had a problem with my driver's license once- that tells me most people aren't really doing their jobs right. And of course, not knowing myself that the laws didn't allow me to use that as ID, of course I was upset the first time it was rejected. I don't fault the server that abided by the law for this- I fault the other servers not following the law. Had I known it from the start, the passport would have been kept in my purse at all times. I think most people don't realize the penalties involved, or what the law truly states- I think otherwise, people would be less sucky, or at least less shocked when their ID is rejected.

I think the other problem is that the laws really don't make sense. How can a person have an ID that legally allows them to operate a vehicle, prove their identity to get on a plane, prove their identity to work in this country, but is no good for purchasing alcohol esp. when all of them have your DOB on them? That's freaking wierd if you ask me.

[Jester]

I think the problem, unfortunately, is that not enough servers follow the laws.

A problem I encounter too often to count. Some examples of conversations I have had:

JESTER: May I see your ID please?
SC: I don't have it with me.
JESTER: I'm sorry, I won't be able to serve you alcohol. May I get you something else?
SC: What? No one else in this town has carded me!
JESTER: I'm sorry, but I can't control what other people do, I can only follow the laws and company policy as I have been trained.

JESTER: May I see your ID please?
SC: Sure, here it is.
JESTER: I'm sorry, I'm not going to be able to accept this for (whatever reason).
SC: What? Why not?
JESTER: Under state law, the only acceptable ID's are (the acceptable forms of ID).
SC: No one else has had a problem with that ID.
JESTER: I'm sorry, but I can't control what other people do, I can only follow the laws and company policy as I have been trained.

Sadly, I do not believe this is a case of SC's talking about that infamous restaurant, Everywhere Else, but of other servers just not doing their job or following the laws, as you stated. It makes me want to find these servers and beat them about the head and shoulders, but of course, I don't have nearly enough salmons for that.

*sigh* The one good thing is that now, when they give me grief, and ask for my supervisor, I will be able to say that I am the supervisor. (At least I think that is good.) At least at the hotel, anyway. Yes, kids, that's right....as of today, Jester is now not just The Smartass Bartender, but he is now The Smartass Bartender/Supervisor. I have joined the Dark Side that is management, may the gods help us all. Despite my Boss's belief, however, I have no intention of going further up the management chain.

The really scary thing is it seems I am going to be the one ordering and stocking the liquor. Yes. Me. In charge of the booze. Me! Can anyone say "Fox and the Hen House"?

[DesignFox]

Whoo. Congrats Jester! Management can be a scary thing...although, it IS the best when people bitch that they want to see a manager, and you can look 'em straight in the face and say..." I AM the manager, and the answer is STILL no."

[MadMike]

Yeah, right. I've seen plenty of under-18s (and I'm sure of age) with tattoos. Some tattoo artists don't care about the client's age, some people get home jobs, and some parents will actually sign consents for their kids to get them done.

And some people do tattoos on themselves. My one friend has some that she did when she was 14. They're a little crude, as she only had makeshift equipment back then.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I've had a heavily pregnant girl of about 14 try to buy vodka and use the fact that she was pregnant as proof of her being 18... I still refused her, nobly biting back "Just cuz you opened your legs, does not mean that you're over 18" which was what I wanted to say.

[friendofjimmyk]

Why would anyone who wasn't born in 1974 get it tattooed on them, though! Like there are youngin's who want to pretend to be in their 30s. Usually, if someone is trying to fake their age - they go for 21 or any age between 21 - 25.

As I said, I used the tattoo jokingly - if I forgot my ID and the clerk asked - I jokingly used the tattoo as proof, but I did not throw any kind of fit if they refused to accept the ink on my shoulder as proof of age...

[shenzee]

What is it with people who don't carry their ID? I always have mine on me.

I always thought it was almost an unwritten law that you must have identification with you at all times? Is that just in Michigan?

[DesignFox]

I agree with you, I don't understand why anyone wouldn't carry ID with them. Unfortunately, the laws are weird, so sometimes it's not even that you don't have it with you, it's that you just can't use it to buy alcohol. I have about 50 different forms of identification on me. The only one I can use to buy a beer? My passport. Any of the others will get me on a plane, let me vote, get me into the movies, prove who I am for work, oh and let me get my passport to begin with...but not drink. They aren't good enough for that.

[zzapp the witch]

I'm almost 28 and I've NEVER been carded when I drink in a bar.

[Plaidman]

Yes Jester, we, the mangement are all powerful!!! You, the supervisor, and I, the assissant manager are like GODS!!

In all seriousness, I had a girl show me her Certified Nurse assisant badge as /proof/ of ID. I laughed, and said no.

I've had one girl say she was a stripper, and that was proof.

I've had TAXI FREAKING DRIVERS, (yes, just got out of Taxi-cars that they are driving) say the don't ever carry their ids.


And those were the smart ones. The stupid ones.... I don't want to lose more brain power.