DOUBLE BACKSTABBING ALERT!!!

Dear Loyal Friends,
 
You are not going to believe this one........
 
Shirley went to the bar today to speak to the owner about getting some work (swallowing her pride, of course, because we are all broke due to naivete).  The door was locked so she knocked on it and who do you think appeared?  It was the newbie, Jamie.  It turns out that she knew all along that the bar was being sold because her boyfriends' (?) (he's 36 and she's 19) friend bought it.  I'm so sorry and I feel terrible for bringing this two faced bitch into our territory.  But at least she's working, right?  Remember, it's all about Jamie.  She said so.
 
Being the mature woman that I am (lol), I had to call her (Jamie) and ask her how she could screw me over like that (For real, she knew about it and smiled in my face anyway).  She replied that she only knew a day before Shirley or I knew and that she was sorry about us losing our jobs.  I then spoke to the owner and he stated that they would be open at night and doing renovations during the day, he had his own people (including fat ass) and if they didn't work out he'd consider Shirl and I for employment.  I regretfully declined his generous offer (sarcasm) and informed him that keeping Jamie (I know, I know, the white trash is showing, I apologize to all of you) was not good business move. I also let him know that she was a horrible bartender, suffers from ADD and was hardly trainable due to her self-centered chatter, she alienated the regular customers and was just a complete snot to everyone and so were her anti-social "friends".  I also stated that Shirl and I had a loyal following and they probably wouldn't patronize his establishment as regulars (maybe I've overstepped my boundaries but you guys are like family to us. I hope to not look like an ass if you decide to drink there [yes, this is America and you have the right to drink anywhere] but I'm hoping you don't due to your own morals and values regarding your loyalties.  Face it, it won't be the same and if it will help we will buy some booze, meet somewhere and serve it you guys in gold chalices [lol]).  You can get a beer anywhere, it's the company that counts.
 
If the regulars don't patronize the establishment due to the back stabber, who will be on Thursday and Friday nights, maybe, eventually, we can get our home back.  After all, crappy as it was, there's no place like home  (Disclaimer:  I would never wish anything bad to happen to anyone, even a stranger, but if it shouldn't work out for them, well, you get the idea).
 
Anyway, as for the unforgiven and betrayed staff, minus the one big mouthed Benedict Arnold,  will be trying to acquire a new home for our people.  We would like to create our own tavern, jointly owned (with enthusiastic financing by a few loyal patrons of our former home) and managed fairly.  We are diligently looking for a property in the area, so if anyone has any ideas please contact me at Sodabopp@aol.com <mailto:Sodabopp@aol.com> .  If you would like to be involved in ownership we would be eternally grateful.  I know we could make it a successful endeavor for all involved. Just a place to come after work or whenever where you can wind down in a comfortable atmosphere after a long day at work.   Also, there would be no walking on eggshells or leaving when a boss came in.  Uncomfortable is not our favorite feeling and it's a proven fact that when Jack walked in the bar the air became full of tension.  He disliked a lot of people for reasons I can't understand and this continued even after it was explained to him that his customers were his livelihood.  I think there is a mental illness named after this trait I just don't care what it's called.  I try to stay away from bad karma like his, it's bad for your health.
 
On a personal note, the feeling of betrayal is overwhelming.  Shirley is a mess and I feel like dirt because I brought this person in (I had no idea, she comes off so innocently. Then again, she's only 19 years old although her ID says she's 23.  She'll learn, I'll see to it or better yet her maker will)   I'm so sorry but if it's the only thing I do with the rest of my life I will make sure that we can all hang out again, as the family I feel we've become.  Only then can I atone for the sin of "sleeping with the enemy" (No, not literally.  Stop imagining it, ewww [do I know you guys or what?]).
 
Feel free to e-mail me at the above link to talk, voice your opinion, offer advise and/or hopefully commit to our quest to acquire and operate a new place that we can call our own.  I hope to hear from you all but until then "Go with G-d", Semper Fidelis, later skaters or, in the words of a famous speaker or mumbler we all know and put up with, "Fuck em' all". 
 
We will miss every single one of you. That is, until we meet again. <With Much Love and Respect,
 
Robin &
 Shirley (she really doesn't know about this letter but is getting credit for creating it because she is truly a good friend to me and all of you plus she feels so betrayed she can't express it)
 
 
Jack said we could put his picture below: (Yes, that's a donkey or Jackass as he is primarily known as)
 
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The Tavern is Closed

Hey misplaced drinkers,

Word is that the bar is closed. I don't have any information on how long it will remain as such.

