Ep 102 A Cop Took Me to Court over a $10 Tip!?

Legends of Down Under: A Dive Bar Adventure
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The Homey Dive Bar
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As I sit at the bar on Tuesdays and Sundays, I can't help but love the vibe of this place called Tap Room, or as some know it, Down Under. It's a true dive bar - homey, comfortable, and filled with regulars. The four taps may not be much, but the atmosphere more than makes up for it.

The Liquid Marijuana Debacle
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One night, a guy I had never seen before came up to the bartender, Dean, and asked him to make a "liquid marijuana." Dean quickly shut that down, saying he wasn't going to make that. I couldn't help but laugh - liquid marijuana is a pretty funky, fruity drink. When I asked the guy about it, he pivoted and just asked for a Tito's and pineapple instead.

I pulled Dean aside later and asked why he wouldn't make the liquid marijuana. He straight up told me, "Man, all these \[expletive\] coming in wanting me to make this \[expletive\] at the end of the night. I ain't making none of that \[expletive\]." I totally understood - at last call, the last thing a bartender wants to do is spend time meticulously crafting a multi-ingredient cocktail. It's all about speed and efficiency at that point.

The Regulars and Their Questionable Tipping
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Now, Dekonte has this habit of befriending some of the regulars at Down Under, even the ones that I consider to be "bar enemies." He'll sit with them, buy them rounds, the whole nine. I keep telling him, "Dude, these people don't tip for \[expletive\]." And sure enough, one time Dekonte had a $180 tab and only got tipped $10. I was livid - I told him, "I told you so!" He tried to defend them, saying they had tipped well before, but I wasn't having it. Those kinds of customers are not worth cultivating a friendship with.

The best approach is to educate them indirectly about tipping. Talk about it in general, make comments about good tippers around them, things like that. You can't just come out and call them out directly, but you have to find a way to get the message across.

The Costly Mistake and the Angry Cop
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I had my own run-in with a problematic customer recently. I had a tab that looked like $42 with a $10 tip, but when I double-checked, it turned out to be a zero tip. I ended up covering the $10 out of my own pocket and refunding the full $42 to the customer. I thought that would be the end of it, but no - this customer, who happened to be a cop, demanded that I call him and apologize.

When I called him, he started yelling at me and denying all the horrible things he had said the night before. I told him, "Hey, I know you said those things, I was there." That apparently wasn't good enough, and he decided to take me to court for credit card fraud over the $10 mistake. Luckily, the district attorney saw how ridiculous the whole situation was and threw the case out immediately.

The moral of the story? Be extra cautious with difficult customers, especially ones who have authority like police officers. It's not worth risking your job or getting caught up in a legal battle over a small mistake. And always double-check those tips!

The Legends of Down Under
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Despite the occasional drama, I still enjoy my time at Down Under. It's a true dive bar experience - comfortable, filled with regulars, and always entertaining. From the liquid marijuana debacle to the problematic tippers, there's never a dull moment. I'll keep coming back, but I'll be sure to keep a closer eye on those tips!