A Career-Spanning Nightmare Behind the Bar
The mid-1980s marked the beginning of a new chapter in the life of an aspiring young professional when they secured a job at the Friendship Inn in Prestwich, alongside their best friend Ned. What seemed like a dream come true - working in a pub that shared their name and enjoying drinks with their close companion - quickly turned into a chaotic nightmare behind the bar.
Upon taking their first shift, panic set in as an overwhelming number of patrons flooded the establishment. The curvaceous shape of the bar added to the confusion, making it difficult for them to navigate the space effectively. Every movement seemed to trigger a cacophony of sounds from the other side of the bar, rendering their ability to recall customer faces and orders utterly useless.
As the reality of their situation sunk in, the young professional's anxiety levels skyrocketed. Despite seemingly simple drink requests, they consistently got it wrong. The face-to-face interactions took on a sinister tone, with customers exhibiting twisted expressions, as if mocking their incompetence. Every minor misstep seemed to escalate into an epic fail, culminating in broken glasses and near-total disorientation.
Just when it seemed like things couldn't get any worse, the bar manager intervened, delivering devastating news: they weren't cut out for the job and would be let go without pay - mercifully no compensation was expected for the shattered glassware. This humiliating exit marked the beginning of a long and arduous journey, as the individual struggled to come to terms with their catastrophic first day on the job.
The memory of that harrowing experience still lingers, casting a shadow over their perception of skilled bar staff. It wasn't until years later, when they confided in Joyce from the Lincoln Arms, a local pub in King's Cross, did they finally find the courage to confront their past and seek redemption behind the bar once again. This time, however, it was not about saving face but about atoning for their past mistakes, allowing themselves to "get it out of their system" through what can be described as aversion therapy - a poignant reminder that even the most humbling experiences can shape us into better versions of ourselves in the long run.
The mid-1980s marked the beginning of a new chapter in the life of an aspiring young professional when they secured a job at the Friendship Inn in Prestwich, alongside their best friend Ned. What seemed like a dream come true - working in a pub that shared their name and enjoying drinks with their close companion - quickly turned into a chaotic nightmare behind the bar.
Upon taking their first shift, panic set in as an overwhelming number of patrons flooded the establishment. The curvaceous shape of the bar added to the confusion, making it difficult for them to navigate the space effectively. Every movement seemed to trigger a cacophony of sounds from the other side of the bar, rendering their ability to recall customer faces and orders utterly useless.
As the reality of their situation sunk in, the young professional's anxiety levels skyrocketed. Despite seemingly simple drink requests, they consistently got it wrong. The face-to-face interactions took on a sinister tone, with customers exhibiting twisted expressions, as if mocking their incompetence. Every minor misstep seemed to escalate into an epic fail, culminating in broken glasses and near-total disorientation.
Just when it seemed like things couldn't get any worse, the bar manager intervened, delivering devastating news: they weren't cut out for the job and would be let go without pay - mercifully no compensation was expected for the shattered glassware. This humiliating exit marked the beginning of a long and arduous journey, as the individual struggled to come to terms with their catastrophic first day on the job.
The memory of that harrowing experience still lingers, casting a shadow over their perception of skilled bar staff. It wasn't until years later, when they confided in Joyce from the Lincoln Arms, a local pub in King's Cross, did they finally find the courage to confront their past and seek redemption behind the bar once again. This time, however, it was not about saving face but about atoning for their past mistakes, allowing themselves to "get it out of their system" through what can be described as aversion therapy - a poignant reminder that even the most humbling experiences can shape us into better versions of ourselves in the long run.
I was sipping on a beer at my local pub and overheard someone talking about their own disastrous experience as a bartender. They said it was so bad that they wouldn't even go near a bar again after the first few weeks.
. I mean, who hasn't had a moment where they just feel completely lost and unsure of themselves? It's like our brains are wired to make mistakes when we're under pressure 
.
. But hearing this story made me realize that even the most high-pressure jobs can be intimidating at times...
... I mean, how could you expect to get anything right when there's a whole bunch of people yelling and screaming at you? 
it's like, good luck trying to remember all those orders! 
And don't even get me started on the anxiety - I'm pretty sure I'd have freaked out just as bad 
. But seriously though, if you're gonna mess up big time like that, at least get a good story out of it, right? 
the bar manager sounds so harsh tho, but like its good they found redemption and all 
my friend had a similar experience in our school canteen during exams, they totally freaked out & spilled coffee on the exam paper lololol its crazy how one bad day can stick with us forever 
. i'm glad he was able to talk to Joyce from another pub later on and find a way to move on from that experience 
maybe it's true what they say about needing to fail at something before succeeding at it? 
they just wanted to work at their favorite pub but it was like, super chaotic and stressful behind the bar 
and getting fired without pay? that's just harsh 
. anywayz, glad 2 hear the person found redemption & is all about payin' it forward behind the bar now 
think about it, every time she tried 2 move, she'd trigger all these sounds & stuff... it's like, someone wanted her 2 fail 
but hey, at least she learned from her mistakes & got a new chance 2 redeem herself 