Truthfully, who would expect the former Bossman, current scumbag, to have done this any other way. He had no respect for his bartenders, or for his patrons. Whoever opens the place back up will certainly be a more civil owner. And probably a helluva lot easier on the eyes. That Bossman was one ugly motherfucker.

My heart goes out to Shelley and all of the other bartenders who tried to make our stay at the Tavern pleasant, in spite of ownership operating against them at every turn. They had to compete with inadequate stock of beer, fucked up toilets, insufficient refrigeration, and, as I remember, sweltering working conditions for the bulk of last summer.

The former Bossman will probably be able to sit there and read this and laugh at all of them, and all of us, the patrons. But in his head and bitter black heart he knows just what a disgratziada he is. I doubt he has even one true friend.

I say good riddance to him. 1762 will be back, and probably infinitely better run and managed in his absence. I look forward to seeing your familiar faces when 1762 reopens.

The Ultimate Backstab

I received the following email from Robin:

Dear valued customers, beloved patrons, it just doesn't feel right saying those things because I am not the owner of The Corner Tavern so I will just speak the truth from my soul.
 
Here's the deal.....Bossman, dickhead that he is and always will be, has sold the bar to G-d knows who without giving any notice to anyone.  Staff, customers, no one knew until the day before the takeover.  It truly saddens me that nobody got the chance to protest.  I know that a few of us would have begged, borrowed and stole to acquire this dump.  Even as a joint effort it would have been a success because we actually care about this place.  It could have become such a better place if only we were given the chance to acquire it.  Just as it was in the past, although it was called something else, it would have been more community oriented and a meeting place for events (like a starting place for holiday parades), sort of a VFW post with booze.  As a member of the staff, loyal but part time, I am so annoyed that even the day before the change of management I was not informed.  I even put the Bossman on the spot by going down to the basement to ask for a certain liquor and upon seeing him packing everything up down there and asking him outright, "Are you moving or something?", he smiled and said, "No, I am just getting rid of some stuff because of insurance reasons.  I should have done it when it was neat, but I didn't so I'm doing it all at once".  That's when I realized that it was all over for our Corner.  He didn't even tell the bar manager straight out but after she was tipped off by a close friend of hers, she put it together.  A woman with intuitive thoughts is a very smart woman.
 
Anyway, whatever happens to our home away from home, we (the bartenders),  would all like you to know that we tried really hard to make the bar a place people wanted to hang out in, a comfortable place where you all could be yourselves and relax and most of all we tried to make it a place that you could call your own.  Sorry about the end result but we had no control or knowledge of any sale or we would have acted and probably obtained the business due to the group effort of all of us, staff and patron alike, sort of like a military troupe, all for one and one for all.  It probably would have been really successful for all.
 
You are all wonderful people and great patrons.  Personally, I received nothing but respect from most of you and from some I received some life lessons given in horn dog speak (which I understand).  And for all of this, dirty and clean,  I would like to thank you for patronizing this establishment while I was on shift even though the owner was a shit.  We will try to inform you guys of all our whereabouts so that maybe you'll come see us elsewhere. 
 
Friday is probably my last day although if I can stay longer with the new management I will ($$).  Seriously, how many jobs can I lose in a 15 day period?  What a bitch life is, huh?  Everything falls apart at once, I am living proof of that.  My motto, "Trust No One".  It's becoming clear that I should live by my own motto.  Sad but true.
 
Anyway, I'll miss you guys and I'll miss that bar.  Life goes on.
 
Later guys,
 
Robin

Death Installments – Cigarettes & Your Rotting Body

Well I thought about posting another public service announcement after hearing my brother hack up half his lung. Apparently leaving a grieving wife and grown kids is something he’s not thinking about. He’s not thinking because copious amounts of alcohol have probably destroyed the brain cells that control ‘reason’. This public service post is about smoking.

In the United States today the Tobacco lobby has made sure that the Surgeon General’s Warning on a pack of cigarettes is so small it is nearly unreadable. “Though America started the trend of labelling cigarette packages with health warnings, today the country has one of the smallest, least prominent warnings placed on their packages.

