Emerging from amidst the rubbish removal bins, the full bus tubs,
the soiled linen and dirty dishes, are some remarkable stories of what it is really like – or was really like for our humble narrator living in “the life”.

 Starting as a dishwasher and then getting “promoted” to pots, then on to the steam room at age 17, to owning his first club at 28, the epic rise and equally unceremonious fall from grace of the trials and tribulations of a red blooded American coming of age in the restaurant business.

These stories are largely based on the life of our protagonist, some would say hero, but he is also the reason why everyone in the business wants to get out.

 Stories of death and denial, debauchery and decadence, of meeting Howard, of giving a bag of money to Bernie, to hanging with a thin Joey, a despicable Jeffrey, of blackmail, extortion, paying off cops, robbers, good guys and bad guys alike.

Of going into a city with thousands of other bars, being asked if I’m worried and shaking my head no, drinking straight out of a bottle of Jack saying simply, “They should be.”

 We were bad, we were what your mother warned you about, we were rock stars. We were the rolling stones, hide the woman and children, we were coming to your town.

 Stories of hope, of humor, and of humanity in an otherwise inhumane world.

Please enjoy (or don’t).