Why won't anybody help me out?

Last week, after lots of traveling and little sleep I got a bit of a cold, that turned a bit worse. I had deemed myself bed ridden since I wasn't scheduled to work until this weekend. Well, Friday came along and I wasn't feeling any better. With all the sickness going around, I didn't want to spread any more. So for the first time in a long time I called around to try to get my shift covered.

Let me prefice this with saying that I always take shifts for people. On an average week, I take at least one shift per person... in addition to the three or four I'm already scheduled. Unless, I can't physically be there, like I am out of town, I will always help a bartender in need.

Well, nobody seemed thankful enough to return the favor last night, and it really made me angry. So for the first time ever I called my manager and said "I've tried to get my shift covered and nobody will help me out. I am sick and I'm wondering if you can help me out." Sure enough he asked one of the people that I already called --and begged-- and of course since the manager called they covered it for me.

I felt really guilty about having to call in without a replacement. But I just think with all I've done for everyone who works there someone could have picked up a shift for me.

Well, today I was supposed to work too. And instead of facing a barrage of phone calls that ended in me being pissed because nobody would get off their lazy butts to help me, I went into work. The minute I walked in and someone said hi to me and I responded in my deeply hoarse voice and intense cough, the manager told me to go home. And then he asked why I didn't call in. Someone that was working when I came in offered to take my shift right then and there and told me to get outta there. I'm thinking maybe people didn't offer because they couldn't see how hideously I looked.. and it took seeing me in my state to feel any sympathy. But nevertheless, I'm glad to be back in my bed.

the server's dream

I think that most server's have had a similar dream to mine ... or maybe I'm just a nutjob. But I've been having this reoccurring dream in which a customer leaves me a really big (undeserving) tip. It started out where this customer (just your average joe-- but yes it was always a guy in a business suit) comes into the bar and runs a tab with me on a particularly slow day.

The first time I had the dream he left me a hundred dollars on his tab. In real life that would be quite a good tip. I've gotten one before but I've had to share it with my fellow bartenders.

But clearly my subconscious thought this was cheap and it got greedy because now in my dreams he leaves me a thousand dollars, which would never, ever happen at my bar.

Is this something that other servers have dreamt about...? Of course I still have the nightmares about being so busy with so many guests yelling at me that my head explodes. But this dream is different, it's kind of nice, and I wake up feeling hopeful.. hopeful of what I'm not sure, but hopeful nonetheless.

Telling me to smile will not make me smile.

I'm so sick of this question. "why aren't you smiling?"

Well, asshole, because I'm serving these three guys their beers and am letting them know their total while these three girls just ordered some sugar filled crapcoctions that are going to take ten minutes to make and I'm trying to get the guy who's playing pool to pay for the drinks I just made for him. And the three girls just handed me three credit cards because god forbid they take turns paying rounds. And as I'm running to the credit card machine fifty million people are swarming around the bar exit so I can't get to it and I have to yell EXCUSE ME and push my way through because nobody listens to me unless I ask them what they want to drink.

Then when I get back I finally get the three guy's their change and get the attention of the oblivious pool player. Then I make the sugary crapcoctions and bring the girls their credit card slips to sign because they insist they only want one drink and don't need to open a tab (and they better believe when they come back up and try to use their credit cards again I will laugh in their face). Then I take the next six drink orders while I'm waiting for them to put hearts over their i's .... and surprise they don't leave tips.

And now I also have to add listening to your stupid question to my list of duties. Please, I don't have time for your question and I don't have time to smile. Here's a question. Do you smile while you punch numbers in your cubicle? Or how about when you type up a report for your boss on the computer? Yeah, didn't think so.

The power of the dollar

Has anyone noticed this interesting trend?

Customer will walk in and come to the bar and order a beer. Then he will leave a dollar. Well, that was nice. And then this same customer comes up and orders a 50 dollar round for his table. Also leaves a dollar. He will then come up and order 30 dollars worth of shots. And, you guessed it, leave a dollar.

