The Airport Bar

While this story will not quite read like a glimpse of the bar in Star Wars it was an interesting motley crew none the less.

I was sitting at the East Terminal in St. Louis, waiting for a flight to Cleveland and missing a double header in softball. Things were not off to a good start. I belly up to the "Home Plate" bar because they have TVs tuned into sports and the Cards are about to face off against the Brewers.

First of all, where does one find a job at the airport? You look at the workers and they don't seem like the traveling type. I doubt they were waiting for a flight one day and said, "hey, look the airport is hiring bartenders or a cleaning crew, I should work here". I am assuming that somewhere there is a placement agency that specializes in these jobs.

Our bartender was on cruise control. "What can I get for you?", "Would you like to make that beer a tall?", "How about a shot for just $3 more?", "Can I see your I.D.?" This same sequence was uttered to every traveler who stepped forward to the bar.

So I expect to see business travelers at the bar, or maybe a lonely traveler while they wait for their delayed flight. But this night there were some others who showed up.

The first was a weathered old lady who was pushing 60. She orders a shot of tequila. Declines the "double for just $3 more". Sits down long enough to show her I.D., pay the $6.90 for the shot, and address the drink. Lick of the salt, bottoms up, stuff the lemon (yes, not a lime) into her teeth. She then grabs her purse and off she goes...

So, I was just sitting there enjoying my 20oz Bud and laughing inside about this transaction. It reminded me of the gambler who approaches a table game, drops down money on one roll/deal/spin, loses their money, and moves on...

Then up comes another. This girl much younger. Probably in her 20's. Could have been cute had she not lived such a hard life already. Leathery skin and a look of it was her against the world. She orders a Red Bull and Stoli Vodka...up...chilled. Huh?

Yes, she ordered a Red Bull martini. The bartender chills the vodka, pours it into a martini glass and then hands it to the traveler. Along side it stands the Red Bull can. Our young alcoholic takes the Red Bull and pours about 1/4 of the can over the vodka and takes a huge pull of her drink - 1/3 down. She pays, puts her wallet away, and takes another long drink - now about 80% gone. Before setting it down, one last drink to drain her martini. Grabs the Red Bull can and she was gone.

So my question is this. Who was it they were about to see that they both needed a quick drink to handle? Good stuff to see, felt like I was watching Intervention. Feel sorry for them a little. Then again, it was I who was sitting right beside them, drinking alone as well...