August 21, 2024 • 34 mins
Ever wondered what it's like to navigate the bustling, unpredictable world of airport bars? Join us as we sit down with Justin, my good friend with over a decade of experience behind the bar in some of the busiest airports. From swapping crypto tips with Michael Dell to serving drinks to sports legends Michael Irvin and Emmett Smith, Justin shares his treasure trove of celebrity encounters and late-night stories. Get ready for an insider's look at the perks of transitioning from downtown nightlife to the unique, socially balanced hours of airport bars.
But the adventure doesn’t stop at celebrity sightings. Discover the heartwarming and often hilarious stories that unfold in the ever-changing airport environment. Experience the unexpected romance between a young bartender and a former drug dealer, and laugh at the chaos of spontaneous trips to Cancun and secret bar menus. Justin takes us through the highs and lows of managing an NFL-affiliated bar during a personal crisis, painting a vivid picture of the vibrant, unpredictable life that thrives within the airport terminals. Whether you love a good story or crave a glimpse into the colorful world of airport life, this episode is a must-listen!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey guys, welcome back to the eighth episode of
Tales from an Airport Bar.
Pull up the bar stool, let'sget you something to drink.
Let's get this going.
This week's episode is broughtto you by the Big Apple Pizza
and Pasta located right outsidethe airport Best pizza on the
(00:21):
planet.
And, of course, our good friendKev.
That was on the last podcast.
We got to plug him in.
He's sponsoring us now.
The Bedford Snow Go get you asnowball.
It's hot as hell here in Texas.
All right, guys, Our specialguest this week is my good, good
, good friend, Justin.
(00:42):
Justin, thank you so much forcoming on the show this week.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
How's it going, man?
My pleasure.
Thank you for inviting me.
Couldn't be better.
Best day ever, as you say,chris, best day of my life.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
So tell me, Justin, how long did you work out at the
airport From, like say, whatyears?
Speaker 2 (01:02):
to what years On my way over here I've been in and
out of the airport, I would saya.
To what years on my way overhere I was, I've been in and out
of the airport.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
I would say a total of over 13 years, probably
ongoing full-time, about 10 to11 years, okay but, on and off
for over 13 to 14 years so tellus about a couple of different
concepts you've worked at myversion experience into, uh, the
airport world was of.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
I was killing it at a bar in in downtown dallas, but
getting home at three, four inthe morning sucks balls.
It's no social life.
It's yeah, I make a tonthursday, friday, saturday, but
it's, it's no life.
It's not a life for you.
Know someone that that wants tohave a life in your late
(01:51):
thirties, forties, and so Iheard about this place of.
Hey, it closes at eight, nineo'clock at night.
You're home by nine 30.
It's called the airport whatyou know?
Wait, these people areprofessional eaters like they go
out to eat all the time and nota tip.
And it closes at eight o'clock.
Yeah, I'll try that out.
This is a little irish spotcalled um, an irish pub.
(02:14):
We'll call it that it was uh Iwas on my way in and you were on
your way out, chris yeah, youhad just uh left the irish about
a week before you started.
If we had only crossed paths.
Then, yes and yeah, got my feetwet there at this little Irish
(02:35):
Pope.
Nice, it was a blast Loved.
It Didn't turn back for about,I think, multiple through
multiple firings and rehirings,but didn't leave the airport for
about a decade.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Okay, nice, tell me, ben, what about you've met
anybody cool at the airport?
Any cool celebrities, tons andtons and tons.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
That's part of the joy of the undecided or unknown
joy of working in the airport,of that the people you get to
meet.
You get to talk to hundreds ofpeople a day.
Yeah, oh yeah, and that's.
That's the fun love of it.
You run into super famouspeople.
You run into unbelievablecharacters that you work with
also, you know I know you uh raninto a billionaire.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Yes, hopefully it wasn't flying commercial that
day.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
I didn't.
Yeah, you asked me that before.
I think I said I didn't ask himthe question if he was flying
commercial.