It's like the new tip at the bar has become a dollar.. no matter how much or little people order. Yes, when someone orders a beer it's a significant percentage. But not so much when we are mixing drinks and shots up.


Disclaimer: This occurrence may be more prominent in the bar setting.

Homecoming party

Every year all of us hard working bartenders, waitresses, and security guys miss out on Homecoming because it is so packed in our bar. We also all end up working 13 hour days and are miserably tired and angry afterwards. So every year our boss picks one day where he closes the bar and lets us loose. Free booze. Need I say more?

Well, last night was our party and I am just now getting around to writing about it, which shows just how much fun I had. We each brought a dish to pass and every single one us brought dishes that could serve all 40 of us. It was ridiculous. We had mounds of foods. Two hams, one turkey, 6 casseroles, 6 desserts, 3 kinds of potatoes, mini hot dogs, polish mistakes, and not to mention the pizza hut pasta, the subway party sub, and the KFC chicken. We had so much food left over it was almost sad. We contemplated giving it to a shelter but realized it would go bad by the time we could get it there.

After our feast we partied hard. The only liquor the boss man hid from us was the grey goose. Everything else from jager to patron to crown and jameson was ours for the taking. There was a constant flow of people behind the bar making shots and drinks. We also had a flippy cup station and a beer pong table set up. I'm happy to report back that for the second year in a row I was on the winning beer pong team, which doesn't say much since every game seemed to last a half four. Man, we all suck at beer pong.

Last year the boss's finace (he knocked her up by mistake when they were casually dating and now she has a share of his millions.. lucky girl) dropped a knife on one of the waitresses legs and sliced it open. So needles to say, this year he kept a tight leash on her. Which means she wasn't allowed to flirt with any of our managers like she always does, she wasn't allowed to take shots, and she had to stick by his side for the whole party. No knives were thrown this time.

Actually nothing really out of control happened which is the first time. Some of the coworkers were smoking pot out on the deck which I thought was ridiculous with our boss merely a few feet away. But that's as wild as it got. Usually a couple girls make out with eachother and flash all the guys, and people end up pairing off.. but not this year.

After the bar was closed we went over to a house for after hours and played cards. The manager that likes to pick on me picked the rule for circle of death. He made everyone "diss" me before they picked up a card and compliment him. Well, when it came around to my turn I took a drink of my beer and said that I would rather drink that compliment him. HAHA.

The night went pretty late and I was pretty hung over today. I actually had to drive 4 hours home because I have a second interview up here for a new job. After the party, I finally put in my two weeks notice. It was funny because in the speech the boss said "I want to thank everyone who is here for everything they've done and will do in the next year. I don't think anyone is leaving us anytime soon so..." And my friends all gave me a nudge. Well, I didn't want to get uninvited to the party because I quit, so I waited till after!

Don't worry I'll still be posting about the bar. I'm hoping to get a new weekend job as a waitress or bartender up here when I finally get settled. We will see. Happy holidays to everyone!

the bottom line.

An annoying drunk girl is sitting at the bar. I ask her what she needs and she says "What can I get for free?" "Yeah, nothing."

I serve other people and out of the corner of my eye I see the other bartender approaching her. She asks him the same question. And he gives the same response.

Seriously, I'm sick of bitching about people asking for free shots, but what gives? Would you walk into the gas station and ask for free gas? Would you ask the video rental for free videos? No. So, back off. And, quite frankly our cheapest shot was on special for a dollar. If you come to a bar without a dollar, you have serious problems.

Later in the night a guy walks up to the bar and ask for a drink. There are 3 minutes left. Which in our bar, and most bars I am familiar with.. means "shots only". I told him this and he whined.. I expected nothing more. He then asked the bartender working on my side and he got the same response. He then walked to the other side of the bar and asked both of those bartenders as well.

