January 30th in Posso's Prompts

Have you ever had a job where you’ve felt invincible at?

The first time I was ‘fired’ from the Ivory Room, I was a complete shitshow. I can’t remember what the occasion, if there was any at all, but I know I proceeded to take shots of Jameson with about 25 people throughout my four hours behind the bar. I was so drunk that my lady coworkers that closed the bar for me ending up locking up as well because I up and went home knowing I had to pass out while still in a functioning black out. My friends and most of the customers revolted and protested and after about three weeks of ‘low sales,’ I was asked back and told that I was not able to drink during my shift. That lasted approximately…three weeks before my boss decided that I was ‘better at entertaining the customers when I could do shots with them.’
Another time I was ‘fired’ was last January. I was drunk (a theme when I make the shittiest decisions I can) at the employee Christmas party and ended up causing the largest unnecessary scene with my girlfriend at the time because she wouldn’t let me have my keys to runaway and go home. Well, that and I wanted to drive home. Supremely intoxicated. I know, I clearly don’t need alcohol to tell me that I make some real poor decisions when put to the test. My manager was so upset (and a little drunk herself) that I’d make such a scene at the employee party, let alone treat my girlfriend with such disgusting vile hatred when she only wanted the best for me that she took me off shifts with my ex and gave me a ‘time out’ on my Tuesday shifts until I could get my shit together.
This last time I was fired, I basically used my key and entered the bar at a late point in the night. Clearly I was not supposed to be there and even more so, I again, was intoxicated. I needed to help a friend out of a situation, it was late, I was drunk and I knew if I drove home to get money at 4am there was a good chance I’d be driving blacked out so I decided to go where I knew I could easily get money at the time. Obviously, you don’t have to tell me how dumb that was now, I was not in a sound state and the video camera shows me staggering and bouncing around like that of a child in an inflatable bouncy house. Poor communication between my boss and I and some knee jerk reactions led to some police “interaction.” That led to my eventual arrest and firing.

I’m writing this now because that boss of mine is now asking me to come back, again, to pick up shifts and build a customer base to revive the nights I used to work there. If there’s ever a place and time to see that alcohol is a terrible factor in my life, that is the place and time. Sure, I would be crazy as all hell to ever go back and work there. It would also show people I respect and whose opinions I care about that I’m not a criminal though. It tore me apart for the better part of six months. The thought that one of the lovable, entertaining downtown drunk bartenders would be a bad guy ate me up inside. I loved the job because of the people I met there; the girls I fell in love with, the myriad of amazing friends I gained. Working at a piano bar took up the better part of 6 years of my life. Battled through multiple bouts of cancer, and other ridiculous health problems that seem like storybook tales. As much as I bitch and moan about hearing the songs everyone loves over and over, I loved the live music. The atmosphere created where people chose to escape. I still look for some kind of thing like that in my life and sometimes I feel like I’ll never find it unless I’m involved in helping others find theirs.