On a recent trip to Florida my friend Pat and I went shopping for prescription glasses.
We arrived at the optometrist's office shortly after 12 noon only to find out that it was closed over the noon-hour.
So to kill some time as well as to fuel up, we headed out to find a nearby restaurant that served sandwiches. Being a commercial district, it did not lend itself to much (anything) in the line of restaurants but we did stumble upon a Bar....a genuine for real Biker Bar and in we went.
There was absolutely no one there save for the barmaid who introduced herself as Genie and said that she had been tending bar since 'before the war.' We were both polite enough not to inquire as to which one.
We asked Genie what type of sandwiches they had.
"We do not have Food of any kind" she pronounced, "it's Booze or Nothing".
So Booze it was, we both ordered a Beer.
To keep the conversation going I asked her what she thought of The Donald?
"We don't talk politics in here...only Sex" she impishly replied.
And by the decorations that adorned every square inch of the Bar, one could readily see the truth of her statement.
At that point 2 Biker Patrons roared into the Bar's Parking Lot on 3 wheeler's, albeit Harley-Davidson's.
They dismounted with obvious discomfort, with one even pulling out a cane from underneath his seat.
They had to be in their 80s if they were a day.
They then cozied up to two bar stools and ordered their drafts.
They turned out to be the nicest guys imaginable. Whatever happened to the fearful Hell's Angels or even the lawless Satan's Choice?
Then in came 3 more, one of whom rode a real bike. Again, all three were most gentlemanly and were most interested in the fact that Pat and I came from Canada.
"We road with some Canadians in our day" they allowed, "wonder if any of them are still alive."
I then asked Genie what was her most busiest time?
"Commemorative Days by far" she opinioned.
You mean like the 4th of July?
"No, I mean when one of our boys gets needlessly killed on the road by those irresponsible, inattentive blankedy blank drivers."
She went on.
"We had one just yesterday, the Bar was packed"
I looked around, the place was quite small so by "packed" I guess she was talking at the most 20 patrons.
I also wondered whether these 'Commemorative Days' had more to do with the Bar's bottom-line than it did for commemoration of the recently deceased Biker... but kept those thoughts to myself.
Pat then piped up and asked Genie how long did her shift last?
"I'm here till closing each and every day" she offered.
What time is closing then?
"7 p.m."
A Biker Bar that closes at 7 p.m. !!
"These guys are not as young as they once were" she quickly responded.
Those assembled merely nodded their heads in agreement.
Well after-all this is Florida.
As I see it...
'K.D. Galagher'
P.S. When we finished our beers we returned to the Optometrist's office which had now reopened. The Optometrist turned out to be a veteran of the Vietnam War and for the next hour or so regaled us about his War Experiences. At one point I asked him if he had ever come across a Barmaid over there by the name of Genie? He said he had not but that there was a cute young thing by that name who tends bar just down the street...
