1.1.2019
2019 started terribly
I bartended a rich woman named Jennifer’s party at her mansion in The Oaks
I’ve never really done anything for New Years or cared about the holiday so I didn’t care.
Didn’t care that I was working instead of partying like other young people might be
But it was so cold
It was 40° F
And we were outside for 2 hours
By hour 3, I was getting worried
The winds were terrible and all the guests kept saying, “I feel so bad for you - it’s freezing out here”
But they didn’t tip us
So what you mean to say, sir, is you’d like to look like you care but you don’t actually give a shit
There were maybe 35-40 people there and Crystal and I split $80 in tips. Total. If they each gave $5, we would have made $100 each. Fucking heartless cheap fucks
3.5 hours in I was shivering and cold very deep inside
People told me to take a shot to keep warm but I don’t fucking want to drink
I shouldn’t have to ingest Fireball if I don’t want to
PLUS if I drink, all inhibition is out and I’m going to fucking cry
Anyway 4 hours in, I walked inside the warm guest house where the bathroom was. I turned to the wall because tears were slowly burning my eyes. I figured if I just let them roll down slowly, no one would notice. But then my nose started running and the tears began a steady flow so I kept dabbing at my face. There was a couple in line for the bathroom. The woman came behind me and asked if I was okay and I said yes. But of course when someone gives you a safe space, that’s when your wall crumbles and so I, my own wall, crumbled and I started crying in front of this stranger who hugged me and her rich husband was right there and other rich strangers were going in and out and they didn’t notice what was going on.
The hugger woman waited in the bathroom line for me so I didn’t have to show my face. Once she was at the front, I jetted into the bathroom to wet my eyes and clean my nose then went back outside to my station at the bar
I continued to shiver and my teeeth chattered
And tears occasionally (without warning) slipped down my face while I was pouring drinks
And no one gave a fuck
I was a dog
Shivering and shaking for $40 in tips
And $13.25 an hour for 5 hours
But in L.A., they treat their dogs better than that
I was a rat
On the very first day of 2019 I have begun my new life
I scraped with my little vermin paws
Scraped into nirvana
Here I am
Happy New Year Rats