My sister turned 21 last week.
Being the dutiful older sister, I took her out for a few drinks.
Our first spot was DJ’s Dugout in Bellevue. Unfortunately, the neighborhood bar was closed that night because it’s moving to a new building a couple of blocks away. So we couldn’t grub on 40-cent wings or chug cheap beer.
No biggie. We hit the casino, then after an hour of clicking buttons on the penny machines, we headed for a college bar.
Whoa. Flashback. I hadn’t been to the Pipeline Tavern, 1300 S. 72nd St., in years.
It was dollar beer night, and the surfside bar looked like a scene from “Animal House.” Frat kids galore, tightly packed into the main bar and patio.
Veronica, my sis, loved it. She ran into a few college friends (surprise, surprise) while I ordered a beer. As I dug for my wallet, I was taken aback by the pack of antacid pills that sat at the bottom of my purse.
“Vero,” I said. “I’m going to have a quick beer then bounce.”
“Why?” she asked.
“You don’t want to kick it with me,” I replied. “All of your friends are here. I’ll catch up with you later.”
She went back to drinking, and I went home. Whew.
Sorry, Pipeline. You’ve become a pipe dream to me. Totally not my spot anymore.
On the drive home, I thought about my 21st birthday and the many life lessons I’ve learned since, whether I wanted to or not.
Now that Vero’s an adult, I’d like her to know 21 things about being one. I enlisted the help of a life coach and a bartender, who came up with 21 things to know about being 21.
Here’s what they had to say:
1. Lose your ego. You won’t miss it.
2. I have never liked gin. I hate tonic. Put them together and they taste fantastic. Try new things.
3. Say “I love you” and say “I’m sorry.” These really are the magic words.
4. Ask questions and question the answers.
5. Never lose your self-respect. It’s the one thing you can take with you.
6. Get a job. Learn the value of hard work.
7. Learn to forgive. Hurtful things are going to happen to you. Learn to let it go.
8. Presentation is everything. Tuck in your shirt.
9. If you learn a really good cure for hiccups, people will think you are magic.
10. Just because you can afford them, don’t break the bank on quarter pints.
11. When trying to defuse a heated situation, follow this mantra: “Speak slow. Speak low.”
12. Best way to sound smarter and more polite: Say “yes” instead of “yeah.”
13. Follow your heart and listen for your voice of wisdom.
14. Expect obstacles on your road; they’re part of the game of life.
15. Tips come in many forms. Money is nice, but so is food, small gifts or nice comments to my boss.
16. If you are a bad tipper and a jerk, you will be remembered. Not in a positive way.
17. Invest in good shoes. Your body will thank you.
18. You’re never too big to take out the trash.
19. Be prepared. I start each shift with two bottle openers, two pens, two lighters. You get the point.
20. Asking a bartender if he has ever had a drink on the job is like asking a chef if he has ever eaten.
21. When all else fails, show them your teeth.
(Sources: JoAnn Bouda, a life coach in Omaha, and Mark Woods, a Key West, Fla., bartender who works with the Mad Gringo Hawaiian shirt guys based in Dundee.)
Contact the writer:
444-1075, j.loza@owh.com
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