What a Long, Strange Trip It's Been...

Over the past six or so years I have spent my life working in the restaurant industry in some facet. Whether it be the horrible time I spent in child labor hell (fast food), the time I spent working for my cousin at small bars he owned, helping friends out from time to time at their establishments or working my current gig (both before and after the promotion.) It has been a life full of late nights and long hours.

I have made friends and lost them, loved and lusted and spent my time and money both foolishly and wisely. My life at no time has ever felt repetitive or droning. Given the instability of jobs and money in this industry I have always been left with an interesting story a fond memory or a humorous anecdote.

I have spent nights that turned into mornings partying with friends and attempting to preserve the feelings of enjoyment for as long as possible. The smiles and the laughs fading long after the sun has risen. I tried with all of my energy to postpone the inevitable loss of my misspent youth.

I have dropped in and out of college changing my major four or five times hoping to find that "Ah Ha" moment. Trying to find the thing that would elevate me from my proletariat servitude lifestyle. The career that would lead me to my fortune and eventual fame, every single time to no avail.

I remember impassioned arguments with my father about how I lead my life. It was so bad at one point that my father asked me (unfortunately inebriated at the time and in front of his family) when I would "Get a real job and stop my daydreaming." It was a crushing death blow to my morale which I would not soon recover from. It took nearly six months from that day for my father to come to a party I had planned for The Bar for me to feel a revived sense of pride in what I do.

My father for the better portion of my career spent his life looking down on what I did. Probably due to the sophomoric and immature lifestyle my older cousin leads. My cousin who happened to have made a lot of the same mistakes I had. I think my father's fear was that I would wind up a lonely, depressed fool living "one step ahead of the law."

I had not given my parents much to be proud of in my life. I was a horrible student; I was disinterested and bored with school. I slacked my way through life living off of the cuff of my sleeve. I was nearly thrown out of school numerous times. I was almost arrested at one private school for all of the trouble I caused. I didn't graduate with the rest of my High School class and stopped showing up to summer school which almost caused me to not receive a High School Diploma.

My father never had to apologize to me for what he said (all though he had numerous times, he knew I was hurt and embarrassed.) I understood his frustration. I knew where it had come from and what caused it. I knew the fear he had of me losing grip on my life.

All it took was my father uttering a few words to me upon attending the party for me to realize the amount of love my father had for me.

"You know, you should be proud. You are pretty good at what you do." He said to me with a look I had not oft been privileged enough to see. It was a look of pride and admiration. I realized that day that my father was less worried about me winding up like my cousin and more worried about me winding up like him.

My father is an "uneducated" man who spent his life working two and three jobs at a time to try and keep my sister and I living the life he couldn't. Between working in as a Print Pressman and cleaning banks and department stores, my father got very little rest. Both he and my mother had it tough growing up and both he and my mother had to struggle for everything they have. I watched them nearly lose everything they had numerous times to make sure my sister and I were comfortable. We never went to bed hungry, although I'm sure on more than one occasion they did, just to ensure we didn't have to.

My parents went without a lot to make sure we had everything we need. Looking back on my life now I am amazed and bewildered on how they were able to stand by and watch my live the life I did and not strangle me. I never would have had the patience to deal with me.

It took me until the age of 23 to realize how much of my life and talent I squandered on foolish endeavors. And while I haven't completely changed my lifestyle I have definitely moved to make it head in a better direction. I may not have grown up having everything I wanted but I damn sure had everything I needed.

I, like my father, have worked for almost everything I now have. I admire my father for everything he has done for me and my sister. The insurmountable odds both he and my mother overcame have taught me a lot. He taught me that no amount of money can make me a more whole and complete person and that it is better to work hard for everything you have rather then have it handed to you. That has been the best lesson I have learned to date. No college course or text book could teach me that...

Here's to you Dad... Cheers...

Mac The Bartender