What annoys me about this is that people will say "ohhhh but I can drink it quick before you close". Yeah, but the thing is they don't. They sit in the bar until we've exhausted our please leave the bar is closed's... and have to start taking drinks from people and pushing them out. And then they will whine about having the drink they paid for thrown away. Well, maybe you shouldn't have begged for a drink when you only had three minutes to drink it. So, I just follow the rules and say no.. because I will be the unlucky bartender who gets spotted making a drink after the call by another customer who is trying to get a drink at the last minute.. and then everyone wants special privileges.

My point is, when you ask for things like free drinks and drinks after they've called last call, all you're doing is wasting my and the other customer's time. I don't want to argue for five minutes about why I have to follow the rules. Sorry, I like my job. . and quite frankly I don't feel like risking it for you. And that, folks, is the bottom line.

check this out..

Ever wonder where you can find blogs similar to mine? Do you like reading about the bartending industry.. whether it be about ridiculous customers or new drink recipes? Check out bartendingblogs.com for a list of blogs that inspire me.

http://www.bartendingblogs.com/Directory.html

Most memorable tippers

I'm backkk! Well, not to work yet, but my computer is fixed thanks to this genius guy. I'm still at home searching for jobs. And it's going fairly well. I have two interviews set up for next week.. so hopefully one of them works in my favor. I will be sad to leave my job at the college bar because mostly I will miss the coworkers and some of the customers. I will miss my roommate because it's nice to have one of your best friends just a living room away. I will miss my Independence.. as I will have to move in with the fam until I get back on my feet. I will also miss the high I get from bartending.. but I will be looking for weekend work once I settle into a full time position. I'm trying not to think about leaving too much because I need to start developing my career.. it's just the best thing for me to do right now, and my hometown is just the best place to do that for me right now.

Anyway, on to my post..

Recently I have been writing a lot of negative things about customers. In light of that, I have three stories about my most memorable tippers, which are meant to be positive stories. I do love my work and most of the customers that come through.

**One of our more exciting times is around parent’s weekend. The college students bring in their family and most families know how to tip. This particular parent’s weekend I was the first cocktail on. I was doing pretty well, but I had one demanding table. The guy kept ordering rounds of jager bombs for his kid and his kid’s friends (which was like ten of them per round). I would give him his round, visit my other tables and come back in time for him to order another round.

This went on for about two hours. When one of the other girls went on I made sure to stick by my table because I didn’t want to have to split my tip with her if she put something on his tab as I had been working hard to serve him all night. So I made sure to let the father know that all he had to do was flag me down if he needed me. For once, I didn’t mind being waved down because I was keeping this tip.

Finally he asked me for his tab and I was relieved because I was the only person who served him. I asked him to sign it and brought it up to the cashier. The bartender who was serving me was pleased as he paid it out to me because he knew he would be getting his share of the 75 dollar tip he left me. I was very pleased and had a night full of really good tippers. That night I walked away with 250 dollars AFTER tip out. At my bar, that is an amazing night. Most of the girls now are lucky to make a hundred, which is why I switched to bartending where it is not so rare.

I came to find out later that my 75 dollar tipper who was ordering jager bombs all night was the president of jager. I’m not sure if that means he represented jager distributors around our area or if he is actually a president of the company. All I know, I was pleased with his tip and he was pleased with my service, as his tip showed. It’s nice when you work really hard to keep customers happy and they acknowledge that effort.

**I started working during the summer. It was definitely not the best starting point because it is unusually slow in the summer, moreso than most places because our main customers are college students. This day was more slow than most, as there were only three people in the bar. One was a coworker and his friend. And one was an old scruffy looking man. I asked him if he would like anything and he asked for a Pepsi.

I brought him his drink and asked for the two dollars. He handed me a 50 dollar bill and I told him that I would bring his change back, since I didn’t have enough to make change. He told me to keep it. My manager asked me to leave ten minutes later because it was so slow and thanks to this old man I made 48 dollars for working approximately twenty minutes. Probably much more than the bartender did who had to stay there for the full five hour shift.