Warnings are usually in small typeface placed along one of the sides of the cigarette packs with colors and fonts that closely resemble the rest of the package, so the warnings essentially are integrated and don't stand out with the rest of the cigarette package” (from: Dumas, Bethany K. “An Analysis of the Adequacy of Federally Mandated Cigarette Package Warnings.” Ch. 11 of Language in the Judicial Process, ed. J. N. Levi and A. G. Walker. NY: Plenum Press Corp., 1990, 309–352. Reprinted Tennessee Law
Review 59.2 (1992), 261–304.)

(The following is from Wikipedia)
In the United Kingdom cigarettes must be labeled with one or more of the following warnings: Smoking kills
Smoking seriously harms you and others around you
Additionally, one of the following additional warnings must be displayed, covering at least 40% of the surface of the pack:

Smokers die younger
Smoking clogs the arteries and causes heart attacks and strokes
Smoking causes fatal lung cancer
Smoking when pregnant harms your baby
Protect children: don't make them breathe your smoke
Your doctor or your pharmacist can help you stop smoking
Smoking is highly addictive, don't start
Stopping smoking reduces the risk of fatal heart and lung diseases
Smoking can cause a slow and painful death
Get help to stop smoking: telephone/postal address/internet address/consult your doctor/pharmacist
Smoking may reduce the blood flow and cause impotence
Smoking causes ageing of the skin
Smoking can damage the sperm and decreases fertility
Smoke contains benzene, nitrosamines, formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide.

"The first written warnings on packets in Britain appeared in 2003, and shocking warning pictures are set to appear on British packets in 2008 alongside the written messages, revealed Alan Johnson, Secretary of Health in August 2007." (From Wikipedia)

But if that isn’t enough to get you to put down a cigarette at least know what ‘second hand smoke’ will do to your friends, family, coworkers and aquaintances. The following is from “The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 6 Major Conclusions of the Surgeon General Report.”

1. Many millions of Americans, both children and adults, are still exposed to secondhand smoke in their homes and workplaces despite substantial progress in tobacco control.
Supporting Evidence
o Levels of a chemical called cotinine, a biomarker of secondhand smoke exposure, fell by 70 percent from 1988-91 to 2001-02. In national surveys, however, 43 percent of U.S. nonsmokers still have detectable levels of cotinine.
o Almost 60 percent of U.S. children aged 3-11 years—or almost 22 million children—are exposed to secondhand smoke.
o Approximately 30 percent of indoor workers in the United States are not covered by smoke-free workplace policies.
2. Secondhand smoke exposure causes disease and premature death in children and adults who do not smoke.
Supporting Evidence
o Secondhand smoke contains hundreds of chemicals known to be toxic or carcinogenic (cancer-causing), including formaldehyde, benzene, vinyl chloride, arsenic, ammonia, and hydrogen cyanide.
o Secondhand smoke has been designated as a known human carcinogen (cancer-causing agent) by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Toxicology Program and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has concluded that secondhand smoke is an occupational carcinogen.
3. Children exposed to secondhand smoke are at an increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory infections, ear problems, and more severe asthma. Smoking by parents causes respiratory symptoms and slows lung growth in their children.
Supporting Evidence
o Children who are exposed to secondhand smoke are inhaling many of the same cancer-causing substances and poisons as smokers. Because their bodies are developing, infants and young children are especially vulnerable to the poisons in secondhand smoke.
o Both babies whose mothers smoke while pregnant and babies who are exposed to secondhand smoke after birth are more likely to die from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) than babies who are not exposed to cigarette smoke.
o Babies whose mothers smoke while pregnant or who are exposed to secondhand smoke after birth have weaker lungs than unexposed babies, which increases the risk for many health problems.
o Among infants and children, secondhand smoke cause bronchitis and pneumonia, and increases the risk of ear infections.
o Secondhand smoke exposure can cause children who already have asthma to experience more frequent and severe attacks.
4. Exposure of adults to secondhand smoke has immediate adverse effects on the cardiovascular system and causes coronary heart disease and lung cancer.
Supporting Evidence
o Concentrations of many cancer-causing and toxic chemicals are higher in secondhand smoke than in the smoke inhaled by smokers.
o Breathing secondhand smoke for even a short time can have immediate adverse effects on the cardiovascular system and interferes with the normal functioning of the heart, blood, and vascular systems in ways that increase the risk of a heart attack.
o Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or at work increase their risk of developing heart disease by 25 - 30 percent.
o Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or at work increase their risk of developing lung cancer by 20 - 30 percent.
5. The scientific evidence indicates that there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke.
Supporting Evidence
o Short exposures to secondhand smoke can cause blood platelets to become stickier, damage the lining of blood vessels, decrease coronary flow velocity reserves, and reduce heart rate variability, potentially increasing the risk of a heart attack.
o Secondhand smoke contains many chemicals that can quickly irritate and damage the lining of the airways. Even brief exposure can result in upper airway changes in healthy persons and can lead to more frequent and more asthma attacks in children who already have asthma.
6. Eliminating smoking in indoor spaces fully protects nonsmokers from exposure to secondhand smoke. Separating smokers from nonsmokers, cleaning the air, and ventilating buildings cannot eliminate exposures of nonsmokers to secondhand smoke.
Supporting Evidence
o Conventional air cleaning systems can remove large particles, but not the smaller particles or the gases found in secondhand smoke.
o Routine operation of a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system can distribute secondhand smoke throughout a building.
o The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the preeminent U.S. body on ventilation issues, has concluded that ventilation technology cannot be relied on to control health risks from secondhand smoke exposure.