He, michael dell.
Yeah, for uh, dell dellcomputers.
It was during covid and and, uh, crypto was was popular.
I was off in the cornerchecking my cryptos and he said
what are you looking at chartsthere?
(03:45):
I was like, oh, you're, youknow what I'm looking at?
He said, no, I would like toknow.
You know, I kind of do chartsand numbers as my business.
I didn't know who he was.
He goes michael dell nice tomeet you.
I was like, okay, dell, wait,I've heard of dell computers but
I don't know who michael dellis.
He's like, yeah, I own all ofit, I own Dell computers.
I was like, oh, wow, oh, okay,yeah, you're a big deal.
(04:06):
Yeah, you're kind of a big Dell, yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
That was a good one.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
I got him on this platform called Super EX Crypto
Trading and it was a nine-digitlogin to log into him and I just
memorized it instead of havinghim copy and paste.
He ended up sitting andchatting with me for 45 minutes,
Told me a really good fishingspot in northern Colorado to go
to.
Yeah, he was a super cool guyand yeah, we became Facebook
(04:33):
friends and messaged each otherWith a billionaire.
That doesn't happen every day.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
Yeah, left a decent tip.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Yeah and hey.
I bet you I could call him upand he would remember.
Supposedly those people havegenius brains.
It's just another fun one ranacross Michael Irvin, emmett
Smith, pudge Rodriguez, on andon of sporting guys.
Emmett Smith leaves a $22 tip.
That was his number.
I don't know if it was.
(05:02):
I know there was one celebritythat asked you for some fresh.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
I don't know if it was 22.
Yeah, I know there was onecelebrity that asked you for
some fresh juice.
Can you talk about that alittle bit?
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Yes, off of Meet the Fucker.
What is his name?
Oh yes, blond-headed guy.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Owen Wilson, owen, yes, who.
I've waited on myself at thebar.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
Came in seemed inebriated Bloodshot eyes it
wasn't really inebriated.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Isn't that part of just his personality?
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Yeah, just never made eye contact, but I could tell
extremely bloodshot eyes.
So I was thinking no alcoholfor you.
But he doesn't even look at themenu and orders I would like
some fresh grapefruit juice.
And I was like thinking whereon the menu is that located?
Because we don't offer that.
I didn't say that to him, butI'm thinking I would like to
(05:55):
point that out to me on the menu.
That's normally what I do withmy guests that order off the
menu of something we don't have.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
So where are you looking on the menu?
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Right, Show me where the strawberry cheesecake is,
sir.
It's like well, I don't see it.
That's because it's not on themenu, sir.
That means we don't have it.
You can't order something noton the menu.
That's kind of my joke.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
People do that every day.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
They'll come into the Mexican food place and be like,
yeah, I'll just take a burgerand fries I'm like, okay, yeah,
well, is that the number threecombo, or can you point that out
for me?
Speaker 1 (06:28):
so I can supersize that, yeah, right I think you're
.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
You're one fry short of a happy meal there, sir.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
We don't have that for you so you said you started
out at the irish pub.
I know you also worked atanother little wannabe Irish pub
chain in the airport at onepoint.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
I think it's closed now.
It's the last one in existence.
I can say the name Binningens.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
I remember you telling me a story about a lady
that pissed herself.
I think the authorities wereinvolved.
The piss train or whatever youwant to call it, lady that
pissed herself.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
I think the authorities were involved.
Yes, the the piss trainer.
I've I've seen a lot in thisworld and some things I've never
seen before.
Two of them were in this.
This story of a late night fullbar awesome, killing it.
What do you want to drink nextperson?
What do you want to drink?
Serving them all at the sametime.
This lady orders shot.
Yeah, saucing them up, makingmy money.
(07:31):
I'll stay till one in themorning.
We're supposed to close at nine.
Late flight.
I'll extend it out to make thatmoney.
