It was in the summer sometime, I was in my early twenties. Finally found out where this magical place was, magic to me at least because in my town there is nothing to do really besides drink or eat. I read its name in a local free paper growing up, in the concert section. Never knew the address or the fact that it was less than four miles from where I lived. I forget how I found out where, I think it was from running into someone that used to book there, we ended up booking and running shows there together but I am getting ahead of myself. It was early at least for a bar. There was the bartender and maybe two other people there. I had two friends with me, I forget if either of them was old enough to drink. One of them is in their early 30’s now and still looks young enough to get carded. There was a skinhead behind the bar, not racist so get that stereotype bullshit out of your head. Maybe that is the reason we got free drinks all night, maybe it was something different honestly I never asked or thought to. A free drink was a free drink, all I know is none of us got carded or payed a penny that night. I was an ugly young man being treated like a beautiful woman on her 21st birthday.I hadn’t been drinking long at that point and took it easy, only if I would have kept it at that pace and not started drinking beer and tequila like it was water a lot of these stories may have not happened. I am guessing they still would have somehow.
Their booze selection was not the best or biggest, but if it was it wouldn’t have been the same.
I talked to the bartender, come to find out we knew some of the same people throughout the years and I learned a little more about the history of the place. I had been wanting to book shows for years. I even tried a few times at my parents church growing up. This was completely different, freedom, I had no idea to what extent. When I started putting shows together there I thought I got the ok from the owner which I didn’t. I didn’t meet her for probably at least three months and honestly I think she could have cared less what I was doing until later on. No money was ever kept by me but I never had a bar tab, I still thank the bartenders for the hospitality to this day. We looked after each other like mutual parasites.
Out of the friends that were with me that night, one became a bartender there at one point, I honestly have no fucking clue what happened to the other. I think he is still breathing but do not quote me on that. The one that became a bartender plays a huge roll in the story of my time there and a lot of other people’s stories as well I am sure. I will be let it be known that the person is a she, her name will not be mentioned unless she dies. It is out of respect and love that I do this. I will not run anyone’s name through the mud, I preserve stories not spread peoples shit.
unpaid professional boozehound 