If it weren’t for our jobs in the bar and restaurant industry in Reno, we might not have our friends. We also might not have our enemies.
From creepy old men demanding to see our IDs because they think we are too young to newly graduated drunk students during college graduation week, we see a lot.
I spoke to my current coworker Sydney Furtado, and a previous coworker, Stephen Stewart, who now owns his own bar, about their experience as young people working in bars and restaurants in the Biggest Little City.
Although Reno is growing quickly the bar and restaurant industry is still the kind of place where everybody knows everybody, and word gets around.
“The bar industry in Reno is so- you know everybody,” Sydney said. “You know one person, you know everybody.”
Stephen and Sydney agreed reputation is important. When you mess up, people find out.
Bad coworkers and rude customers are impossible to avoid, and at least, they are bonding experiences for us.
We all have many strange experiences. I once went to use the bathroom and found almost an entire burger in the toilet bowl.
Sydney Furtado works behind the host stand, laughing with coworkers who aren’t pictured.
“There’s too many weird things that are popping into my mind,” Sydney said. “One time I was standing at the host stand and this dude came in and just screamed and then left.”
She also recounted a time when a regular, double her age, called the restaurant and asked her out.
“There's some bad ones,” she said. “But there are enough bizarre and good people to overshadow the rude people.”
We share our strange work stories with each other every day. Sydney and Stephen are some of my best friends. Both Sydney and I think we might not have any friends right now if not for our jobs.
“I'd probably be very depressed,” Stephen said. “Because I'd be working in insurance. I hate any other job other than this.”
I complain sometimes on my way to work, but this is my favorite job I’ve had. Through all of the upsetting experiences, I leave work every night with a good story to tell.