Being Miserable

Just reading the title probably popped someone’s name into your head I bet. We all know at least one, don’t we? That one person that simply can’t be happy unless they are whining, crying or bitching about something.

I sat down at the bar Saturday to enjoy a cold drink, happy to be amongst a bunch of people not wearing masks and having my bbff (bartender best friend forever) Jennifer tending the bar at the Frog once again. It was almost, dare I say, normal.

Except like most businesses these days it’s not normal. My bartender and two other servers were taking care of the entire restaurant. There was no busser. I obviously couldn’t see the kitchen situation, but did I really need to when there is a sign on the door of the bar advising customers to please be patient as they are lacking staff at this time and are currently hiring for all positions?

And then in walked Jeb. Named changed to protect the guilty. He sat down around the corner of the bar from me, and clearly knew the guy who was sitting to my left and they began to strike up a conversation.

It started out innocently enough with the usual how was your day stuff. His day of course had been a total bitch, nothing going right, etc. etc.

Since things were busy, Jennifer was unable to get to him quickly. While she was in the back hustling up something for someone Jeb started in.

“This place has really gone downhill,” he lamented. “I’m going to have to find another watering hole. The food isn’t good, and the service sucks.”

His friend beside him continued to snack down on his chicken wings, which he noted were pretty darn good. That kudo was not enough for Jeb, who made another snarky remark and asked his friend to order him a beer if a server ever came around. While he was in the bathroom the bartender did swing back by and his beer was ordered.

He returned a few minutes later, and although placated slightly now that a beverage was in front of him he continued to bitch. The place wasn’t clean enough for him. The bathroom is nasty. The owner is an idiot. The servers are terrible.

At that point I almost just went all in and asked “so why the fuck are you here?”

It seemed like a legitimate question, but instead I listened to him ramble on about all the potential places he could be. “I’d go to the Oasis,” he said, “but the place makes me feel claustrophobic. Sunset is always too busy. And I don’t like the servers at Hurricanes.”

At this point I was just staring at the guy and thinking “man, it must be a terrible existence to be so miserable over where you go to drink a damn beer.” Then the bartender swept back by, and the jackass actually ordered some of the food that he said isn’t any good. I couldn’t help but shake my head.

In the end though it was a good reminder for something we all should be aware of – we choose each day how to approach this life, and we alone choose our attitude towards it. Ask yourself every now and then – am I approaching this as a miserable person? With the pandemic, the politics and the everyday media bullshit it’s not hard to do just that. Be careful kids, it’s a slippery slope out there and there a lots of people who want to see you fall.