That's what we do.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Yeah, let's go home.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Yeah, yeah, that's it I've had it the last irish but
I've stayed till five in themorning from a previous night,
walked with 2,400 bucks.
You know I'll stay all night.
Um, but this lady startedharassing another guest, not
drinking her drink.
Then she I kind of like madeeye contact with her 20 minutes
after I gave her her first drink, undrinked.
She goes I'll have anotherdrink.
(08:02):
And I'm like, oh, ma'am, yougot to finish the one in front
of you first.
And she goes, fuck you.
I was like, okay, I guess you'llnot be getting that second
drink and I just kind of ignoreher.
Did you enjoy that first drink?
Right, yeah, about 15 minuteslater I bring her her tab.
She kind of long story shortreplies back again with fuck you
(08:25):
, I don't have my second drinkyet.
I didn't ask for the tab and Idon't want to tab out.
And I said, well, as of rightnow, you can still make your
flight.
I was like can you have a drinkin front of you?
There are other bars.
Tab out, please and bye-bye,head on your way.
Well, she doesn't do that.
(08:45):
She decides to ignore me andcontinuous harassing other
guests.
I call authorities.
Authorities are so awesome.
They're constantly waiting forthe Krispy Kreme donut plane to
show up.
So they're there in 30 seconds.
We're right by that gate.
They thought, maybe it was a hotcall, but this one's maybe a
cold call.
She replies back to them withalso a fuck you.
(09:08):
She is not leaving.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
She has not got her second drink.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
But this time she accelerates it a little bit with
a spit, a full, not quite lug,I didn't hear, but I didn't have
the second drink.
So she right, she was a littlethe cliff or dry mouth, but she
did release fluids into thecop's face, an object I have
never seen before a like a likea pantyhose mask that goes over
your head.
He had this little device inhis pocket, pulls it out right
(09:38):
over top of her head.
She's netted and she now shelooks like devil.
Yeah, she's like.
Looks like a pantyhose robbernose up and everything no more
spitting is.
It's a spit proof mask.
I didn't know these existed,but they do all the money in the
register.
Yes, I'll be all out there justknow they exist and they they
(09:59):
pop on you real quick she's.
She seemed confused and dazedfor about 20 seconds.
What just happened?
Well, long story short.
Then she tries to muttersomething through the this
pantyhose deadpool mask and shenow is on the ground and they
are gonna get go get awheelchair and make her leave.
(10:19):
I don't, I don't think she madeher flight wrong choice.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
You've chosen unwisely as she as they're
taking her out, yeah, as they'retaking her out in the
wheelchair.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
She decides to.
She can't spit, so she releasesfluids out of another hole.
She pees, she just startsurinating herself everywhere in
this strapped-down chair.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
She's in a wheelchair , strapped down, struggling,
making murder noises, with aspit mask on All the way down
the hole.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
She had not had liquids that day.
It was a bright yellow pee.
She was dehydrated.
It wasn't that clear you couldtell where she was peeing.
So about 70, 80 feet of pushingher out of the restaurant it's
a solid yellow line Like you'repouring a Mountain Dew.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
She had been drinking .
Speaker 2 (11:07):
She hadn't been drinking, I guess, or not?
Speaker 1 (11:11):
enough.
I know you worked with one ofour buddies that was not only
bartending and serving, but healso did TSA.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
Yes, one of the hardest working MFers I've ever
worked with.
Most of us go to our job and wefind a lovely bar like I tend
to you at, like I get to servemy guests and my patrons people
that listen to this.
Why we go To get a drink whenwe're off work.
Well, he would work doublesevery day so he really didn't
have off work.
(11:48):
Well, off of his first job, I'mgoing to start drinking on the
way to my second job.
He did morning basement tsa inthe morning, non-drinking, but
then at about 2 30 when he'dshow up with us over at this
mexican restaurant, he wouldstart drinking little shots and
uh, fyi, fun fact and you couldget those through security yes,
(12:08):
absolutely yes.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
Well, a one quart bag open a couple monsters every
day too.
