A Morning-After Rant

Hey kids. Hope you're all enjoying your pre-holiday weekend.

I must say, I was pleased with the turnout last night for Saturday Night Karaoke- especially so when it came to the quantity and quality of the players. It was also nice see that there were plenty of folks who'd come to Norcross for the inaugural Norcross Pride event who decided to stick around and have some fun with us. 

Unfortunately, last night was by no means a typical night.

Don't get me wrong, SNK is always loud, I'm always inappropriate and foul-mouthed, and there's a few faces that are pretty much always there. What isn't typical is the scale of fuckery on display. Now, it's pretty common for me to zone out during the show. I'm looking up songs, typing in names, looking for bump music to suit the mood of the evening- whatever- and I miss stuff, so imagine my surprise when one of my regular patrons comes up and tells me that some drunken dickbag had decided to show how manly he was by hitting someone- and compounded his fuckery by striking a young woman who was a good foot shorter and at least 150 lbs lighter.

In most instances, I'd be a "show must go on" kind of guy, but circumstances dictated that not be the case. It might mark me as old-fashioned or whatever, but I was taught it was never okay for a man/boy to strike a woman/girl. Under any circumstances. Even if that woman/girl is attempting to cause harm to someone more vulnerable than themselves. (Stop them? Sure. Hit them? Absolutely not.)

On a few occasions, I've been compelled to ask Tomas and Kristie (and Jason, back in the day) to have people removed from the premises for causing trouble. On one previous occasion, I've called the police myself. But never for a display of sheer cowardice, stupidity, and unprovoked assholery like last night.

See, while do I realize that bar fights are a hazard of working in a bar- I'm pretty fortunate that it's exceedingly rare that it's happened during one of our shows, owing- in large part- to the venue we've been a part of for nearly 10 years being a "neighborhood" hangout. It has regulars that live in the area- folks of all ages, from all walks of life, who come in to have a good time. It's not that we won't welcome newcomers or "out of towners", it's just that we feel a sense of community there. That kind of bullshit just isn't something anyone there is okay with- not to mention that stirring shit might is going to be something that the would-be instigators will regret when they realize that ex-military, black-belt level martial artists, bikers, and some folks that you just look at them and know they would kick wholesale ass are a part of our community- meaning that the instigator's testosterone-fueled peacocking could easily end up with them bloodied and humiliated, and- quite possibly- chained to a hospital bed. 

Since there was a line of at least seven guys on the sidewalk ready to pummel last night's douche-canoe into a pulp as he staggered out to his vehicle so he could add a DUI to his assault charges, he should probably be thankful that those guys realized that the police were on their way and the guy was going to spending at the very least the next day and a half behind bars deserve a round applause for that. 

If anything "happy" can be said to have come from the entire sad situation, it's this: Norcross Police caught the prick within minutes of him pulling away, thanks to all of you who were determined that the asshole not get away with it. I was further pleased when- about 45 minutes later- I saw his expensive truck drive by on the back of a flatbed, on its way to the impound yard.

To all of you faithful fans who were in attendance last night- as well as those of you who might have been passing through, you have my sincerest apologies that the fun was brought to a screeching halt while the situation was dealt with. You also have my sincerest thanks for not setting me further on edge by complaining about the stop, and understanding that there are some things far more important than our little Saturday night get-together.

I'd also like to thank the party that the young woman who was the asshole's target for refusing to allow him being a ginormous piece of shit to color their perceptions of the rest of us. I meant it then, and I mean it now, when I said I hope you'll come back and give us another go at showing you a good time.

Peace out, yo.