A Christmas Celebration: A Bar Guys Story #28

 

Photo by: Artem Kniaz (@artem_kniaz) | Unsplash Photo Community

“Whoa!” said Jeannine, the other bartender, as she walked through the doors to the bar. “What is all this? I thought I would be the first here today,” she said with a touch of surprise in her voice.

“The owner let us in early. We all pitched in,” said Denyce as her arm swung around to all the people in the bar. All the regular patrons and others who were semi regulars had shown up on this day. They had decorated the bar with a warmth that had built on the existing decorations, making the place much more festive. “We want to show you how much we appreciate what you bring to our lives everyday. We want to show our appreciation of what this bar and both of you bartenders mean to us.” They all stood and applauded.

Jeannine and the Bartender stood shocked. “In all my life as a bartender I have never been treated in such a positive manner. You bring joy every day. We are all family here and we look out for each other. Thank you for being who you are to help make this an important place to be.” 

John stood. “In honour of being the best bartenders anywhere we wish to present you with monogrammed shirts.” He held out their shirts for them.

George hissed. “I thought you prepared a speech,” as Jeanette took hold of hers and held it up. 

“Very nice,” she said as she started walking around giving everyone a hug.

The bartender took hold of his shirt and shook hands with John and George. 

John spoke up as the bartender looked at the monogram. “We would have put your name on your shirt but we still don't know what it is.”

“Not a clue,” echoed George. 

“Thank you for the shirt,’ he said with a smile as he turned to Denyce and Joel. 

John and George looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders.

Joel spoke up,” Did you know that the first artificial Christmas tree was made of goose feathers dyed green?”

“Seriously?” responded Denyce. “They killed geese to make a tree?”

Joel looked at her with some amusement. “They were using the birds for dinner. Why waste the feathers?”

Denyce grumbled before taking a swig of her drink.

“Does anyone still get fruit in their Christmas stockings?” asked John.

“You still have a Christmas stocking?” George smiled broadly.

“The wife and I fill them with tiny trinkets that we need during the year.”

“I do,” replied Denyce.

“That all started with French nuns in the twelfth century. They would put tangerines into the stockings.”

“Tangerines eh. I guess they were plentiful in France.”

“I’ve got one,” said George. “Did you know the song Jingle Bells isn't really a Christmas song?”

“It’s not?” asked a surprised Jeanette. 

“It is a Thanksgiving song. It just sounds Christmassy so it has been appropriated.” 

The bartender walked down the bar refilling drinks. “I really like this Christmas trivia. There are so many things we don’t know about our traditions.” He smiled as he half filled John’s monogrammed mug. “What’s the most recorded Christmas song in history?” he said looking at John. 

John thought for a minute. “White Christmas.”

The bartender smiled, setting the carafe down on the bar leaving John’s mug half full. “It is Silent Night.”

“Interesting,” John said as he took a drink. The bartender picked up the carafe and walked back to Joel. John looked at his mug and sighed.

“See. He knows," George said as an aside.

The bartender picked up a ginger ale and set it in front of Joel. 

“I may start over in the new year,” said Joel.

“Drink wisely my friend and everything will be ok.”

Joel smiled as the Christmas trivia continued on around him. 

“Did you know?” started Denyce

“Probably not,” muttered Joel as he tried to shake himself out of a doldrum.

“That Christmas decorating sends at least 15000 people to the ER every year?”

“That many?” inquired George.

“I’m surprised it isn’t more,” responded Jeanette. “There are too many Clark Griswolds out there.”

“There are about 240 injuries per day during November and December. They are mostly for falling, lacerations and back strains.”

“Not electrocutions?” inquired John.

“Sorry. They weren't mentioned.

The bartender looked out over his bar family and smiled. He loved the camaraderie, the acceptance they felt for each other and was proud about how each one of them had helped another out during the year.

“Merry Christmas,” the bartender and Jeanette said from the doorway after the last hugs had taken place. He locked the door and began the last minute cleanup.

“Is it really such a big deal?” asked Jeanette from behind the bar where she was stacking glasses. “They should know your name.”

“I don’t want them to know my background. I have this job because the boss took a liking to me. He understands that I am giving up my past to be a new me. To give them my name allows them to glimpse a part of me I don’t want to be associated with anymore.”

“Fair enough,” replied Jeanette. “You do know they are going to wonder. I can see John and George working up ways to find out what your name is.”

“And they will have fun trying.”

“And if they work it out?”

“I’m sure they will. But I have faith in them that they will understand why I didn’t share it. Merry Christmas Jeanette.”

“Merry Christmas,” she replied as she put on her coat and walked to the door. “Will I see you tomorrow?”

“I’ll be by for lunch. I have to open the bar at 4.”

“Til then,” she said as she closed the door. 

The bartender smiled as he put on his coat and turned out the lights. “Another Christmas. Who knew I would live this long?”