**There is a regular at our bar, a lawyer no less. This man made it quite clear to me that he was a VIP at the college bar. The first night I worked solo I came into the bar to relieve one of our girls. She had been helping the lawyer and his wife. I wasn’t on my game as well I should have been because he was going through his beers like it was water.

I later found out that he regularly drinks like this and he is a very demanding customer. If he feels like he is waiting too long he will go to the bar and **gasp** you will have to split your tip with them. So it’s best to keep checking in on them every five minutes. There were other people that would hang out with them who included our drug court judge, a republican senator, and a police officer. So generally they all tipped very well.

On this particular day, the first day I served them, I wasn’t getting to them as quickly as I should have so they were going to the bar. When I closed their tab up they left a 100 dollar tip and made sure to let me know that this was only to go to the waitress who was on before me. I was upset that I wasn’t going to get any of this tip, but I understood. This was my first serving job and I wasn’t very good at it yet.

I made sure to let the bartender know that he wanted the tip to go to the other server. He then came up behind me to make sure I told the bartender that the tip was going to the other server. This was all sort of embarrassing for me. However, after that I made sure to check their table as often as I could and got on their good side. And now I get to keep the tips because I earn them.

As a bartender now I laugh when the lawyer comes up to the bar to get their drinks because I know that he will leave a small tip for this girl. I always tell the girls to make sure to take care of them if they want a good tip, but I don’t mind when he comes up to the bar because that means that I get to split the tip with her.

you're not getting an apology from me

I have to get this off my chest asap or it's going to bug me all day.

I had the worst two customers last night. You know, the kind that think that because I'm serving them drinks they can talk to me however they want to. And when they get a few drinks in them they think they can berate me.

So we'll bypass to about twelve am when the bar is busy and I'm trying to serve drinks to as many people as possible without my head exploding in the process. I grab a guy his beers and his friend is like I want five piece of ass shots. Now, I did not ASK her if she wanted anything she just sorta yelled it at me while I was helping her friend. I was polite enough to acknowledge her by telling her I wasn't sure how to make that shot because nobody has ordered it from me before.

Now as I am giving his change and walking away I can hear her sort of yell out liquors to me. And I knew the bartender who was serving that side of the bar (he was getting credit cards so I was trying to help a few people on his side while he was gone) knew how to make the shot. So I just let him get to her.

Anyway I keep serving my side and about a half hour later I go to the credit card machine and my manager is sitting there. He says "you have to work on your customer service skills." And I thought he was joking because he is new to managing so he tries to joke around with people and pretend to be the tough guy. So I ask him what he is talking about and he says "some girl just pulled me aside for like ten minutes and was demanding an apology from you. I told her no way was I going to make one of my bartenders apologize for not making her shots. But this was your reprimand. So just go with it."

I can NOT believe that she made such a huge deal about it. Everyone knew too because at the end of the night one of the bartenders asked who was demanded an apology from.. and I meekly said "me." Everyone's consensus was she was a huge bitch and that she was out of line. Apparently when the other bartender tried to serve her she asked for the manager and he pointed him out. She then yelled about me to the manager for about five minutes demanding an apology... obviously the manager wasn't going to ask me to apologize.

I mean first of all, I choose who I serve.. that's my one right as bartender and I'm going to keep it. And also I never asked her what she wanted and if had to serve everyone who was yelling drinks orders at me.. well I wouldn't have enough arms. I could see the manager getting concerned if I threw someone's drinks on them, or refused to give someone change.. but seriously because I bypassed you and made someone else drinks, you are going to bitch. GET A LIFE.

I've thought long and hard about this and if I was asked to apologize I would have said this:

I'm sorry that I didn't know how to make your shot and that I was letting the bartender who did, make it for you. I'm also sorry that it is your time of the month and you are so overly emotional. I'm sorry too that you got so drunk that you thought this was a big deal. But mostly I'm sorry you're such a bitch.

I hope she comes asking for that apology.