When he got in, he's like allright, let me go to mustache.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
He is.
You're allowed to bring aone-quart bag of under two-ounce
individually bottled liquidsthrough TSA.
That conveniently fits 12one-ounce shots Conveniently
fits 12 bottles in your carry-on.
Ladies and gentlemen, you cancarry this onto the plane, just
FYI, and then you don't have towear a it Right, you can just
(12:37):
order a tomato juice and apacket of salt and pepper.
I didn't bring cash for theplane.
Pour freely, I serve myselfBest bartender.
I know Nobody makes my drinkslike I do.
Well, we would chitter chatback and forth of it was it was
(12:57):
during a big tsa push and in ourairport they'd spent one
billion dollars and I wouldalways clown him on how many
people y'all catch this week andhe'd be like we didn't catch
anyone.
We've never caught anyone.
You mean, wait, you're notcatching people coming through
with bombs every day or whatever.
No, nobody does that.
You know the airport's safe.
It is.
(13:17):
It really is a safe place.
It is, it is, we love it there.
But uh, he would catch peoplegoing with uh 13 and a half foot
anaconda.
Just put that through the x-raylike they're not gonna check
that live snake right live snakelike no big deal right?
yeah, he.
He said uh, if you ever need tosmuggle anything, wrap it up in
your underwear.
(13:38):
He's like no one's going to digthrough it.
He's like.
I got to open this bag up andlook at this dude's underwear.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
Put a streak on it, no one's going to dig through it
.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
Yeah, he said you're good, just ship it.
Yeah, you're not going to getcaught.
Don't?
they got a special like popsspecial like popsicle stick or
something to move your underwearwith.
They don't want to dig throughthat.
So it would be openly drinkingthere at the restaurant we would
have.
Uh, I don't know if you know,you ring in the drink and it
(14:04):
pops up and the bartender makesit, or the drink's made.
Well, when you're in the zoneyou're passing out a period of
30 minutes, 50, 60 drinks.
Sometimes one of them might getmade wrong, made right, she
doesn't want anymore, he doesn'twant it, wants another one.
You know, hey, what's the story?
But we get extras and so those,those shouldn't be just thrown
away.
I don't think that's alcoholabuse.
(14:25):
So sometimes we would put it inour belly instead of into the
trash, and so we yeah, it'staste test I or put it in a
to-go cup and put it at the hoststand.
Yes, the hosts need drinks too.
Or wait, maybe I can hide mydrink there.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
I think the hosts and hostesses are underage, Justin.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
Just for the record.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Yes, we can't confirm or deny that?
We're not sure, right, well,and then it's either that or
they're like 60.
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
Yes, we would have a taste test during shift.
It was required by myself.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
It was in my code of conduct Specification checks,
quality control there would be.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
I worked with a guy for about five years that was a
excellent talker, really hardworker, 58, 60, big time car
collector, passion for womenwhere I just found out over this
last week and had passed away.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
Uh, I don't want to name drop him.
He's a good friend of mine aswell and um, rest in peace, um,
but go on, he great guy, um,amazing guy made me believe in
in like of love stories withwomen.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Hot women in their 30s and 40s would fall in love
with him all the time just at ameeting greet at a table at a
bar top of like how can 40swould fall in love with him all
the time just at a meeting greetat a table at a bar top.
I was like how can this happen?
You fall in love and they wouldrun decades of meetings just at
the airport and would make outthe whole time Like in line.
He'd be like hey, I got to beback in an hour.
I'm going to take this.
You know my girlfriend.
(16:10):
He would say you know to theand we're going to go have a
meal.
She would come once every,twice a month.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
Not to mention the waitress he was dating that he
worked with.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
He was a suave, very good-looking older gentleman,
no-transcript, and I had it whenI was at an establishment that
comes after the day Thursdayworking.
Shenanigans, shenanigans.
I saw love at first sight.
