So there I was, finishing up my shift on Monday, and gearing up to get into celebratory mood for Tuesday, which would mark my six year mark at The Bar. And then, out of seemingly nowhere, my Rockin' Manager tells me that I had recently had a complaint against me. And it was a serious complaint, as it made its way all the way to the Owner.
Well, fuck! What the hell now? What had I done?
RM didn't know the details, but suggested I talk to the general manager, aka Big Boss Man. My first instinct once I clocked out was to call Big Boss Man and ask him what had happened, but as he had left for the day, I didn't think it would be the best idea to call him at home, or wherever he was. So, as much as I hated the suspense, I let it go to the next day, as Big Boss Man was scheduled to be the MOD Tuesday.
And I spent much of Monday night being paranoid, depressed, angry, etc. Not the way I had envisioned things.
So, Tuesday morning rolls around. I pull Big Boss Man aside and ask him about this complaint.
And he just starts laughing.
He continues laughing, and says, "Don't worry. It was nothing." Um, great. But can you tell me what the nothing was, and why it got all the way up the chain to the owner?
Well, it seems that on Friday, one of my guests had gone up to Big Boss Man as he and his party were leaving, and said that I was "weird." Not rude. Not inappropriate. Not obnoxious. Just...."weird."
So I looked at Big Boss Man. "And?" He just chuckled. "That was it, dude. He just said you were weird." Ooookkkkkaaaay....but this is Key West. Aka Key Weird. "Yeah, Jester, I know. That is why I didn't really pay it much mind. Plus, this wasn't exactly news to me."
So then, why had this gone all the way to the owner? Well, it seems that the complainer is friends with Luke, a guy Owner recently hired to oversee all of Owner's properties, as Owner now owns several bars and restaurants in KW. And since the complainer apparently said something to Luke, and Luke tells Owner everything, Owner found out about this "complaint."
Okay. I can see that. But Boss, what was Owner's reaction to this? Boss Man just chuckled some more and said that Owner had said, "We already knew that about Jester!"
So, yeah, basically everyone's reaction to this so-called complaint was, "Yeah....and?"
So I texted Rockin' Manager the basic gist of this, and her reaction was, "Who DOES that?" Meaning, who the hell complains about their bartender being weird, especially in a funky town like Key West? My response was, "Apparently, idiots who happen to be friends with Luke."
So the thing I was worried about ruining my semi-big day turned out to be a complete fizzle, a nothing, a punchline. Hilarious! And this from the same day that produced the Guinness drinkers who blamed me for the "Canadian" style high prices of their beers. What a weird day Friday was!
Oh, wait...better not call it weird. Someone might complain.
On a more positive note, both Owner and one of his sons were in The Bar Tuesday morning (for other reasons), and both congratulated me on the six year mark. I jokingly said to Owner, "Sorry about the last six years." He laughed and said, "That's alright....just make the next ones better." And I joked with many of my customers about how The Bar had hired me six years ago, and they haven't been able to fire me since. And, as a nice little bonus, Big Boss Man gave me a $50 gift certificate to another bar in town. Sweet!
Well, fuck! What the hell now? What had I done?
RM didn't know the details, but suggested I talk to the general manager, aka Big Boss Man. My first instinct once I clocked out was to call Big Boss Man and ask him what had happened, but as he had left for the day, I didn't think it would be the best idea to call him at home, or wherever he was. So, as much as I hated the suspense, I let it go to the next day, as Big Boss Man was scheduled to be the MOD Tuesday.
And I spent much of Monday night being paranoid, depressed, angry, etc. Not the way I had envisioned things.
So, Tuesday morning rolls around. I pull Big Boss Man aside and ask him about this complaint.
And he just starts laughing.

Well, it seems that on Friday, one of my guests had gone up to Big Boss Man as he and his party were leaving, and said that I was "weird." Not rude. Not inappropriate. Not obnoxious. Just...."weird."
So I looked at Big Boss Man. "And?" He just chuckled. "That was it, dude. He just said you were weird." Ooookkkkkaaaay....but this is Key West. Aka Key Weird. "Yeah, Jester, I know. That is why I didn't really pay it much mind. Plus, this wasn't exactly news to me."
So then, why had this gone all the way to the owner? Well, it seems that the complainer is friends with Luke, a guy Owner recently hired to oversee all of Owner's properties, as Owner now owns several bars and restaurants in KW. And since the complainer apparently said something to Luke, and Luke tells Owner everything, Owner found out about this "complaint."
Okay. I can see that. But Boss, what was Owner's reaction to this? Boss Man just chuckled some more and said that Owner had said, "We already knew that about Jester!"
So, yeah, basically everyone's reaction to this so-called complaint was, "Yeah....and?"
So I texted Rockin' Manager the basic gist of this, and her reaction was, "Who DOES that?" Meaning, who the hell complains about their bartender being weird, especially in a funky town like Key West? My response was, "Apparently, idiots who happen to be friends with Luke."
So the thing I was worried about ruining my semi-big day turned out to be a complete fizzle, a nothing, a punchline. Hilarious! And this from the same day that produced the Guinness drinkers who blamed me for the "Canadian" style high prices of their beers. What a weird day Friday was!
Oh, wait...better not call it weird. Someone might complain.

On a more positive note, both Owner and one of his sons were in The Bar Tuesday morning (for other reasons), and both congratulated me on the six year mark. I jokingly said to Owner, "Sorry about the last six years." He laughed and said, "That's alright....just make the next ones better." And I joked with many of my customers about how The Bar had hired me six years ago, and they haven't been able to fire me since. And, as a nice little bonus, Big Boss Man gave me a $50 gift certificate to another bar in town. Sweet!
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