Mis-Adventures In and Out of Work

[crashhelmet]

Bars Are a Great Place for Children

This is directed at Americans only, as I really don't know quite how it works in Europe or other countries. So, to my fellow countrymen and countrywomen....NO, your children are not allowed to sit at the bar. Why are you acting so surprised? Please, tell me about all the bars you have where you are from that actually allow toddlers to sit at the bar! Better yet, explain to me why you think it is perfectly alright for me to allow you to have your teenagers sitting with you at the bar while you consume alcohol?

I did see this once. One of my best friends and I were sitting at the bar inside an Applebee's restaurant and on the other side was a family with 2 small kids. Boggled the shit out of me and my friend. Right when I was going to ask the bartender about it, she came walking around the bar to hand us our beers, further boggling my mind.

Turns out that kids were allowed at "the bar" and she couldn't serve drinks across the bar due to local/state laws.

Location? Cedar City, Utah.

CH

[lordlundar]

And even if we did, I wouldn't suggest it. Honestly, as mad as I was, I don't want anyone getting in trouble for this. I just want my co-workers to stop being lazy, especially if it sneaks into the dangerous category of lazy, as it has twice now in the last few weeks.

Jester, you might not want someone to get into trouble for it, but that doesn't mean it doesn't need to happen. Lazy people run on the premise of "no harm, no foul" but only consider themselves on the "no harm" part. Clearly someone is not getting the point that it's dangerous, potentially lethal (the glass nails a major artery and you're not likely to get to the hospital in time) and the point needs to be drilled into their skull, preferably with a steel girder.

[Astrokitty]

You've had quite the time of things.

*offers copious amounts of orange soda and/or your liquor of choice*

Unfortunately, the messenger of unpopular or ill-conceived laws often gets the blunt.

You know, even when smoking was allowed in restaurants here (got a touch of asthma), I would sometimes sit at the bar just to be away from the kids. I forget where we were, but my cohorts and I were enjoying ourselves at the bar of a "bar and grill" type place, when in walks a cell phone...

No, really...there may have been a woman attached to it, but the cell phone was the focus of everything. She had with her two unsupervised kids who proceeded to sit at the bar and demand drinks. I'm a terrible judge of age...10-ish maybe?

When the bartender quietly and politely suggested that they relocate, the cell phone...I mean customer paused her conversation long enough to yelled out, "My kids have the right to sit anywhere they want!" *snarl, growl*

We paid quickly, leaving a large tip (the bartender tried), and left.

Actually my friends drug me out of the bar before I was able to shove the cell phone into a more moist and inaccessible location.

I think it's awesome that you can have that kind of trust in your colleagues. Some people don't realize their short cuts can cause injury and mayhem. Kudos for your boss for backing you up. *kisses Jester's hurt finger*

[Mr Hero]

ME: "I'm sorry sir, I can't serve you. You're not 21."

At which he stares at me like I am nuts, then glares at me as he takes his ID, then leaves without a word.

Yeah, fuck you too, Junior. I hope you die of thirst.

Maybe this kid and the guy you refused to serve because he was a dick to your boss could meet up and exchange stories of how they nearly died of thirst.

[Jester]

Just curious, did this 19 year old have an American DL/other id?
Drinking age in Canada is 19, less in some parts.

One, he was 18. Two, he was American. His ID was actually a US Armed Forces ID.

Jester, you might not want someone to get into trouble for it, but that doesn't mean it doesn't need to happen. Lazy people run on the premise of "no harm, no foul" but only consider themselves on the "no harm" part. Clearly someone is not getting the point that it's dangerous, potentially lethal (the glass nails a major artery and you're not likely to get to the hospital in time) and the point needs to be drilled into their skull, preferably with a steel girder.

Oh, the point will be drilled in. Management is fully aware of it, and the beer cooler situation was actually on the talking points sheet of our new general manager when he was sitting down to meet with each staff member one on one.

I want the point to be drilled in. I don't, however, need any single person to get railed for it. Was it lazy? Yes. Does it need to be corrected? Absolutely. Does the culprit need to get thrown under the train? I don't think so. Who among us has not screwed up at work? I know I have. And frankly, it's probably better that I don't know who it was, so I (and they) can just move on.

Again, I don't believe it was malicious, just lazy. And I am an expert on being lazy, so who am I to get them in trouble? Just don't let it happen again.

