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Courtney Welbon covers Hamlet
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Link of the day
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Revolving Door
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Miscellany
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It's been almost a couple of years since I've seen him, by whom I mean Fucking Asshole, he was barred and hasn't been seen at the restaurant since.
I know there have been customers lobbying on his behalf, asking that he be allowed back, and the owner's been adamant that he not be readmitted, so I did a double take when I saw him at the door. He doesn't remember me (I made myself scarce around the table, didn't particularly want to deal with him), he's here to meet another regular customer.
He's polite, gracious, a far cry from his former self, and when his guest arrives he talks about all the great life changes and self improvements he's made. The owner comes out and sits with them, they all talk - all has been forgiven and the former asshole is now careful to be sincere and courteous.
They shake hands with the staff, everyone is happy, they'll be back.
We seem to have a revolving door, to be barred means that we'll simply pick up another client that's been barred and give them another chance, the owner tells me: "Sometimes they need to be told to fuck off....". He's right.
William Burroughs and the Strange Demise of London's First Espresso Bar
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Link of the day
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A thought provoking blog post on how William Burroughs revenged himself for a lousy espresso and bad cheesecake.
Nerds
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Miscellany
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He comes in every other week or so.
He looks a bit like John Liithgow - a younger version, 30 something with long, prematurely greying long hair.
He comes in alone, in the early hours, dines usually alone, tips well. Friendly enough, he's not one of our usual clientelle. He works for a living.
And he stares long at G, or me, he has this huge smile on his face, he's by himself and it's not busy and so I make light conversation.
He's in IT, a programmer, he's on his way to either a D&D game or Ballroom dancing lesson. And I've figured out why he stares long - too long - at G or me, it's not (necessarily) that he's gay, it's that he has no rudimentary social skills.
G has grown to hate him, thinks that the prolonged eye contact is a come-on, maybe it is, but IT folk, and I've known a few, they're weird.
He comes in one night with a few of his friends, more IT folk, they are all fucking weird. Strange glances, abnormally timed social skills, you don't realize what socially awkward is until you meet someone who inadvertently thwarts all the norms. Some of them we've served before. They're all a bit too friendly, they all work together, all play D&D together....
They take forever to eat. We need the table. And after dinner, no coffee but they sit and chat, there's the fear they're going to pull out the Monster Manual and Dungeon Master's Guide and start playing D&D at the table.
They're an odd bunch, eventually they leave and we all breathe a sigh of relief. Nerds.
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