Tales from Down River – Da Brewski

The first time was around Halloween time 2004. After we successfully left “Little Joint” with our necks intact, we began driving down Southfield again. Now, if you read our tale about “Little Joint”, you would know that it’s Chris, Donna & I. I am DD and they are a wee bit tipsy. If you didn’t read the tale, then now you know also. I spot “Da Brewski”, so do a U turn, and we head on in. Now, Chris & I are on a mission to get Donna a lemon drop as she has never had one, plus she is sooo funny when she pukes. The bar is sparsely populated, but they are doing Karaoke, so we decided to take a table and watch.

Chris goes up to the bar to get us some beer and get a lemon drop for Donna. As Donna & I are at the table, we both start discretely pointing out people to each other. It doesn’t take long to realize that there is not one sober person in the bar, except me. Actually, as far gone as the other patrons were, Chris & Donna would have been considered sober as well. It was very surreal. The two waitresses were wobbling around, not really serving anyone. The bartender/owner was doing the side step drunk walk. You know the one, where you are trying to walk straight, but due to your body lean you sorta go at a diagonal. It was truly amazing.

Chris got us our beers, but no lemon drop as they didn’t have any lemon. We had a bit of a laugh over that as it appeared the elusive lemon drop was simply not to be. We watched the waitresses play a deer hunting game. It was quite funny to see them standing, their feet firmly planted, yet their upper torso’s were going around in circle trying to aim the gun. Reminded me of some of my real deer hunting trips, which is a very scary thought. We were thinking about leaving, when this guy staggers up to the karaoke machine and starts it. Yep, it is time for Drunken Karaoke.

Of course that the only way most people will do it anyways, so it’s not that unusual. What made this such a memorable event was how drunk they were. It was the two waitresses, the owner/bartender, and one other guy. I think he was the karaoke DJ as he had stumbled to our table and gave us a song list. It was like watching a horrible car accident. As much as you are repulsed you can’t turn away. You just can’t. That is what the singing/howling was like. We just couldn’t leave. I don’t know what songs they tried to sing, I knew that it was painful. Literally, my eardrums hurt as they tried to reach a high note and began screeching. At one point two were standing and singing a duet. They were really getting into it, swaying back and forth. Of course only 5th word or so was understandable, but the funny thing was they couldn’t control their swaying. They keep going faster, back and forth, faster, until “PLOP’ they both just sat down on the edge of the little stage.

At that point we left for another bar. We have stopped back in there, but nothing equals that first night. It was truly a drunken dive.

Apologies

Okay. Yes, I have been slacking on writing, but I have not had the “urge”. I will try to do more in the future. If you get invited out with us, please come along as I can use more stories. While I still have enough for a few more tales, we need to have some more adventures. Join if you can.

Love, Lies, & the Polish Bars - Part II

Act II – The Betrayal!

Time passes and our two estranged lovers are still apart, but only physically. Friends close to Mike notice how he occasionally gets a far way look. At these times, they say the longing and sadness in his eyes and they know he is remembering his denied love and wondering “what if”….

As for his Lady Marilyn, she is missing. Her absence is very noticeable the few times we stop in for a draught. We assume it is because she is too wrought with anguish to carry on with her job. {Of course, it could be rehab also} Finally in late December of 2005, she reappears and Mike’s pure love is smashed on the jagged rocks of broken dreams. While it pains me to write this, I feel it will be a therapy of sorts, if not for Mike, then for me. While I was only a witness, no one can witness a tragedy of such proportions without emotional scars. Also it might serve as a warning to all young lovers about the danger of separation and unrequited love.

We began the evening exploring downtown Detroit. It was Donna, Brooke (she of the table dancing fame), and myself. We started around 1 p.m. and were joined by Chris around 8 p.m. We went to four or so bars around Woodward Ave. It was a warm evening, so walking was good. As the night wore on, it became time to start the trek home. Of course this was to be via the Polish Bars. We arrived; took a spot at the bar; and “she” was there, serving drafts. As she delivers our drinks, I notice that her gaze is lingering on Chris, but I chalk it up to her trying to remember him.


After a few moments of staring at Chris from the other end of the bar, she walks back down to our end. Looking Chris directly in the eyes, she licks her lips and says “Youse want a shot..on the house? It’s a good shot.” Donna & I looked at each in shock. We were speechless, but our thoughts were the same – She is hitting on Chris. Mike’s true love was attempting to seduce another. Well, we take the shots as we didn’t want to break an 11th commandment. You know the one that free alcohol is good alcohol. Chris starts playing Joe Cool. He looks at her and rattles off the various liquors that were in the shot. He ended with a quick smile and soft “I used to be a bartender.” She was very impressed and her interest in Chris increases tenfold. You could almost see her desire on her face. It made me sick to see her move so quickly from her true love to another man.

She reached over and placed her hand on Chris’s. She said, “I’ve got a special shot for you!” You could almost hear the “big boy” at the end of that sentence. While she is pouring Chris his “shot”, I decided I could not take this any more. My morality had been pushed as far as it could go. I called Mike. He sounded groggy as if I had awoken him. Since it was about 1 a.m., it was very possible I had, so I let him collect his thoughts. I explained where I was and being diplomatic I asked if he would like to speak to his lady. My plan was that sound of his voice would stop her and remind her of all she was giving up. It was a hope, at least.

Alas, Mike did not want to speak to her. I could tell he didn’t want to open wounds that were just starting to close. Yet, I didn’t want him to go away without know the full story, without knowing about her deception with Chris. If he knew, then he would either fight for her love, or be able to close that chapter of his life. As she was pouring the shot down Chris throat, standing there with her hand on his shoulder, it was so reminiscent of the previous 4th of July. I did one of the hardest things I had to do in my life. I told Mike in exact detail what was going on. How she was trying to seduce Chris. How she appeared to be unfaithful. It has hard. I could hear his breath catching as he listened. I thought he was going to cry. I asked if he wanted to talk to her and try to win her back. Like the true and honorable gentleman he is, he declined stating that it was over. The quiver in his voice was truly heart wrenching. I could stand no more, so I said my farewells and let him go to contemplate the rest of his life…the rest of his life with out his true love.

I hope it was the right thing. Interfering as I had could lead to potential disaster, yet, I feel it allowed closure for Mike. At least that is what I tell myself.