Yesterday, the wind blew hard and relentless. A cold front was upon us. All day long, the trees swayed viciously; taunting in the way a small child would. It was like a little bully, sticking out his tongue from behind the shelter of their mothers' arms. Neeener neener neenerrrrrrrrrrr You can't catch me......
It was damn cold.
Surely the outdoor bar would not open in this weather right? Ehhh WRONG. Oh well... time to suck it up and get to work. I pulled up my bootstraps, threw on a sweatshirt and got to work. Who would want to sit outside in this frigid weather and have a frosty, cold one? Well, first guest of the day, my eldest brother. This was going to be a long night.
I was happy to have the company, I will tell you that much. I figured if we were going to do this, then let's do this! Slowly but surely, people straggled to the bar. And I have to say in all sincerity, that yesterday I served some of the most genuinely nice and happy people. We were in it together, and that warmed my heart.
By closing time, my nose was bright red and my fingertips a pale shade of blue. I was ready to sit down, enjoy a dirty martini, and thaw out. My cell phone buzzed in my pocket. Hmmm who could this be? I decided to wait to return the call, as I was at that moment, thoroughly enjoying my dinner and cocktail.
Voicemail: Ms. Kiley, this is the fraud department alerting you to some unusual activity...
Seriously?? The thunder cracked ever so subtly and for a moment, I swear, it sounded like laughter. Time to deal with that little battle. Frauds. Fakes. Felonies. It is beyond my comprehension. How do they get away with this? Why do they do it?
Here I had just spent the past seven hours outside in the biting cold, working for tips, while some jerk was out there pretending to be me, and going on a little shopping spree.
To be honest, I felt a little defeated on the drive home. Everything I had worked for that night, some fraud had collected and cashed in. Just when I was about to throw in the towel on the whole damn day, I pulled my car over to the side of the road and took a breath. I thought of the little victories instead.
Yesterday, despite the bone-chilling wind and cold, I had helped make a thirtieth anniversary a little sweeter, a date night away from the kids a little spicier, and a night out with the guys a little funnier. And in my own small way, I secretly patted myself on the back every time I strained a martini into the glass and saw that I had counted out a perfect pour. That was a little victory. Just the perfect free hand pour of gin and olive juice, of vanilla vodka and pineapple, and so on.
And at the end of the night, when the cash drawer was counted, it was perfectly maintained, to the penny. Small victories I know, but a victor all the same. And when I spoke to the woman on the phone in the fraud department, she was so reassuring and positive to me. It was a victory too. There are good days, bad days and blah days. But, I made a choice last night, to count my wins over my losses.
I am okay. I am happy. I am not a fraud. I am not cold. I am a victor.
At that moment, I looked up through my windshield and saw that the sky was clear. The moon's happy face shown down bright on the road that led to home. The stars above gave me a little wink. The storm had passed.
And today, it's 70 and sunny. Enjoy the little victories. They just might make all the difference in your life.
Today:
Pineapple Upside Down Cake Martini
1 1/2 oz Vodka
1/2 oz Vanilla Vodka
Splash of Pineapple Juice
Grenadine to the bottom of the glass.
Sugar Rim
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