It’s bad enough your killing yourself when you smoke but worse when you kill someone else. Its even unthinkable if its someone you love. Manslaughter by chemical self indulgence. You assure the slow, insidious, internal torture of the human body of you the smoker and a ‘loved one’. As a life insurance policy and payments protect your family in the event of your death, a cigarette is payment for the diseases that will kill you and them.

Light up! Today you live….tomorrow we will grieve. A two pack a day habit at $5.00 a pack is $300.00 dollars every thirty days or $3,650.00 per year. A hefty death installment and Liggett & Myers, Phillip Morris, and R.J. Reynolds (their heirs and assigns) will make a profit off of your miserable existence.

The mortician will make money from you carelessly killing off friends and family every time you make a death installment, a pack of cigarettes. If you killed your family or friends outright you would go to jail for MURDER or MANSLAUGHTER. This way you can do it legally, while it is still legal.

RJ

Sunday Afternoon

It had been a while since I saw Yaega Lee, about three weeks. So I went to the dive to pay a visit and catch up on some time and see what’s going on. I got to the dive and ERL was shooting pool with Biker Bob. Yaega didn’t have that many customers at the time I walked in so we all bought rounds of drinks and shot pool. It was a fun Sunday Afternoon, music was 60’s, 70’s and oldies and everyone was in chill out mode.

I got to fill in Biker Bob on my trip to Tennessee and told him about Bear’s shoulder. Let him know that Bear and Star asked about him and I let him know I told Bear and Star he was doing O.K. ERL was alone, Evie was nowhere to be seen, ERL was as mellow as I have ever seen him. Cho’ came in and relaxed for a while, he is holding his head up real good despite knowing his newborn son will have heart surgery. I told him I would keep him in prayer, we all should.

The Met Fan strolled in and we had a long talk about College basketball while kicking back and doing a few shots. As the womens basketball game started, Rhoda and her man, Crusher came in and the shift change started. Everybody had fun, was having fun and really relaxing…I haven’t been in here when it was really fun in a while. But the night was just falling and others had yet to pass through the dive.

Yaega told me that some people in the dive are getting a little too touchy feely with the bartenders. I told her not to put up with the shit and if things got stupid to do something about it. I asked her if Blues Man knew about this and she shook her head negatively. I let her know she better tell him, before he finds out from someone else or on CNN. Yaega can take care of herself but a woman is a woman and inside the dive some guys just don’t know what the word ‘respect’ means.

Cary passed by, coming from one of his Sunday gigs, with his usual GQ look. He had a few and talked about Kareoke and his new gig at the Kennedy Airport Holiday Inn. He said things were looking good, he said he and Mallory were in the dive Saturday Night and he wanted to show her that some things have changed (they are considering another performance here in the future). Cary drank up and left for home.

When Rhoda got behind the bar and night settled in Yaega and ERL hung out a little while as the regulars flowed in and out Chucky and his buddy came in as usual and had a few. We talked about both Kennedy’s and Dr King and where we were when they were assassinated. Chucky also commented on polygamy, but I’ll save that conversation for later. Everybody was getting nicely rowdy and the place had a good buzz. Then Pimp showed up.

