August 28, 2006 :: Friend or foe

A while back, I started hanging out at Jin, a lounge near U st, quite a bit. It so happens that a friend of mine (we'll call her X) started tending bar there, and I liked the atmosphere, and the location isn't far from my house. It's a small place, and I quickly got to know most of the other employees. They're a lot of fun to hang out with, and we often pass the time thinking up ways the owner could get more customers in there. The food is pretty tasty, if a bit uppity, and the drinks are good, plus I get "good customer" discounts... which usually translates to free. I've said before that free liquor will be the death of me, and it turns out there may be some truth to that, but that's not quite what today's post is about.

One of the other bartenders (we'll call her Y) has decided that it is her mission in life to get me drunk whenever I see her. While I appreciate her enthusiasm, her skill in constructing deadly concoctions, and her willingness to slip free drinks my way, this often ends up being a double edged sword, because I frequently drive myself and have to limit what I drink. She never seems too concerned about that, and will often go toe to toe on the shots. Nothing like a bartender who's just as drunk as everybody else.

On the other hand, my friend X, whom I've known for years, will barely serve me anything anymore. She hands me the weakest drinks, albeit all free, and cuts me off very early. She lectures and nags me about being able to drive home, and tells me I drink too much. And I know this behavior is reserved for me, because another one of our friends gets plenty strong drinks from her AND from Y.

Some of the purpose of going out to places like that is to enjoy alcoholic beverages and the intoxicating effects that come with them. Somewhere between the two must be a happy medium. It's good that she cares enough to want me not to crash and kill myself or someone else, but is it too much to ask for even one stiff drink? Oh well, this is all probably going to be moot very soon...

posted by Rainmayun at 2:38 PM -