(16:43):
Also, one of my lovely hot21-year-old bartender ladies
fell in love with a real-lifedrug dealer.
He was 19.
He came up to the bar top withtwo phones and she was all into
getting high on cigarettes andthey fell in love and were
married three months later atthe DFW airport, kids and
(17:07):
everything.
He moved from California, quitdrug dealing and came here and
started a life with her.
True love at first sight canhappen in the airport.
Very cool.
What was he selling?
Power pellets.
He was a legal marijuana moverin California.
He had two phones.
(17:28):
She was like is that yourburner phone?
He was like yeah, because I'm adrug dealer.
She was like no, you're not,I'm a drug consumer.
She was like no, you're not,you're a drug consumer.
So let's be honest, you meet alot of interesting.
A 19-year-old dude had $1,000shoes on and she just kind of
can tell you can tell he reekedof marijuana.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
You sure that wasn't me.
Oh, that's right, I don't havethe money part.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
It's not my bag, baby .
So the stories go on and on andon of just some amazing times
of, uh yeah, the family bathroom, ladies and gentlemen, you can
do anything in there you want,it is awesome yeah, it's, it's,
it's the real wild west.
No bars hole all out like youdon't know if a if a small one,
a child, is in there doing outof dirty do or if people are
(18:19):
getting it down.
You know there's noises comeout of there all the time in the
pipes yeah, right, we don'tknow is there a guy or a girl?
Speaker 1 (18:30):
we don't know it's so I remember you were talking
about the pizza place up abovethe Irish pub and it had a male
and female bathroom upstairsright next to it and man all day
long, because you could go inthere and lock the door and all
day long a reek of cigarettes inthe airport.
(18:52):
Unreal to me.
I'm a cigarette smoker.
Chris, I remember the time youwere so delirious.
We got off work one day.
I think it was three in theafternoon and you hadn't even
made it through the double doorsyet oh, I would lit your
cigarette inside a baggage rightnext to baggage claim.
I remember that what are youdoing?
You're like what you like wokeup out of a dream and you're
(19:13):
like, oh, we're not outside, yetmy bad 15 yards from the double
doors, he's got the baggageclaim.
I was like, what are you doing?
He's like he snapped out of it.
He's like, oh shit, that's whyI don't work those morning
shifts anymore.
I'm going down the escalatorburning a cig.
God is choosing me to be the oneto smoke inside you know we
(19:36):
outlawed that back in 1993 inthis airport it's the number one
question I get asked a littlebit Do you have an IPA?
Where can I smoke a cigarette?
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Basically nowhere.
Speaker 1 (19:50):
And then, yeah, we're going to need you to go
downstairs.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Stairs to the designated smoking area, and
then we're going to need you tonot take that the airport, one
thing I love about it.
I think there was 75, 70, don'tquote me on exactly restaurants
in there.
We'd all rotate doors.
I'd be a year and a half hereand then you get fired or
whatever.
There's a better spot, peopleare new terminal, whatever it be
(20:14):
money's better, I walk in, weall walk in.
Hey, hey, hey.
It's like an old reunion.
It always is like a familyreunion.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
We're working together again.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
I didn't even know you were here.
Six months ago we were both atda-da-da-da-da.
It's kind of like a familyreunion every time, Every time.
Every time, every time You'rejust going to know one person.
Yeah, it's so, so crazy.
And then, while you're there,more people you know are going
to come in after.
Yes, or you call them and bringthem over.
Yeah, you recruit Because it'sinvite only the airport's invite
(20:44):
.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
Only I'm like.
Why did I know about?
Speaker 2 (20:45):
this 10 years ago.
It's invite.
Only you have to be invited in.
Speaker 1 (21:01):
Literally you got to be invited um.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
People fall in love tsa um, yes, ma'am, I think that
too is the invite thing of Ithink about it, of uh, a good,
good husband and wife couple.
They're awesome.
You know, he's got his thumb onher, she's got his thumb on him
, and.
But airport, it's noble, it'sthe wild west.