My other asshole customer came at the end of the night. Well, I served him at about 12:40. Him and his friend asked for vodka tonics.. which I swear I made right because most of the drinks I make I just grab and pour without thinking twice.. like it's second nature.. but vodka tonics always mess me up a bit because I automatically want to grab the gin. Anyway, my point is I was aware of the drink making process. I brought them their drinks.. they drank them.. and now we're at the end of the night when the lights are on and people are leaving.

I'm helping some guy close his credit card tab and I get this guy come up and I say "do you need to close your credit card too?" I wish I wouldn't have acknowledged him at all.. looking back. He says "I just wanted to let you know that you made our drinks with 7up instead of tonic and you need to pay attention more when you do your job because it's not that hard to pour the right drinks." I'm thinking: Asshole. And apparently that thought is written on my face because before I can even respond he says "NO! Don't look at me like that, you messed up and I think that you need to learn how to make drinks right." So I say "Maybe next time you complain about a drink I make you should tell me before you drink half of it so I can correct the mistake."

What I wanted to say was: You're a prick. I hope that you're not such an asshole when you're sober because if you are then you are going to live a very lonely, angry life.

What I wanted to do was take that drink from him and tell him if he didn't like it he didn't have to drink it and then throw it away. But I was too tired to care. Then when I walk back my manager says "Didn't feel like trying tonight?" As he's closing my register totals (see told you he totally picks on people- and I didn't slack I did pretty well). Which set me off.. and I almost lost it before I thought about how unimportant these people are in the grand scheme of my life.

What a saturday night.. glad I have a mini vaca starting today

The couple that wouldn't go away

So I was working at the tub last night which is dangerously close to the door and the breeze that flies through the door every time it opens. It was also, unfortunately, slow. So I was able to listen to this arguement that ensued between the door guy and this couple that wouldn't go away.

The first time him and his girlfriend came in and the doorguy looked at his ID and says "No sorry, I just saw this ID five minutes ago." And the guy is like "Well, that's ME!" Doorguy, "Well that may be true, but someone just used this ID to get in so you shouldn't use pass backs." Guy: "How do you know that?" Doorguy: "I remember the name and picture and the birthday, trust me I have to look at these pretty well." At this point I started to get customers so I couldn't hear the convo, but the guy sat there and argued with the doorguy for about ten freaking minutes. Meanwhile the people behind them were getting really impatient.

I was able to hear a few words like the guy saying that maybe someone stole his ID and was using it.. which means that the person who stole your ID, ended up at the same bar as you, and got there five minutes before you. Yeah, right. Passbacks are insulting. And more than that, that would be a definite fine if the police raided us (which happens quite a bit in our town.. not as much at our bar though because we're strict about not letting under-agers in)

So then the manager comes up to help remedy the problem. Now this manager is usually all I don't want to deal with this problem so just let the customer have what he wants.. but this time he actually brought his balls. He told the guy the same thing that the doorguy did with a little more authority and the man still bitched. So he told him to just get out.

Fast forward to thirty minutes later when the couple walks through the door again. Seriously? Did he think the doorguy would forget about him with the scene he made? He just got the manager right away this time, and although I didn't hear the convo I heard a lot of yelling. And the guy started getting in the manager's face. I don't know where in his thought process he thought it would be a good idea to scream at the one guy who could have the authority to let him in, but he did. At this point the girlfriend decided to start screaming and the manager did what any smart guy would do, he put his hand in front of her face and blocked her out. I mean really girl, this is between the guys they don't need your screechy voice in the background.

Finally, the manager said JUST GET OUT and DON'T COME BACK. And they did. For like one whole minute and then the girl throws open the door and says go get the manager. This girl is starting to get on my nerves because I want to hear/watch this conversation, but I have customers.. so I'm half paying attention to orders and half watching this couple make a fool of themselves. Anyway, I don't know what was said after that but the manager and the couple stepped outside. Maybe they apologized, I doubt it, but either way that was the LAST we saw of them.

