Risa starts to teach me how to bartend. She writes me a list of the ten most common drinks in their bar: Martini, Manhattan, Margarita, Black and White Russian, Long Island Iced Tea, Old Fashioned, Negroni, Bloody Mary, Cosmopolitan, and Tom Collins. She teaches me each drink thoroughly.
"Before becoming a pole dancer, I used to bartend. So I will teach you everything I know. Knowing how to mix drinks is essential, but there are many more things to learn if you want to work as a bartender. You gotta memorize every one of these drinks first, and I will teach you the rest later."
"First, we will start with classic Martini. It is James Bond stuff. Unflavored."
"First, you gotta ask two questions of your client. Number one! Straight up or on the rocks? You see, there are two types of glasses here. This is for a straight-up, classy, typical James Bond style. The other is over ice. Most of them will ask you for a straight-up because it looks cooler."
"Number two! What kind of alcohol: Vodka or Gin? That's all you need to ask. Now, we gonna start with a dry martini. Take your vermouth and pour it straight into the glass. Maybe half an ounce. Swirl it around the glass, then dump it out. It will leave a thin film on the glass."
"Take a tin and a third to a half of it with ice. Then pour eight counts of vodka. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, and eight. Then shake it fully. About six to eight shakes. Pour it straight into the glass. Did you get it so far?"
She looks at me.
"Then take the garnish. Stub the olive with a toothpick and throw it in the drink. That's it for a classic Martini. It's always garnished with olives unless it is a Gibson. Instead of an olive, use a cocktail onion. It is a pickled onion. It kinda looks like a cow's eyeball. You just grab it with two fingers and drop it in the drink. Got it?"
"Now you try it yourself."
That is how Risa teaches me how to make all the drinks. She makes me repeat each at least ten times before going to the next drink. So I naturally learn them very quickly. Meanwhile, she gives me extra tips for making each drink better along the way. Every day, she teaches me four to five varieties of drinks. Then she goes on to teach me the rest of the tips for bartending.
"There are several things you need to pay attention to. Number one, you gotta remember everything. For short-term memory, you gotta keep track of each customer's order. Our bar is always full. It is good because you get a lot of tips. But it means several customers will order at the same time. Don't freak out! Stay calm at all times!"
"Do you know what I used to do when I got many orders? Imagine a blackboard in front of you and mentally write each order on it with white chalk. Once you serve each drink, cross it off. Try it! It always worked for me."
"Then the long-term memory. Make sure to remember the names of regulars and their favorite drinks. If they like you, they will always come back. People come in and out of Vegas all the time, so many of them are tourists. But there are many who live here, so the regular clients are important to keep."
"An easy tip for remembering customers' names: say their names three times—once when they order, again when you ask how their drinks are, and a third time when they are getting ready to leave.
"Number two! A good bartender greets every customer with a hello and a smile. Be kind even toward frustrated customers. Keep speaking with your customers throughout your shift. Speak loudly and clearly and maintain a positive vibe."
"Being a good listener is better than being a good talker. Make sure that you are listening to what each customer says. Be always calm, polite, amiable, and connected, even if you are frustrated, overwhelmed, stressed, or dealing with personal problems. You are kinda their psychologist of the evening, and their medicine is alcohol.
"Number three! Be organized. Keep close track of who ordered what, who paid, and who is still waiting for a drink. Whenever there is a break in the action, organize your area. Wipe down the bar, clean your bar tools, and make sure that you stock the bar. Restock bottles of alcohol, ice, and fruits for garnish. Keep everything clean—including yourself!"
"I will get you some nice black shirts and ties so you will be sharp-looking. Grease your hair and comb it back. Then you will be the most smashing bartender in town. A sexy female bartender can get a lot more tips, but fortunately, many older women come to our bar, so you have a good chance of getting great tips. Sex sells in the end!"
"The last thing is cash handling, the most important thing for a good bartender! Make sure to remember drink prices and be quick with counting and calculations. If a customer hands you a twenty-dollar bill, look back at the guest and say, 'out of twenty' to confirm this is the amount they handed you. It's also essential to count the customer's change out loud in front of him to avoid any discrepancies."
"I forgot about one thing. Cutting off customers! It doesn't happen that often, but it indeed does happen at least once an evening. He is totally wasted, or she is completely hammered. You know that they shouldn't be drinking anymore. That's when you have to tell the customer quietly and discreetly that you can't serve them drinks anymore."
"First, you let your manager know about it, and go to your customer and inform them that the manager told you not to serve him or her anymore. They usually get it and close the tab. If they get loud, let the manager handle the situation.
"This is all I can tell you at this moment. I will go to my boss tomorrow and tell him that I found the perfect bartender. You will have about one trial week. As long as you focus on what I taught you, everything should be fine."
"Oh! I forgot one little detail. You are still nineteen, so I have to get you a fake ID. We are not lying. You have a driver's license, and you are just two years older. Look at mine. I am still twenty-five years old. In Vegas, you are always older than your ID."
She smiles and shows me her driver's license.
YOU ARE READING
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