[BlaqueKatt]

That also prevents employess from jumping ship.

yup the prior mr Katt's great-grandfather was a sousaphone player on a cruise ship-ship came into port his grandfather deported-and never returned to the ship-got his green card rather quickly-he "defected".

[persephone]

His ID was actually a US Armed Forces ID.

You might have your answer right there. If I'm not mistaken (I know this used to be the rule, it might have changed), if you are 18 and in the military you are allowed to drink at on base establishments. Some of the boys forget about the "at on base establishments" part of that rule and try to use their IDs out in the "real world" expecting the rule to be the same.

[Jester]

If I'm not mistaken (I know this used to be the rule, it might have changed), if you are 18 and in the military you are allowed to drink at on base establishments.

Not exactly.

From about.com (emphasis added):

"Federal law (United States Code, Title 10, Section 2683) requires military installation commanders to adopt the same drinking age as the state the military base is located in. The only exception to this rule is if the base is located within 50 miles of Canada or Mexico, or a state with a lower drinking age, the installation commander may adopt the lower drinking age for military personnel on base."

Key West is part of Florida, and as such is not within 50 miles of any U.S. State or foreign country with a lower drinking age. Actually, due to its location at the bottom of the state of Florida, Key West itself is not within 50 miles of ANY other state or country, period. (The closest is Cuba, 90 miles away.)

[Gravekeeper]

If/when I am finally driven to drinking, I will be sure to visit. For the entertainment value alone. -.-

My coworkers have made two attempts on my life in recent weeks. One of which was close to successful. However, these attempts have been of the "Hey, lets get the guy that tore a back ligament and was laid out flat for over a month to lift really heavy shit and crawl around on his hands and knees for hours".

They got me with the lifting part ( that took all week to recover from fully ), but I flat out declined the menial labour one of the tech guys was trying to pawn off on me. That particular task bounced around at least 4 or 5 people in the office with everyone either not having time or flat out refusing to do his job for him. Basically he wanted someone to clean out all the stations and bundled all the network cabling through out the entire office under the desks.

I think not. >.>

[Jester]

The entertainment value is very high here. VERY high. I offer some examples of stories that barely turn our heads down here, but generally make the rest of the populace go "WHAT???"

Recently, there was this woman who got arrested for.....well, read the article. For once, they word it very well!

Then there was this genius street performer, who basically faked his own death (or disappearance if you prefer), back flipping into the harbor during his escape act. When he didn't surface, several spectators dove into the water looking for him. Police and fire department rescue crews were called out, but he was apparently gone. What he DID was hide under the dock where he had hid some supplies, then late at night snuck back to his girlfriend in a waiting house, where he was caught the next day by police. For his efforts at a "great trick," this bozo spent 60 days in jail, was fined $60,000, and was banned from ever performing at Mallory Square again, thus ending his 15-year run there. This also was greeted by long time residents with the usual response to weirdness: "It's Key West."

How about this guy? He fled child molestation charges in Las Vegas, costing his father and his best friend their homes which they had put up for his bond. He came to Key West and, living under an alias, became a high profile photographer and man about town. You would think if you are trying to HIDE from the law, you might want to tone down your antics and not be so damn visible?

Then there's the lady who drives a pink flamingo scooter; the homeless guy who used to live down here who had a dog, and upon the dog rode a cat, and upon the cat rode a mouse; the clothing optional roof deck bar (I used to work there); Drag Queen Bingo; bed races; Drag Races, featuring drag queens racing through an obstacle course, not cars racing (both of the previous two events are part of the Conch Republic Independence Celebration, in which the island celebrates its secession from the United State in 1982); the Kinky Karnival (the video is decidely NOT safe for work); Fantasy Fest, of which the Kinky Karnival is a part; the Running of the Hemingways, which is one of the wackier events during Hemingway Days; and many, many more official but bizarre events, almost all of them excuses to do two things: raise money for charity and drink!

So when a guy tries to kill a hotel maid with a hammer, the Chief of Police is revealed to have had a homosexual relationship with a teenager, the incoming Sheriff is revealed to have had a heterosexual affair with his neighbor's 21-year old daughter, and allegedly threatened the neighbor if she interfered (I am still looking for links for those two stories), or the School Superintendent's wife is caught stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the children she is supposed to be serving, we kind of shake our heads and say, "Oh boy." And move on.

Yes. Very entertaining down here. You should come.