You now your husband is notthere.
It's an open bar, you aretraveling and have money, I can
(21:28):
get all the drinks I want andI'm a little nervous, so I took
my uh prescribed xanax.
Yeah, we've talked about that,and so it's constant, and the
husband can't come in and getyou, it's you on the plane
heading somewhere else, so youcan do whatever you want.
None of our business.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
None of our business.
Oh shit, so you worked outthere for a decade?
Speaker 2 (21:59):
Yes, Over a 13-year period.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
I know that you've seen and or done drugs in the
airport.
Can you elaborate on that atall?
Speaker 2 (22:13):
I mean, if guests were bringing them to me, or if
I brought them myself, what areyou?
Speaker 1 (22:17):
getting tipped, and what are you doing inside the
airport, sir?
Speaker 2 (22:21):
Just serving up a cold drink, as you request, just
trying to fulfill the guestneeds.
Some need things that are noton the menu.
Some bring things that are noton the menu.
Yes, yes, they do.
And yeah, hey, I might orderoff the menu myself.
Speaker 1 (22:40):
Wait, you can't order off the menu where you work.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
Yeah, but the guests have a menu that I didn't know
existed.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
Yes, it's like the secret menu.
It's like the secret menu.
You know the password, you canget in, but you also have to
know where the door.
Can I get that animal style,the golden ticket?
Speaker 2 (23:04):
in the in.
Things I've had ones even saycome with me right now.
Hey, I have an extra ticket,I'll want to go to cancun.
That that guy, that that thatolder gentleman had left many
shifts, just hey, I'm out, I'mgoing to Cancun right now.
And I was like you're leavingin the middle of the shift.
(23:25):
He's like, yeah, I'm going togo to Cancun.
I was like this morning youwere going to go back home, and
now you're going to Cancun.
He's like, yeah, that's why Ilove the airport.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
I'm about to see my pants.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Sorry, man.
You know there's always a planeto get on there.
I had another lady I workedwith that the spirit.
If you go to Terminal E at acertain time of day, they
literally do $5 flights but youdon't get to pick where you're
going.
It's like we got an open seat.
We need to fill it Right $5.
I don't know if they still dothat, but they did do that, but
they did, they used to.
You could go, and I'm going toIndiana, I'm going to Cancun,
(24:00):
who knows where you're going?
Five bucks, how much is theground trip?
Speaker 1 (24:05):
Billings Montana, let's go, it's no normal
Illinois.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
It's excitement, excitement filled with
excitement, pleasures, joys, upsand downs Um very financially
being.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
I miss it.
I miss it Um, you know it'squick money but it isn't easy.
No, that's the best way I'veever heard it described.
So I know that you also workedat this one barbecue spot in the
airport.
Um, can you without getting too?
Uh, you also worked at this onebarbecue spot in the airport.
Can you without getting toomuch into politics?
Can you tell me how you exitedthat place?
(24:47):
Because I found that veryinteresting.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
Yes, if you're not bartending and you're waiting,
you have sections.
So I talked to my guests.
So I don't know why I would goacross the restaurant and talk
to someone else's guests andmaybe mess up their dining,
unless they call me over.
You know they have that secretoff the menu stuff.
Hey, I got something for you.
(25:12):
You look like my people, I knowyou you look like my people, I
know you well, she wrote in andcomplained that I wasn't
engaging with her and my tableshappened to all be Caucasian and
she was an African lady andyeah, it was very racist of me
and mean and rude to not engagewith her.
Speaker 1 (25:33):
So basically not to come out of your section.
The people you're waiting onleave your section and come to a
different person's section.
That's neglecting her,basically.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
She was being neglected.
I guess she hasn't seen herwaiter.
Speaker 1 (25:47):
She has seen when I was her waiter.
Speaker 2 (25:51):
We ended up having to part our ways after that one.
Not my fault, but that placewas awesome too.
12 hour shifts it was like from6 am to 6 pm.
