It is common to see a doggy or other pet in the Nite Cap on the corner of O'Farrell and Hyde in San Francisco. One time I accidentally kicked the dog dish in the back corner of the bar, spilling dog food all over the floor of the bar. The place was so loud and packed it took me 10 minutes to get the bartenders attention and another 5 minutes to articulate to him what I did. He was not pleased with me. Then I attempted to pick up the dog food and in the process I knocked over the bartenders bike, which was leaning on the back wall. The bike hit another customer who preceded to cuss me out. The bartender was very displeased with my clumsiness.

After he cleaned up and got back behind the bar, he was a total professional and asked me what I wanted to drink. I ordered a draft of something, probably an ale. I knew I was walking on eggshells and the bar was too packed and loud for my tastes, so I made the decision to finish my one beer and take off to another saloon. Then I spilled my glass of beer while putting it back on the bar.

"Dude, you gotta go," said the bartender.

Jeez, I did not realize until now what a clumsy drunk I am. Note to self: work on that sloppy thingy.

That was 5 or 6 years ago. The time before the last time I went to the Nite Cap, I was hanging out with my old, old drinking buddy, who's name I always forget but he says, "good, good, good," to just about any comment. Well, on this night I said something to the effect of, "{insert dudes name} you gotta get a new catch phrase." That sorta pissed off all the other drinkers around me although I was buying rounds for all these chaps. One of the guys pointed at a picture of my drinking buddy on the wall behind the bar, which had the caption, "Good Good Good." Yeah, not a swift move by me. Then the bartender, sweet Emily, took offense and I felt ashamed and cornered. It was one of those occasions which showed everyone what you are truly made of, whether you are man or boy, hero or victim, gentleman or asshole.

I ran out of the bar and grabbed a taxi without paying for the last round of drinks.

Picture courtesy of Vic Gedris

For almost 6 months I was scared of going back into the Nite Cap, and that damn place is one of my favorite watering holes, not because the place is awesome or cool, it is neither, in fact it sorta sucks, BUT I'VE BEEN GOING TO THAT PLACE FOR 15 YEARS. Finally, I got up the nerve to visit again and I put some extra cash in my wallet to cover my unpaid bill. So I'm walking up O'Farrell and who is the first person I see in front of the bar? It was Emily the bartender smoking a cigarette outside. I did what most people would do (I think), I walked right past her and the bar, hiding my face, and quickly crossed Hyde and then O'Farrell to distance myself from my shame.

A couple weeks later, while kicking back at a dead Jonell's, I said to myself, "man, it's time to set things straight." I get off my warm bar stool and stomp my way back to the Nite Cap; a man on a mission.

I bound into the bar, see my old drinking buddy, who I always call Jim but that's not his real name. He smiles and pats my back, "good, good, good." I sit at the bar and Emily walks up to me. "I haven't seen you for awhile." I tell her an edited version of the above tale and she goes, "I don't remember, what can I get'cha?" Later that night, I call my drinking buddy "Jim" again. A guy close to us goes, "heeey man, his name is {insert real name}," and he points at that same picture. This guy is pissed off and looks like he's going to punch me. My drinking buddy got between us and went, "it doesn't matter, let it go, {my name} and I go way back," and Jim smiles and we sit back on our bar stools and talk about the old days at the Nite Cap before it turned into a hipster neighborhood bar. We talk about the buzzer, boys town, and wild, crazy decisions made due to alcohol.

Later that night I saw the old Asian owner and she walked up to me and asked, "I know you from somewhere, where do I know you from?" I go, "I've been coming to this bar for 15 years!" And Jim (not his real name) goes, "good, good, good."