Two shifts into a ten shifts in ten days run. Already tired. Already worried about dry cleaning, sleep, my other job suffering and fitting in time with the girl. Waking up in horror to find I'm already two hours behind schedule.

How did it happen? Co-workers taking vacation and I have a hard time telling my GM no. We're a small crew but almost everyone can fill two roles, DL does three: manages, tends bar and serves. So, unless we figure it out among ourselves the GM runs permutations and slides people from a Monday night managing shift to a Wednesday day server shift and almost always finds people their day off. Not this time. She's willing to endure the phonecall from corporate HQ in Napa asking why NBBM is getting overtime, again. And just now in writing this I remember I'll get OT two weeks in a row. My help isn't entirely altruistic.

It's cliche but true: working weekends and working extra is beating the Yankees. You make more money and don't spend at the usual rate. At the end of this run I'll have restocked the cash happily lost to the girl's birthday weekend. And when I need a week to travel the GM will remember this. If she doesn't I'll remind her.

Ten days also seems unreal. In some ways it's easier than working one or two extra nights. You just give up, submit to the schedule and the room and the customers.

Overheard

"I don't gamble. I'll bet on a horse but I won't gamble." Friday happy hour regular to his bartender who doesn't drink alcohol. He'll have a beer and a glass of bourbon but he won't drink.

"They're talking about moving the 49ers to Santa Clara." TD
"They should move the 49ers to Cuba." PdL in stride. Not sure who he wants to punish, but can't resist the obvious, haven't the Cubans suffered enough?

"It's difficult selling to a whore." Business traveler lamenting the truth.