On a good note, I was getting really good tips for working on the tub. I had four people coming up to me that were tipping me 100%, which was great since it was so slow. I ended up making 65 bucks for two hours of opening cans, which is great for me. Tomorrow I'm heading home. Hope everyone's weekend brings in lots of money.

Just so ya know..

I wanted to let everyone know that my postings and comments are going to be less frequent for a bit. For one, I am going home to job search for the next week and a half so hopefully I will be a bit busy. And for two, my computer BROKE. Seriously. With Christmas coming up and my getting less hours and people tipping like shit.. my computer went and quit on me (and I'm using my roommate's computer just to clarify). So I have to figure something out.. hopefully the computer guys can help me out and fix this.

I also got an email about a titled kilt opening in my hometown. Although, I'm not planning on "auditioning" for the joint .. it was nice to see that places are up and running in my home town. Also I just read a post about the place and it sounds cool, so I'm excited to check it out.

I will try to get back to posting my regular rants soon!

it's official

I'm officially looking for a new job! I'm tired of the crap being pulled from management about our scheduling.. I'm scheduled two shifts next week even though I have FULL availability. The problem is he wants to reward all the managers by giving them bartending shifts.. and now the managers have ALL the good shifts. So us actual bartenders are left with the bad shifts.. and barely any shifts at all.

I've been there for far too long to have to deal with all of this. I need a job where it pays to work hard.. and to put time in. I also will have to look for a job in my hometown because as far as barandgrills.. we are the only one where people make a decent amount of money. In my hometown there are plenty. So next week I'll be going home and be job hunting. I just really wish the economy wasn't so crappy because I'm sure there won't be many jobs available. Wish me luck!!

Welcome back... to the floor

I got a call yesterday morning asking me to cover for a waitress. And I was extremely nervous to take the shift. I haven't worked on the floor in over a year.. I don't even know what is on our new menu (well after our shift yesterday I do), and the girls have new rules that I am not familiar with.

Fortunately for me it was pretty slow.. and I still left with about thirty dollars.. so it wasn't too bad. I mean it was thirty dollars I didn't have before and I didn't do very much. And since I'm a bartender I was able to keep myself busy as acting as the bartender and the floor waitress. I probably only served 12 people total that day.. but everyone was very friendly. I even got a thank you from everyone I served. It definitley made me miss working with a crowd that wasn't hammered.

It was also nice to know I could jump right back in without any mistakes! I think reading all these blogs about serving has really helped me be more aware of my duties. When I started serving 3 years ago I was not trained very well. And the more I read.. the more I realized what mistakes I had been making. When I went out there yesterday I think I was better than I was before. Maybe I should suggest my blog reading list to some of our new waitresses who can't seem to handle more than two tables. Thanks to all those writing the serving blogs.. they've definitely helped me become better at my job.

I hope the newbie quits.

I haven't written about Halloween yet because I don't even know where to start.

Thursday and Friday night were miserably slow. It did allow me to take in all the lovely outfits. One of my co-workers said "I love Halloween because I get to see all the bitches dressed up like sluts". That pretty much sums up how Halloween is in a college town. I'd bet I saw more playboy bunny costumes than Hugh Hefner did on Friday night and it wasn't even really Halloween yet! There were quite a few mario's and only one luigi. We had a clever pair of cocktails dress up as trolls (nude body suits, and sprayed their hair neon colors and wore it sticking straight up).

On a high note, after a night of miserable tips.. in the last couple of minutes I took a ten dollar bribe from a customer. Our bar time is a few minutes fast.. so we end up closing and doing last calls a little early. Well, at this point it had been last call for shots for a few minutes. A man came up and asked for a beer and I said the standard "Sorry shots only, would you like a jager bomb?" He says no and takes out more money and I repeat myself. And again he takes out more money. He says "give me four beers and I'll let you keep the change." I saw the twenty and decided I could use that ten dollar tip.

