Long about April 1983, I was in Smoke's Place on Broad Street having a drink and got thrown the door keys and instructions to lock up after the place closed. I didn't work there... but, was regular enough that I was known by the Owner, who apparently had a 'legal' entanglement that was going to make him unavailable the remainder of the afternoon and evening. I had never bartended in a real bar, before.
When the students started piling in around 9:30, I discovered that the patrons were frequent to insist that they buy me a drink along with theirs and so the night began. Back then, it was de riguer to drink gin and tonics. G&Ts were the final accessory in any good preppy's ensemble and were enjoyed by Biffs and Muffys alike.
When we finally closed the bar at 2:00AM or so, I self-diagnosed as needing something to settle my stomach and steady my nerves after consuming G&Ts all night with the customers. It being late, the only available option for food was The Varsity. They were, at that time, experimenting with 24 hour service... so, I wheeled in and grabbed my standard order of three (3) chili dogs, onion rings, and a VO.
Lewis Grizzard once said, "Chili dogs only bark at night"... well, sometimes they do more than that. Turns out, chili dogs and gin don't mix. They can't even live close by one another as I learned about an hour after getting home. What I endured was more exorcism than anything else... with them chili dog demons seeking to leave my body via any available conduit and without the slightest concern for my personal dignity.
Approximately a year before, I had learned that tequila was not my friend. Actually, I learned that public urination was not allowed in the middle of Cherry Street in Macon... and, reasoned that the tequila who had insisted that I do so was not dependable as a future riding buddy. Now, by virtue of some Varsity chili dogs and lower shelf liquor, I came to learn that gin was no longer consumable. Frankly, to this day, I can't even smell it without getting sick again.
So, in honor of @Anthony Dasher and his misery, I offer hope that 'this too shall pass' and today is better than yesterday and tomorrow better than today.
When the students started piling in around 9:30, I discovered that the patrons were frequent to insist that they buy me a drink along with theirs and so the night began. Back then, it was de riguer to drink gin and tonics. G&Ts were the final accessory in any good preppy's ensemble and were enjoyed by Biffs and Muffys alike.
When we finally closed the bar at 2:00AM or so, I self-diagnosed as needing something to settle my stomach and steady my nerves after consuming G&Ts all night with the customers. It being late, the only available option for food was The Varsity. They were, at that time, experimenting with 24 hour service... so, I wheeled in and grabbed my standard order of three (3) chili dogs, onion rings, and a VO.
Lewis Grizzard once said, "Chili dogs only bark at night"... well, sometimes they do more than that. Turns out, chili dogs and gin don't mix. They can't even live close by one another as I learned about an hour after getting home. What I endured was more exorcism than anything else... with them chili dog demons seeking to leave my body via any available conduit and without the slightest concern for my personal dignity.
Approximately a year before, I had learned that tequila was not my friend. Actually, I learned that public urination was not allowed in the middle of Cherry Street in Macon... and, reasoned that the tequila who had insisted that I do so was not dependable as a future riding buddy. Now, by virtue of some Varsity chili dogs and lower shelf liquor, I came to learn that gin was no longer consumable. Frankly, to this day, I can't even smell it without getting sick again.
So, in honor of @Anthony Dasher and his misery, I offer hope that 'this too shall pass' and today is better than yesterday and tomorrow better than today.
