I had an interesting and disappointing experience last night that I had to share somewhere.
Please bear with me if this is a long read.
Wifey and I have been extremely careful throughout this entire ordeal about where we order takeout from, where we go to eat for outdoor dining, etc. Call me ultra cautious but if they take our temp at the door, take our name and phone # down and all that, I'm not offended. I'm happy to see the business is being responsible. We are attentive to how the servers, bartenders, bussers, mgmt behaves when it comes to masks, interaction with customers and with each other...EVERYTHING. if we see something we dont like we dont go back.
Last night I'm at a local bar/restaurant within walking distance from the crib. We've been regulars for 3 years since moving to Chicago. It's our local "watering hole" as they say. They have live music on Fridays, it's an overall chill vibe especially since they have a nice patio. So, we are seated outside on the patio and the owner and a few of his friends come out to sit near us to have drinks with us, chat etc...they sat at a safe distance btw. At some point I get up to use the men's room and put my mask on to walk inside through what is now a very crowded bar area...clearly no regard for the guidelines that are in place. As I walk back out to my table the owner (who has been drinking quite a bit at this point, and way more than I had) says to me:
Owner: Oh come on with the mask man....you're just trying to put on a show! Walking through my bar with your mask, trying to put on a show! You're a hypocrite! Why don't you wear a mask out here if you believe in masks!?
Me:
I'm putting on a show because I care about my well being and the well being of other people who are inside your crowded establishment?
Owner: Yeah why don't you wear a mask out here?
Me: Because I wore my mask until I got to my table and am sitting at a two top table with my wife, having a drink. I'm outside and noone was around me until you decided to come out here.
Owner: The masks are bullshyt, I make my bartenders and servers wear them because I have to but it's a joke
Me:
But what about you? You're not wearing a mask inside the establishment and in the kitchen when you cook?
Owner: No, I dont have to its bullshyt and you're a joke for questioning me and trying to put on a show like you're better than me with your mask
Me:
Dude, I'm a joke because I care about the people who patronize your establishment more than you do? Because I care about my family's well being more than you care about yours?
At this point, I was glad I didnt drink alot bc if I was drunk I woulda been
and probably not as calm and rational with him. I also knew at that point that no matter what I said it was falling on deaf ears.
Gladly I had paid my check long ago
Me: Well as a business owner, you have a responsibility to the general public that you serve, the people who patronize your establishment, your family and your friends. You clearly dont take that seriously. So that being said, I will never step foot or spend another dollar here, it's been nice knowing you.
Owner: Oh we were just having a good time and now because I said that you changed your mind?!
I'm not mad at you man!
Me:
Thank you so much for not being mad at me. I wouldn't have slept tonight. I would have been tossing and turning that YOU were mad at ME.
Got up to leave and all his friends were
As I'm walking to my car, his friends one by one start coming up to me to fist bump telling me it was nice meeting me and hopefully they see me there again.
Me:
you wont
What an unbelievable experience. I cant fathom the mindset one has to have to think like that. Especially someone who runs a business and serves the general public on a daily basis.
Damn