I can’t say that I cared for her assumptions about my physical and mental health or her comments on what I choose to do with my body, particularly not when surrounded by other customers. Either she was determined to offer her opinion on this drug (she clearly wasn’t a fan) or she took my one-word answers as an invitation to try and make me feel about one inch tall. However, this quickly led to the Spanish Inquisition of unnecessary questions. This lady asked me if I’d ever taken this particular medication before. Initially, the conversation started out seemingly innocently, even professionally. This incident happened 3 weeks ago, but it really got under my skin. Secondly, it is NEVER okay to comment on someone’s body – be it the shape, function, size or healthiness. The matter had been discussed with my GP and frankly, his opinion and knowledge were the only things I needed or trusted.
![chip hailstone being rich means chip hailstone being rich means](https://op.europa.eu/webpub/com/general-report-2019/img/CH03_GR23-EN.jpg)
Firstly, what medication I take was none of this woman’s business. This fact was reminded to me recently when I went to collect some medication from the pharmacy after a doctor’s appointment. Learning when to voice your opinion seems to be a skill some people haven’t yet mastered. And just because freedom of speech says that technically you can, doesn’t mean that you should. We all have opinions on religion and politics and, whilst there’s nothing wrong a healthy debate on either, there is a time and a place for such things. This age-old maxim has served bartenders well and it exists for very good reasons! (Although, it’s wise not to discuss sex, money or football either). During our training, we were told to never initiate, or engage in, conversation in two topics: religion and politics. However, despite my bartending fuck-ups, one thing I never got wrong was the chat. Probably to my managers’ relief, it wasn’t long before my health had deteriorated to the point of requiring hospitalisation again and I left. Yep, in my haze of la-la-land living, I’d only gone and cut the limes into slices … all of them! I can still see the look of WTF on his face now. The feeling of minor pride after ‘successfully’ chopping up four trays of citrus fruit was quickly replaced with utter shame and embarrassment when my supervisor came to check.
![chip hailstone being rich means chip hailstone being rich means](https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/seth-rich_edited.jpg)
Why then I botched this up, can only stand testament to why eating disorders and basic cognition will never mix like a G&T.
![chip hailstone being rich means chip hailstone being rich means](https://www.si.com/.image/ar_4:3%2Cc_fill%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_1200/MTcxOTc5MzQxOTIyNTc1Njgy/nfl-draft-joe-burrow-leonard-fournette-rich-eisen.jpg)
I knew that lemons are served in slices and limes in wedges. I had drunk plenty of beverages garnished with both limes and lemons. Sounds simple enough, right?! … I thought so too until that fateful day …
Chip hailstone being rich means full#
My puny arms struggled to lift empty kegs, let alone full ones, so my tasks were marrying bottles and cutting up fruit. When I wasn’t huddling near the coffee machine to try and stay warm, I was prepping stock for the evening. Understandably, I mostly landed day shifts. Remembering anything above two drinks generally resulted in disaster or exasperated customers who clearly thought I was an imbecile for politely having to ask them to repeat their order. But more bodies also meant more orders and long ones at that. I was constantly cold so relished the night shifts because they were busier and more bodies meant more heat.
![chip hailstone being rich means chip hailstone being rich means](https://krebsonsecurity.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/btoverlay.png)
Not because I didn’t care or didn’t try, simply because I was struggling to look after myself and when you’re trying to fuel long shifts on coffee and oxygen, you’ll find concentration and energy (both pretty essential to any job) an ongoing battle. However, I can categorically say that I myself was absolutely awful at it. Through that job I met some amazing people and have some fond, funny memories. The bar was great! Sort of American diner meets high-end cocktails with the quirkiness of ping-pong tables (one of the first to start this trend). In my early twenties, I had a part-time job working in a bar in Leeds city centre.