My Not So Regular Regulars :)

I have been a bartender / server for almost ten years now...I have worked in several restaurant and bars...Red Knight , Jack Astors, Five Fisherman, Rudder's, Maxwells Plum, Fiddlers Green, Hoops and Blarney Stone.... I am hoping that the Blarney Stone will be my final place of work in the service industry... but looking at how much student loan's I have racked up over the years ....I will probably be here for awhile :)

Out of all the places I have worked, Toronto is where I have had the privilege to have the BEST regulars anyone can have. I mean the best ! Regulars can literally make or break my night .... especially since I am a seasoned veteran in this field ... so my job is pretty mundane and boring sometimes. When regulars show up it's a whole different story ... cause then we get to catch up and hence my job gets less boring.

It started with my first Toronto job Fiddler Green. Fiddlers was a small bar located across from the Wellesley subway station and was a home turned into a bar. Everyday we would see the same faces and share stories about our day, life and just have fun ... it was almost like a family. Almost better then a family ... because we were choosing to be there.

Then January 2009 Fiddler closed down and we were left without jobs and the regulars left without a watering hole. I was the first one to get a job out of all the staff and the regulars came right with me to The Blarney Stone.

Typically the bartender is supposed to wipe the bar and listen closely to the problems of the patron ...well that does happen at The Blarney ... I do listen to them ....but they listened to me as well and are very familiar with all of my trials and tribulations.

They have been with me from the beginning of my schooling over the years they listened to complaints of my assignments, profs and all of the other joys that come from doing an undergrad and a post-grad.

They were there when I lost my grandfather and always ask how my cousins son is doing with his chemotherapy.

They have listened to me meet, have fun with and break up with three boyfriends , always being supportive and offering sound advice. Always assuring me in my most desperate of times that there are more fish in the sea.

They always are the first to help when I have an unruly customer and know that I will be backed up if shit goes down.

Most of all we do have fun, for birthdays, holidays and any other day that we think we can celebrate. We all come out and drink and have a good time.

The times when things are really slow or really busy in the restaurant is when I appreciate them the most.

When things are really slow they provide entertainment ( and I hope I do the same). They sing that karaoke song that they probably wouldn't have sang, they drink that one more shot and stay for one more round just to keep me company.

When things are busy they are sometimes the first to be forgotten and are the most understanding when I do. They come up to the bar after waiting 15 minutes for another beer and politely remind me that they ordered another pint. They always say "It's OK I know your busy." This helps me out immensely when I am stressed out with sudden crowds.... and I usually try and hook them up a bit later when this happens.

I try and express how much they mean to me ... because sometimes just seeing their face come through the door I get excited ... because I know that I will have someone I enjoy to talk to and I will make it through another shift !