Skip to main content

A documenting of the return

Time travel is possible.

Credit: Jennings Hobson Inc.
I reentered a part of my timeline where I spend my hours serving people drinks and food, cracking jokes, trying to keep good cheer, augmenting reality in a small space that I can dance around with aplomb, wit flowing and feeling connected to the place. 

This may have ruined catering for me for a while. 

I worked for almost seven hours on Friday night, bartending and serving tables while Jeff cooked the food. I think he was glad to be off of the floor. I was glad to be making my acquaintance with people who will be among my new regulars, on whatever scale I manage to return to this place in which I feel so at home.

It felt so good to be there, at home , in a place where I feel so comfortable to be myself. Within seconds, I was right in the same place I had left 19 months ago, in early February 2012. I clocked in and went right to work, serving beer and standing behind the bar from which I watched most of my thirties. When I venture out behind the bar, I navigate a realm of people I enjoy, people who have chosen to come into a place I love so much. They are in a place I call home, even though I do not own it. I am welcoming people into a space that is so integral to my understanding of what it means to be a member of a community. 

But, will this be like the old days? Certainly there were flashes of that, as I danced around tables and slung drinks with vigor.

What will it be like?

I don't know. None of the future has happened yet. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Fire at Court Square Tavern

My tavern is closed indefinitely tonight, after a fire that broke out early this morning. I had just dropped off my daughter at day care, and heard a bulletin on 1400 AM , one of our two sports-talk stations. I didn't even know they did local news, but at least on this occasion, they did. All I heard was "evacuation at Court Square" and I immediately thought I should drive over there. The big building at 500 Court Square was still standing, so that gave me a bit of hope. People were moving around Market Street, and seemed happy. Or at least, not burned. Then I turned up 5th Street, and saw one of the front windows, covered with a tarp, and a huge pile of debris on the sidewalk. Oh crap, I thought. I've worked at the Tavern since August of 2004, and have gone through many ups and downs while there. I started as a server, and became a manager and began bartending that December. It was the first place I was able to work since my separation from my first wife. Working the

One hundred and eleven days left

Today I finally returned to Smith Aquatic and Fitness Center after an over three year absence. The immediate reason to go today is an inability to shower at my house. My house is old and the pipe that takes used water, as well as the solids in that used water, has collapsed. It needs to be replaced. Nothing lasts forever, but many of those items are components. Components can be swapped out as they wear down, but the logistics of replacement can be trying or tedious. I've been trying to figure this out. Somehow, I've been ignoring my body and its physical health. I signed up for the Ten Miler but ran three times before getting out of the habit. Work consumes me and I am working on that. My life needs more components.  As I got out of my car, a kid about 150 feet away by the entrance immediately laughed. I was wearing an athletic shirt way too small for me, and my lower belly was exposed. I could feel it. I felt fat. I didn't feel gross. I didn't have any shame about thi

Running as sense-making

It's going to be a stressful day. I got up at 7:00 AM to start work and I could sit here in front of my computer for the next 10 days and still not get it all done. Okay, that might be an exaggeration, but I'm prone to that awful habit when I'm under stress. I'm under stress at the moment as I try to balance work, my other work, and my need to run six miles or so every other day. In 14 minutes my feet will hit the street and I'll be off. No phone. No e-mail. Just me and my feet. I'm even going to skip the iPod today so I can hear the birds, and so I can concentrate on my surroundings. I don't know where I'm going to go. I know I'll leave the condo and will turn left up Commonwealth Drive. From there? I don't know for sure, but I can guarantee you the day will become a lot less stressful.