And I didn't feel bad about it at all. I wouldn't even really get into trouble if I was caught by a manager because there is no clock around the side bar so keeping time is difficult.. you have to really listen to the DJ.. and I could just say that I didn't hear her call it.

So that was the highlight of my Friday night.

Saturday night I was at the main bar last on. The third on bartender wanted the night off so he gave his shift to a new guy who has never worked the main bar.. it was a disaster. The first thing the newbie did when he got put on was ignore the four customers waiting for drinks and went to help a cocktail waitress. The problem here is that we have a bartender who serves the cocktails and she was doing just fine. There was no reason for him to help her and ignore the people waiting. This is the same newbie who helped customers on that Thursday when he was supposed to be just helping cocktails. He can't seem to get it straight.

He also served one drink at a time. It was killing me to watch him. He would seriously walk up to a GROUP of people and ask one person at a time. Someone would ask for a beer and he would go get it, take the money, change the money, and bring it back, AND THEN serve the next person in the group. I know he is new, but how hard is it to remember more than one drink, especially if one of them is a beer. So, the manager had to put me on really early because this kid had no idea what was going on. That didn't bother me because I had a chance to make more money on my register, which equaled a higher tip out.

Anyway, there were about a million tabs and we only have so many clipboards. So there were about 5-8 tabs on each little clipboard. This means when someone tells me to put it on their tab I have to look through about 35-45 tabs before I can find their name and write it down. To make matters worse, the tabs hang from the top of the bar... which I can BARELY reach. So I'm on my tippie toes looking through tabs and one of the security guys is standing in front on me.. on the customer side of the bar .. drinking (he had the night off). And he proceeds to hit my hand while I'm looking through the tabs.. so I lose my spot and have to start looking through them all over again. He thinks this is funny when I tell him to stop. And then he does it five more times. Until I slam my hands down and tell him to stop because he's being a pain in the ass. Seriously, an employee should know not to screw with a bartender while their busting their ass.

So here I am .. trying to make up for the slack on my side of the bar because I'm working with the newbie on a very busy night. And as I'm going through the tabs again I notice that the newbie is writing the BARS tab totals on the cocktails side of the paper. Here's the basics of tabs we print out a slip of paper, write B and C on the top, and draw a line down the middle.. the last name then is written on the bottom of the paper. Anything the bar rings up goes on the B side. Anything the cocktails ring up goes on the C side. So this brilliant guy is putting the our sales on the C side. So I have to pull him aside and tell him to knock it off.

For some reason .. probably because he's never worked at the main bar before.. he thinks that he can't serve anyone on my side of the bar. Well my side faces the door.. so a lot of people line up on my side. His side faces the pool table where people mostly just "hang out". Ok so when he doesn't have anyone to serve in his 10 feet of bar space.. he just stands in the way. He doesn't try to help anyone on my side.. or the other 40 feet of bar space.. he just stands in the way. To prove his laziness even more.. while I was putting ice in my three cups because I had three drink orders to fill.. he starts pouring his liquor into the cup I just filled with ice and was about to use. Yes. that's right. He can't even grab his own cups of ice. He just lets me make them and then steals mine.

So anyway, I had quite the night trying to manuever between and make up for the newbie's mistakes. I would have been more pissed.. but I made over two hundred dollars more than him on my register and went on about a half hour later than him (I made 950 in two hours and he made 715 in two and a half).. so I got my revenge by taking home more money.

And then as I was about to leave.. I remembered I had worked early that day (4-9) and went to grab the cup of tips the waitress said she left me for helping her all day. Oh yeah.. she left me a dollar. A freaking dollar. Why even waste your time? Granted it was slow during the day.. but I tipped her our at least thirty dollars from credit cards.. and she also had quite a few cash tabs. And she's supposed to leave 15-20%. She could have at least given me five bucks.

Overall, I had a shitty week. I made less this week than I have in quite a while.. and it's only going to get worse with the holidays arriving.