Remembrance of Things Pabst

So we went out on Friday Night to relax after another grueling day. When we got to the Greek place it was pretty crowded because it was Friday night at 7:30 and everyone was out on a beautiful night. Since we are in with the in crowd already Lisa went in to talk to the owner. She didn't want to sit in the back because it was too hot and we wanted to sit in the window. So the owner said no problem I will save you a table. Go and have a drink and come back in half an hour.

There is this hipster bar that I have never gone into down the street. It has been open for a bout ten years. It is called "Brooklyn Social." The gimmick is that they took over the space of an old social club. The Society De Riposto which was an Italian group based on people from Bari. I had gone into the joint several times to play cards back in the day. One of my fathers good friends was the President for about twenty years and when one of my buddies wanted to get into the serious game there I went with him to get him in. I wasn't there for long. Didn't sit in for more than a couple of hands. Just to make the introduction. Since they always took his money they were cool with that.

Anyway these hipster guys took over and their idea was not to change much. Same decor. Same fixtures. Just put in a pool table and a ladies room and you were good to go.

We belly up to the bar and order. I can have one glass of wine which I did and Lisa had a Cosmo. We talk to the bartender as we do and what do you know? He recognized us from the show because he lived across the street and saw us filming and made sure that he caught it when it was on. Small world.

What was good about the bar was that were not a lot of young kids in there so we felt comfortable. I said to Lisa "Hey it's an older crowd. And I am ten years older than everyone so if anybody calls me pops I will have to pop him in the snoot." Like I could do that. I am too fucking old for that foolishness.

The music was good too! Van Morrison. The Doors. Fogerty. Classics that the Old Dawgs would play. Just not a lot of Mail Order Filipinos. Just older dirty hippie chicks with grey hair under their arms.

They kept a bunch of the old photos and memorabilia from the club. It was funny to look at them and see some of the old characters from the neighborhood. I was naming them to Lisa when the bartender heard me and said they had no idea who they were and wanted to write it down. I said no way. Let those guys rest in peace. They were mostly simple workingmen but a couple of wiseguys were mixed in who were best not mentioned if you know what I mean.

A staple in clubs of that era (the sixties) would have this photo of the first Catholic President. Everyone had high hopes for him. Of course in some of the other social clubs they would throw darts at it or even shoot at it after Bobby went after the Mob. But these guys always had a soft spot for the first Family of Catholic America no matter how much they fucked up. Luckily none of their daughters got drowned or killed with a golf club or something.

The group shots of the old membership and their citations and awards were more interesting to me.  You see this joint was for the guys who couldn't get into the Knights of Columbus for one reason or another. I think the Pope would excommunicate them or something.

They did add some modern signs of the times just to keep current. They have to have rules after all.

I was generally enjoying myself but then I realized I couldn't stay and keep drinking. I am on a strict diet of one glass of wine a night and I had my quota in the first five minutes we were there. So I was not happy. We paid up and went on to the Greek Place.

We got our table. But they have to get to know me better. Because you can say a lot of shit about me but you can't say that.

Just sayn'