I prefer the company of happy drunks
What the hell is wrong with people who go to bars to drink and have fun but instead get stupid and angry? Take for example what happened when my friend Lisa and I decided to hang out at DC’s in Hoboken. We ended up there after our dinner at Maxwell’s ran late and we were forced to change our plans. Initially we were going to stay and see The Milwaukees but missed out (great band by the way, you should check them out). So we headed out to meet other friends.
The night was going along just fine. Lisa and I were catching up since we had not hung out in a while. The place never really got too crowded so we got to drink, laugh and generally have a great time without feeling like sardines. At one point, my buddy Denis started to play pool with this very annoying but seemingly harmless drunk. Each time he went to take a shot, he’d asked Denis in that typical cross-eyed beer slur, “Am I solids or stripes?”
All the while as this clown played the part of a happy drunk, dancing around and engaging in inane small talk with everyone in the bar. No one thought he was a threat in any way. That is until he missed a shot and started stomping around like a four-year-old. It wasn’t even a crucial shot. Immediately his demeanor changed and he began calling Denis a cheater. All of us thought he was joking until he threw his stick down and stormed over to the bar.
Denis tried to shake his hand and say, “No hard feelings,” but the guy yelled back, “Get the fuck off me!” pushing Denis away. Then he started just yelling and I could see Denis getting angry. This is not something I’ve ever seen before. Denis is one of those guys that is always happy, friendly and fun-loving. But this asshole kept egging him on and I could see that it was getting close to blows.
I stood up, handed Lisa my beer and stood between them. I wanted to crack that guy in the mouth but was more concerned about Denis. As profanities flew over my shoulders, I quietly told Denis to let it go. Basically I wanted any strike coming from behind me to go thru me. That would give me the right to knock the guy out. I just didn’t want Denis or any of my friends to throw the first punch because we’d be thrown out. And this is a place we like to come to.
Luckily it never came to that as this dude all of a sudden high-tailed it outta there and never came back. No one could figure out why he got so worked up. The whole thing made for some funny stories and did not spoil the evening. Denis and I returned to making our plans to break up Lisa and her boyfriend. They’re probably getting married very soon and we’re single and jealous. It’s a perfectly good reason to mess with someone who’s in a good, happy relationship.
So can anyone tell me … what is the point of going out to have fun, but ending up nearly ruining everyone’s night? And for no apparent reason. Thankfully Denis and most of my friends are easy going enough to let the night end on a smile. Those are the types of people I like to hang out with. And do my best to do just that. Life’s too short to get angry. Unless of course you’re driving in New Jersey … that’s a whole other tale!
See Also:
DC’s
Maxwell’s
The Milwaukees