Pimp, his daughter and her boyfriend rolled in for one or two. Pimp was performing his usual civic duty looking for nice American Men to hook up with women who’s immigration status is on the verge of question. He inquired if anyone is interested in a hot ‘triny girl’ who is looking for a man to make her a good American in every way possible. He had pictures. I told him I had my own problems. He left kind of quick, not many single men in dive that night.

We all got a little happier, music was jamming, the playlist was absolutely right. Doc showed up and things got even looser. The bartenders were being playful and full of fun, there might be some photos, those shown have been altered to disguise their appearance. (Like you can’t figure it out?) All in all it was a really nice Sunday Afternoon.

RJ

New Bartender

WOW! What manner of cut and run is this?

Due to an apparent lack of transparency by both the former ownership and the new, the former ad has been pulled.

NO ONE LIKES BEING USED...OR FEELING USED.

Dino's Birthday Party

“It's like candy…I can feel it when you walk…Even when you talk it takes over meYou're so dandy….I wanna know…..Can you feel it too just like I do” my blackberry played the Cameo tune loudly. It’s the ringtone I selected for Candy. I was amazed and surprised. I didn’t hear from her for over two weeks, I nearly dropped my blackberry hurrying to answer the call.

We quickly caught up with each other about family and then got to the subject of the evening. Candy said that tonight (Friday Night) was Dino’s Birthday and they were throwing a party for him at the ancient dive. I told her about my plans for the evening, I would be attending a wine tasting at a local liquor store by a gent who plans on selling high end wines.

Candy said she would be at the dive for a short time to say happy birthday and leave. I told her I would show up after the wine tasting.

I showed up and many of the regulars were there, Candy was right in front of me as I entered, Cho’, Evie, ERL, Gino’s brother Mikey, and even Breezy was there. The man in the suit at the front end of the bar ‘Midtown’ (always in a business suit) was quietly enjoying his drink as I sat down with Candy. I found both Ruby and Shelly behind the bar. A nice buffet was laid out and I went and wished Dino a happy birthday. He was already feeling no pain and on his way to being classically Dino before the night was through.

Every time I approached Candy to follow up on our conversation, someone would pop-up to intrude. So I dropped a $20 in the box and played tunes. I talked to Ruby who told me about Bossman removing the ‘Rainbow sign’ and informing S.D. of this event. I asked “S.D. came in the dive? When?” Ruby then said she e-mailed him about this event. Given S.D.’s unbridled love for the dive, I didn’t wonder why it did not make the blog.

Candy didn’t stay long, but I stayed to see if I could find out what has happened in the last three weeks, something was different about the dive. Shelly told me that she is having the picture in the St. Patricks Day ad blown up for display. I’m glad she liked it. During the evening Dino tried to shoot pool while Evie flashed her heaving bare tits at him. Shelly needed a distraction to get the cake out and sing happy birthday. Evie did indeed distract Dino.

During the evening a parade of regulars streamed in and out, I got to speak to BeyBey, Chucky, The Met Fan, Raul, and yes, the Pimp showed up and bought liquor for everyone. As the evening wore on Dino became his very animated, verbally boisterous other self. I tried to shoot a game of pool with him but he was preoccupied with Evie’s chest. Eventually ‘Dino’ got to the ‘fuck’em all stage so I found something else to do before I left. I met the new bartender who will be working Friday Nights.

Jaynee is a very pretty well built young blonde who has been working at the dive for about a week. Her friend, Raven (black hair) is also a real nice woman. I spent a little time showing Jaynee how to pour a black and tan and informed her how to do this with beers other than Harps or Bass Ale. I found a few friends that enjoyed the half Guiness-half Heinekens as well other half Guiness concoctions quite nicely.

As it got past 10:00 pm, the crowd changed. Now others I never seen before came in, the music changed, the mood changed. It got kind of cold in the dive, even though the doors were closed. To break the ice I introduced myself as I found my way out the door. I work hard not to be forward or even be construed as disrespectful, when I bid good night to some of the evening partygoers and we introduced ourselves some did not give their names and were condescending.
I said goodnight to Dino, and got the fuck out. The crowd at Bronkos was a whole lot friendlier as we all rocked out to the sounds of JEEBUS. No one turned there nose up at me either. Candy told me not to stay at the dive too long. I should have listened.

RJ