You Gotta Love Happy Hours Your First Night

Last Monday I talked about my first job in the Hospitality Industry as a Barboy at the Dorval Hilton Airport. This first experience was a real eye opener for me to what all took place during a hot and heavy night in those disco days and the kind of cash one could possibly make.

It didn't take me long to see if I could start working behind a bar once my bartending course was completed. There was an owner of a pub that was attending the class at the same time and so I started asking him a lot of questions about what it was like at his pub. Noticing my enthusiasm , he piped up during the final class when we were all mixing different cocktails and asked if I would be interested in bartending at his establishment and giving it a go to see if I would like it.

Without hesitation I answered yes and he gave me his number and the best time to reach him to set up an evening when I could come in.

So the bartending course ended and I gave I believe Scott was his name a call to see if the offer still stood. It did , so the following week we picked a slow night for my first big shot at bartending.

Now in Montreal you need to know both French and English and as I only understood English this was about the only place I could work. It was a 50 minute drive from my apartment to get there in a place called Hudson and a pub called The Willow Inn.

I will never forget the first night. It was Happy Hour and the drinks were 2 for 1 so I was serving a whole bunch of beer that night to a number of people. They were certainly not the easiest crowd to get along with on anyone's first night.

As the evening went on I had the great pleasure of having some patrons drink their limit and more. I know that was the case because one of them threw up at the bar! Another time an argument commenced and the people had to be thrown out on their keester. What an introduction to bartending.

When the night was over Scott comes over and starts apologizing for the tough night I had. Then he asked the big question about if I wanted to come back.

When can I start , was all I replied.

I gave my two week's notice as a shipper receiver and left the Hilton on Saturdays to start full time at The Willow Inn.

I was pumped up but it didn't last..........