INDYFIGHTER
Purple Belt
I did a seach of the threads for any talking about bouncing. I found some but I thought I'd start a fresh one. I worked a bar last winter when the hours at my day job slacked off and this winter I've managed to get the same job again. Last Satuday was my first night back and it wasn't totally uneventful. The bar I work is a pretty nice little place that sits on a street that is lined with different types of clubs and taverns. Our place is a place to drink and talk and listen to the jukebox. They've got good food till 9pm and then a fried menu till almost close. Four pool tables that are open until there's no room to play which is about midnight on any Friday or Saturday night. Then we cover the tables and let patrons lean, not sit, on them. There's a small bar in the backroom with a server station that must remain clear all night. That's where I was last Saturday night. I also have to help watch the table's for sit'ers and people leaving their drinks set on the table tops, also a no, no. We keep the trash cans emptied and I like to clear tables of empty bottles when ever possible so they can't be thrown.
What I've found is that there's really a lot more to this job than just the physical aspect. I'm not big at all. Actually I'm pretty skinny, 6' 140lbs. I can honestly say that when I was eighteen I'd never thought I'd been a bouncer. After a few years of training in Kempo/kali/hapkido/and boxing, sparring regularly and achieveing a few belts in the kempo system when the opportunity came up I thought I'd give it a shot. I've always had good people skills.
Last winter was pretty easy. Anyone I asked to leave did so willingly. We had to group up on a few guys before they left without trouble. It really helps that we have a policeman in his squad car right outside the door and sometimes he comes in and sits at the door. Still, I'm always alert. Like when I'm riding my motorcycle, I never stop feeling like someones trying to get me. I'm constantly aware. I watch the guys who are drinking a lot and try to guess which one will be the one I cut off later or ask to leave. I've been right more than once.
So this last Saturday I was working that back bar and all was going good. Around 1:30am I went to check the restroom and noticed a man coming out of the bathroom who's eyes looked pretty bad. I watched as he walked towards the front bar and he was walking straight so I let him go hoping that the guys up front were already aware of him and watching him. Well, an hour later as I walk to check the restroom again there he is, trucking it into the womens restroom! I almost didn't get to him before he was throught the door. I popped him forward with both hand on both his shoulders then pulled him right back into me and turned him a quarter turn so he was facing the rear exit. Then I started pushing him and after the little jostle I'd given him we stumbled right along to about half way through the room when he got his feet under him and got me stopped. He was talking "wow, wow, wow". So I started talking back and took his drink from him and sat it down, when I came back up I pushed again and we went the final ten feet to the door and out he went. It was fast. If I'd had the chance I'd had back up but Then he'd been in the restroom and there was lots of ladies in there. I got a 'good job' from the other bounce working the room, and I got asked to come back this weekend. I've got a great day job but all I've looked forward to this week is getting back to the bar.
What I've found is that there's really a lot more to this job than just the physical aspect. I'm not big at all. Actually I'm pretty skinny, 6' 140lbs. I can honestly say that when I was eighteen I'd never thought I'd been a bouncer. After a few years of training in Kempo/kali/hapkido/and boxing, sparring regularly and achieveing a few belts in the kempo system when the opportunity came up I thought I'd give it a shot. I've always had good people skills.
Last winter was pretty easy. Anyone I asked to leave did so willingly. We had to group up on a few guys before they left without trouble. It really helps that we have a policeman in his squad car right outside the door and sometimes he comes in and sits at the door. Still, I'm always alert. Like when I'm riding my motorcycle, I never stop feeling like someones trying to get me. I'm constantly aware. I watch the guys who are drinking a lot and try to guess which one will be the one I cut off later or ask to leave. I've been right more than once.
So this last Saturday I was working that back bar and all was going good. Around 1:30am I went to check the restroom and noticed a man coming out of the bathroom who's eyes looked pretty bad. I watched as he walked towards the front bar and he was walking straight so I let him go hoping that the guys up front were already aware of him and watching him. Well, an hour later as I walk to check the restroom again there he is, trucking it into the womens restroom! I almost didn't get to him before he was throught the door. I popped him forward with both hand on both his shoulders then pulled him right back into me and turned him a quarter turn so he was facing the rear exit. Then I started pushing him and after the little jostle I'd given him we stumbled right along to about half way through the room when he got his feet under him and got me stopped. He was talking "wow, wow, wow". So I started talking back and took his drink from him and sat it down, when I came back up I pushed again and we went the final ten feet to the door and out he went. It was fast. If I'd had the chance I'd had back up but Then he'd been in the restroom and there was lots of ladies in there. I got a 'good job' from the other bounce working the room, and I got asked to come back this weekend. I've got a great day job but all I've looked forward to this week is getting back to the bar.