It’s no secret that I’m one of those people who is living for the weekend. As I often do, I commenced my two days away from work by hitting my favorite third place after my cardio this afternoon. I sat on the stool, paired up a Tanq and tonic with a fish and chips and settled down. Soon, I was making headway with my meal; then a woman came up to the guys sitting down from me. They were there when I came in and talking, laughing, and buying beer — too hetero for my tastes, but I digress. I hadn’t noticed her in the place at all, but then why would I?
“ Can I have a sip of your beer,” she asked. The guy, apparently, gave it to her. She commenced telling that she wasn’t allowed to be in the bar. She’d left her dog tied up outside — after no being allowed to bring it inside. This was not a service animal, so the manager was making her leave. One of the bartenders came to ask if she’d been served. “I’m having a drink on the house,” she informed. “Make it a Harp.” She looked decent enough, and while I like the darker beers personally, Harp isn’t bad. She then told the guys that she’d called the police. They conversed with her in polite, but guarded, tones. “Isn’t she loose,” one of the guys asked. The woman went running outside — just in time to find the police pulling up. The bartender showed up Harp in hand, and looked totally befuzzled by the scene. He finally wandered off with the Harp — looking completely confused. Louisville’s finest, on the other hand, didn’t look too happy about standing in the cold for this woman’s nonsense. In fact the one in short sleeves looked almost angry. Who could blame him in twenty-six degree weather?
“Do you think her line about a drink on the house would work for the rest of us,” I aksed. We laughed and talked whilst the drama played outside. Finally, she left with the dog. A few chuckles later, I was eating again. I heard them still talking about it. “I mean if it was race, or gender, or sexual orientation that they used to keep her out, I’d agree to calling the cops, but not because they wouldn’t let her in with a dog.” The “sexual orientation” grabbed my ears. This man had very casually defended me and mine without thinking about what he said. His buddies seemed in full agreement. Maybe the world has come far further than I think.
