Anthony
I see four clients today, and with each one, my anxiety levels increase. I went from waking up completely refreshed and calm to being a walking ball of negative energy. By the time I leave work, I’ve already drafted my resignation letter three times.
It’s time for me to leave.
It’s not that I have anything against the firm I work for. I don’t. The paralegals and attorneys I work with are fantastic, and I love being able to have lunch with Zack or run ideas by him.
What I don’t like is seeing the worst in people, and lately, that’s all I’ve seen.
When I meet Zack at Drinking Games, I hand him my final draft.
“What’s this?” He asks.
“My resignation. Will you look it over for me?”
“Really?” He looks surprised. “You’re really going through with it, huh?”
“Yeah,” I sit down on a barstool and the cute bartendress comes over.
“Whiskey sour?” She asks.
“How did you remember my drink? I’ve only been here once.”
Jennifer just shrugs. “Remembering drinks is a great way to earn extra tips. Think about that when it’s time to pay.” She winks and heads off to make my drink, and I turn to Zack.
“Is she for real?”
“Jenny is the best,” he confirms, sipping his beer. “But let’s talk about you.”
“I’m turning in my notice on Monday,” I tell him. “And I’ll start interviewing attorneys to fill my spot.”
“Won’t be hard,” Zack points out the obvious. Our firm is a very popular one and positions in this office are coveted. Walking away from Edgar & Bernstein might be one of the worst career choices I’ll ever make, but after last night, I know I need to choose my sanity and not my wallet.
“Well, I do tend to over think things.”
“There’s nothing wrong with that. Walking away from your career is a huge choice, Tony. Considering all of your options doesn’t make you stupid. It makes you smart. Are you worried you’re going to change jobs and discover being a lawyer really wasn’t that bad?”
“Not at all,” I laugh, trying not to think of how much my anxiety levels have risen in the last few months. It’s only been recently that I’ve started to think that maybe leaving the law firm is the best choice.
And now that I’ve had a taste of Macie, I’ve had a hint of what my life could be like.
The truth is that I want her.
I want to pursue this thing with her.
I want to wake up next to her with our arms wrapped around each other, and I want to not get ready for work filled with a sense of dread.
I want to look forward to each day.
I don’t want to head for the office wondering whose life I’m going to tear apart.
Jennifer brings my drink and sets it down. She looks at us thoughtfully.
“You know,” she says. “Sometimes taking risks is hard.”
“And what do you know about risks, sweetheart? Thank you, by the way,” I take my drink and sip it. Perfect. This bartender knows exactly what she’s doing. It’s incredible that this place isn’t packed every damn hour it’s open.
“I took a risk opening this place, didn’t I?” She asks. “You think I had any support from my friends or family? Yeah, right,” she laughs and leans against the bar. “I had nothing but my savings and a dream, but I still went for it.”
“No regrets?” I ask her, realizing that maybe Jennifer and I aren’t so different.
“None,” she says firmly. “Zack knows. He’s listened to me plenty of nights.”
“It’s true,” Zack nods. “Jennifer loves to whine.”
“Come on, now,” she protests with a laugh. “I’m not that bad.”
“Nah, you’ve got a good heart,” he says. “It’s why everyone likes you and this place.”
“I’m getting ready to kick it up a notch,” she says. “Things have been a little slow lately. I’m guessing it’s because there are a few new bars that have opened lately. We’re going to start doing theme nights and maybe even adding a trivia night or something,” she shrugs. “We’ll see.”
“It’s got a great atmosphere,” I tell her. “You’ve done a great job with it.”
“It needs a little something extra,” she says. “And I’m not sure what.”
“Hey,” a woman approaches the bar. “Do you guys have a food menu?”
“No,” Jennifer shakes her hands. “Just drinks. Can I get you another?”
“No thanks,” the brunette says. “I’d like to close my tab. We’re going to go grab some food.”
“Sure thing,” Jennifer heads to the register to get the girl her bill, and that’s when it hits me. After the woman finishes paying and Jennifer comes back, I smile.
“I’ve got it.”
“What’s that?”
“You need food.”
“I know,” she says. “It’s something I’ve been working on for awhile. It just hasn’t come together yet.”
“Yeah, how can you run a bar without food?” Zack complains. “I’m always hungry when I’m here.”
“You sure whine a lot,” she glares at him.
“My girlfriend is a caterer,” I say. “I bet she could help you set something up. If you want to hire full-time kitchen staff, she could help you with recommendations, or if you just want to have food brought in a few times a week, I bet she could do that, too.”
“We don’t have a full kitchen,” Jennifer admits. “It’s one of the reasons I’ve been hesitant to even start dealing with food. It would require a remodel that, unfortunately, I don’t have the cash for right now.”
“You never told me that,” Zack pouts. “I wouldn’t have bitched so much if I’d known.”
“Shut up, Zack,” Jennifer says. “I don’t mind your whining, but I also don’t want to blast my shortcomings to the world, you know?”
“It’s not a shortcoming.”
“It is, but that’s all right.” She turns back to me. “What’s your girlfriend’s number? I’m interested in talking with her. I honestly haven’t considered hiring a caterer, but that’s an amazing idea. Maybe if I had a special food night once a week or so, it would bring in new customers and clients. It would add an entire new element.”
“Plus,” I point out. “You could try a different menu each time, so your customers wouldn’t be eating the same stuff every time they came to visit.”
“Zack, where did you find this guy?” Jennifer smiles at my friend. “He’s a lifesaver.”
“I know,” Zack says. He raises his drink to me. “To an incredible friend.”
“To Drinking Games,” I raise my drink.
Jennifer lifts her water bottle and smiles.
“To the night.”