Hidden Gems

I get to meet very special people while cocktailing in these fine establishments. Most are crazy degenerates. Yet, every now an again we get some gems. Last night I was blessed with one.

Let me set the tone for you. Wednesday in Atlantic City after Labor Day. Do I need to spell out depressing? No traffic, empty garage and my manager decides we’re coming in on a fully staffed chart. Seriously? So here we all are just standing around. Legit talking shit the entire night. Definitely earning our hourly rate of four dollars and some cents.

I’m in a station called high limit slots. As I’m walking through it for shits and giggles a guy comes up-to me and asks what makes this area different? Well sir, this area is high limits, one bet on the slot machine is a minimum of $25. Boom, with too much eye contact, I mistakenly opened up a whole story from him. He was at Harrahs casino, won but lost here, blah blah blah. Since we were completely dead I could have entertained it. That is if his breath wasn’t making me squint my eyes. Terrible. So I did what I normally do and pretend like someone’s calling me. In a completely dead casino.

Once I escaped garlic and Honey Jack breath, I went back to talking shit with my girls.

He returns like an hour later. This time he orders something and actually sits down at poker slots. My only customer go figure. Story time. He begins to tell me how he’s married, was at Borgata and was picked up by a forty year old women the night before. How he felt so flattered and how excited he was. First thing I asked, was she a prostitute? I mean it’s the norm out here. Plus he’s fifty something, not that attractive and gambling alone. Perfect hooker bait. He said no but I’m not buying it. Anyway, tells me some more bs and gives me a ten. I go back to the bar and count down until I can leave.

I check on him again hoping he’ll order another Honey Jack and I can make a whole $20 before I leave.

Instead he wants to talk more.

In just a few minutes I know all about this guy. Owns a tuxedo business, married 37 years, time shares in Brigantine, the list goes on. I told him two things about myself. Which was perfectly fine with me. Totally killing time at this point listening to him.

After ranting about himself, here comes what feels like life advice. I even felt some serious back round music come on like in the movies. He begins to say while his children were growing up, he always tried to be firm but fair. That he needed his son and daughter to show him that he could trust them. “I’ll defend you till the death of me, as long as I can trust you.” That struck a cord with me. Children do not come with a manual. Honestly, it’s a learning process for both the child and the parent. You are learning at every age they turn. He said, “You know I never had a 10 year old,11,12,13,14 year old and so on. We needed to be a team and learn together. It may not be easy but we have to have trust.” I catch myself soaking up these rare gems from this drunk guy. Who knew.

Then things went left. I’m all into this life lesson when his wife and daughter walk up yelling, “There you are!” Apparently they’ve been looking for him and weren’t happy at all that they found him talking to me at 1am. Great.

All tipsy and loud he yells , “Honey, this is Nicole, she’s a waitress here she’s local , this is her section , her favorite color is purple , her blood type is …”

I’m just gonna walk away now. Of course I asked the wife if she wanted something to drink. Of course she rudely said no. When I turned my back I could hear her scolding him and all I thought about was the hooker. Oh how I hope he went with the hooker last night. I returned to the bar and everyone was laughing because they saw it all conspiring. Well, I didn’t get another ten out if it but I got some valuable parenting advice. All he got was his ear pulled all the way home I’m sure!

In honor of back to school week, or the first week ever for some children, I thought I’d share with my parent followers. It’s not always about wild drunk stories. Sometimes there’s hidden gems inside this cocktail thing.

Cheers xo

please enjoy my new addition, the cocktail of the week:

Recipe from chilledmagazine.com