Never have I ever. Stay tuned... this is a long and crazy story (little did she know, I'm a…read morefreelance writer!).
The bar woman (heavy-set, red hair) who works there isn't wrapped tightly. I went there on Sunday night/Monday morning with some nice bartenders as a plus-one during a "bartenders-only" time.
I am visiting from Toronto, Canada (first-timer) and was jiving with everyone. I go to pay via card and my friend and I were jokingly arguing about who should pay. I grab the machine before my friend can reach it, then I turn around, and begin keying in my password.
The bartender then startles me by SCREAMING at me to "TURN AROUND! TURN AROUND RIGHT NOW! YOU NEED TO FACE ME WHEN YOU'RE USING THE MACHINE!" I turn around and jokingly say, "Why? You want to see my password or something?" and then she yells "I WAS ROBBED!".... Like, huh?
Funnily enough, I was recently robbed (Manchester can be quite gritty). So I calmly tell her that and ask what being robbed has to do with anything. I was literally standing still, holding the machine, and keying my password into it, albeit with my back facing her. How are you freaking out about "robbery" while I'm in the midst of paying you? Weird.
I promise you, it was completely out of left field. It's like she was transported into some traumatic setting from her past, wherein I was the perpetrator.
So I pay and slowly hand her the machine. She snatches it rudely and people are looking at her wondering why she's being so aggressive to me. I shake it off, change the topic, and continue enjoying the night with everyone. I was never loud, drunk, rude, or obnoxios to anyone at all. And I deliberately ignored her existence.
Now the bar's about to close and my friend asks if there's time to go for a smoke and come back to finish our drinks. She says yes, but we have to be quick. 3 minutes later, my beer's gone, all the tables are cleared, etc. So I calmly ask her where my beer's gone. She says she took it off the table since they're closing. I express my confusion, since my friend asked 3 minutes ago if there's time, and mumble to myself that that's $10 literally down the drain (the conversion from GBP to CAD is killer).
Then -- again --, she immediately flies off the handle saying "YOU'VE BEEN AGGRESSIVE WITH ME ALL NIGHT! YOU'VE BEEN GIVING ME ATTITUDE ALL NIGHT! GET OUT! YOU'RE BANNED! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOUR FACE HERE AGAIN!"
Excuse me? You've got that backwards lady and everyone saw it. Don't try to make me look bad just because you embarrassed yourself. I just responded by asking her repeatedly, "Who do I look like that hurt you? Who do I remind you of?"
I don't even care that she banned me. For one, I'm just a tourist passing through. And second, why would I go somewhere where I'm hated for no reason? I don't feel safe around this woman and other people who go there shouldn't either. She needs serious help.
I am really disturbed by this bartender's behaviour. At least when you're robbed, there's a clear motive. Not sure what was motivating her aggression and hatred.
To the owner who I met that night (yes, I'm the black woman with long dreads, seeing glasses, and a toque), please have a serious word with your bartender. She will surely try to paint me as a villain but ask anyone I was there with. And check any CCTV footage.
No one deserves to be treated so poorly without cause. You don't have to like me to treat me with basic human dignity. Gah-lee.