Bar Scene

Last night, I was at a performance of a buddy and his band in Lancaster city. Matt Wheeler and Vintage Heart. 

It was a lovely evening. The concert was outside in the back open space behind a shop that sells glasswork. Art and Glassworks. The back space is an enchanting spot, what I call "Urban Zen." Plants, fountains, trees, and of course, glasswork. Including two cool looking wine bottle trees where the leaves were bottles. Thought that it could be fun with a BB gun to have target practice. Great art reduced to destructive amusement. Callous boy that I am.  

Since the band was playing from 6:30-9:30, I needed to take off during the last hour to get some dinner. I headed to Molly's Pub to get a burger and a couple of beers. I sat at the bar and had a brief conversation with the bartender about his prefacing as to whether my starting salad was "OK?" He joked that he was manipulating my response by suggesting "OK." I replied that I was a psychologist and am well aware how to create desired responses by asking leading and loaded questions. The conversation then became this quick analysis of how he was a psychologist/priest who interacts with people when they are happy or sad. I added, "and all points in-between, with the bar being the confessional." Forgive me for I have sinned, could I have another drink?

He also manipulated me at the start of the order by asking me if I wanted a salad, or fries, or chips, making it sound it was one of the three. No, it turned out the salad was extra, the chips came with the meal. He paid for his sleight-of-hand by my deducting the tip somewhat.  Craftiness with customers is tricky business. People don't appreciate subterfuge. I knew what he was up to and made a comment to the effect that "Oh, I get chips too?" when the burger arrived. Plus, they got the order wrong. I ordered Bleu Cheese on mine and it was cheddar. Not deal-breakers to keep me from coming back but neither a deal-maker. Repeat business, it is what makes operations profitable. We are creatures of habit. Merchants have to let habits happen and not disrupt such habituation. Yet, I digress from my mine point.

While chomping down on my burger, there were a gaggle of girls drinking wine at the bar. They were young, they were attractive. No man dared to enter the gauntlet conversationally, me included. A very attractive girl came in and joined her buds. She had a shirt on that stated something like, "I can take all sixteen inches." I know that double-entendres with salacious/sexual meanings pass for cleverness these days. I wasn't sure what the other meaning alluded to...since the writing was across the girl's chest I figured I probably should not stare too closely. Perp-vibe, but the trap was set.

I felt sorry for the girl. Why did she need to be acting like the flirty sexpot? Why chum the waters with her own flesh. Men can act like sharks, does she really want to be seen as someone's sexual dinner? Does that honor her? I say no. The bar scene is the young modern persons religious institution. The photo above is Jack Kerouac and an unknown girl outside of a bar. He looks forlorn. I keep this in my study where I write to remind me that I am writing for people like him. And her, who looks disconnected and distant. I believe God is who people are searching for in their empty glasses and broken lives. The bar scene ages people. The young hottie soon becomes the middle-aged divorcee looking for tawdry thrills. The buff young man turns into a middle-aged dude with a gut hanging over his belt sucking beers like a vampire does blood. Creatures of the night, both female and male having lonely eyes.  

Friday night is Holy night, the booze is the wine, bar food the body, and it is devouring a whole generation. It is not imparting life, it is death in disguise. I go to bars and drink and eat and to hang out with friends and strangers. I am not looking for more because I know that to do so is deceptive. Searching for love. Been there, done that. Done that, done that. Church should be a safe yet adventuresome place, appealing to young adults. Sadly, it is not in many cases. It's dead too.

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