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| - When I was in the neighborhood, I had to stop off at my favorite University hangout. So many of them had changed names over the years. I still have a Moose Mcgillicuddy's shirt, one of the first places I went to get security warning drunk.
Cheers was a hidden bar, I think you have to know someone to go to it for the first time or you'd never find it? That was the case for me, my first time I was driven there on a night of debauch. I had no idea where we were in relation to any area of town, I couldn't even see the Strat or Luxor light. Doomed.
The biggest memories I had of Cheers occurred one year when I was in town alone for the holidays with xmas eve and day off. It sucks because of the last 4 holidays of the year, I always bargain to work Thanksgiving, xmas day and eve to score new years day off and a lunch shift if not off new years eve.
One of the rules I made for drinking on my 23rd birthday (I got alcohol poisoning on my 20-22nd b-days) was that I would drink to remember, not to forget. Well, I didn't like to have xmas off, everyone was out of town. I had patrolled the strip and saw all the Jewish, Vietnamese & other non-christians out.
Bars are open 24/7, well you'd be surprised how many bars start looking for their keys to doors that had remained open the other 364 nights/ year. I think I was on my 4th bar and I think I got a text to go to Cheers. This is 7+ years of accumulated blackout drunk memories, so my memory is like the reception of a portable tv.
I was on my motorcycle and don't even want to know how I got there. I usually sat and ate something until I felt Monday at 9:00AM sober, paper pusher style before driving. Except for twice. And I still have the ptsd to lurch me out of sleep randomly to celebrate.
We played pool, ordered Mexican from next door & they put it in the service window when that was legal to. We had such a great time we planned it for the following year, then again...
It turned out to be one of the best Vegas xmas's I ever had. It was the wayward holiday crew, people who had no where to be because they couldn't get time from work. Or they just didn't want to be home alone. Or they strategically escaped their family with an excuse. It was us holiday left behind folk. And we were alright without the holiday stress to get everything prepared and everyone over the house, etc.
There was even a drunk Santa. Did we make out? Who did I kiss, it smelled like ash, red wine and the hopes and dreams of people stuck at the airport.
I know we celebrated there the year before and a couple of years after the "clean air" act passed, and dining areas had to have a physical wall/ window separating the bar area. My argument was I didn' t want to sit in the dining area alone while everyone was partying. It should be my choice to bring food in where people are smoking. Whatevs, laws be cray. I voted against it and I don't even smoke. Damn window plastered up!
Always great service from the bartender, made me feel welcome and hung out and talked with us like she was happy to be there. They have the life, I loved bartending.
So I had to pay my own tribute to the wayward holiday vagabonds even though I was 5 months off. (and about 7-8 years past). I don't know what happened the first year I didn't go. I didn't want to be the guy that got too busy and left my warriors behind!
As I type this, it's Mother's Day. It's another holiday I can't really celebrate and I think of the others who can't also, because their mother passed away or some other reason. Maybe we'll have to think of a place where we can go to feel better and not think about another holiday that just bombards those of us without.
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