Speaker 1 (26:00):
Shut her down, it was post-covid shifts right, it was
like well, we just one run onecrew, and that's not open three
days a week and make rent in twodays speaking of exits, chris,
I don't think you've told yourexit story from a certain
NFL-affiliated bar that weworked with.
(26:21):
Okay, yeah, that was adifferent.
We have to tell that story.
Okay, so, that was a differentairport.
So, okay, I start my shift.
You know, I think we went in atlike 2, 3 o'clock and I start
my shift and we came to our carat like 1.
Those were long shifts and I wasworking with this dude named
(26:46):
Chad Chad and Chad, yeah.
And he would always say, yeah,it's like shitty.
Chad, great guy, greatbartender, awesome dude.
This particular day we're about15, 20 minutes into my shift
and he just looks at me withthis dead look and he's like my
(27:07):
stepdad's in the hospital.
I've got to leave right now,da-da-da-da-da.
Okay, cool man, no problem.
Transfers over all his gueststo me At this point.
You know it's early in theshift.
We've probably got about 20, 25people in there.
Big nice bar Only two peopleworking.
Typically you could get up to 70people in there, and this is
(27:31):
not at the airport we work atnow.
This was under Southwestcontrol, the Stepbrother Airport
, in this, in this largemetroplex, anyways, um, working
for the local nfl affiliate barthat's inside the airport,
that's branded, you know, dallascowboys, and uh, nothing like
(27:52):
working for jerry jones, and uh,so at this point I have like 25
people at the bar.
I know every single person'sname at the bar and, uh, I'm
just proceeding to get my asskicked and didn't want to be
there, was at the end of my ropeat this job anyways, was
working at both airports andenough was enough, and uh, so at
(28:14):
this point, so we startedaround 2.
At this point it's about 5, 530.
And they've called the managerto come help me because at this
point I have 50-plus people.
It's like a waiting nightmareat this point where you just
can't get to people.
You come in, no matter how hardyou try, and it's just alcohol
in our restaurant restaurant.
(28:38):
But you can order.
There's a, there's a QR codewhere you can order from the
fast food places and pizzaplaces and stuff right next door
to us and they'll we'll bringyour food over.
So, uh, five o'clock, manager,manager doesn't get there for
until about five, five, 15 tocome in and back me up and help
me.
So at this point it's aboutfive o'clock and I'm waiting on
(28:59):
50 plus people and this onegentleman he sat with these two
ladies and I recall he had hadtwo drinks already and was
starting to get a little loud.
And I'm just proceeding to getmy ass kicked.
But I'm taking care ofeverybody.
Everybody has everything theyneed.
(29:20):
And then I start getting acouple food orders.
So I put those food orders inor, excuse me, I wasn't taking
food orders.
I take that back.
I had had one food order.
Just put that in.
(29:41):
This guy is yelling across thebar at me for a third drink.
I said, hey, let me get theseguys their first drinks and I'll
take care of you.
And uh, come back around thebar and I'm still just I'm
making drinks right in front ofhim and he's like hey, are you
going to get me a drink?
I said, hey, sir, I'll be rightthere with you.
And he's like dude, you can'ttalk to me like that.
(30:01):
And I said, excuse me.
I said you've had two drinks,he's had zero.
He gets his drink.
Then I could come back to you,buddy.
And I said I can talk to youlike that because you're
stepping out of turn and you'rebeing rude.
And well, next thing I know,here comes the manager.
It's about 5.15 at this point.
This dude's been stewing at thebar.
(30:21):
I finally get him another drinkand he's still jawing at me
like blah, blah, blah, blah.
I was like bro, manager's goingto be here any second.
You can talk to him.
Here comes the manager.
What does he do?
He starts taking food orders.
He puts in the people's foodorders wrong trying to help.
He's been there all of like twominutes.
Just takes these people's foodorders, puts it in, fucks it all
(30:45):
up.
Speaker 2 (30:46):
He was actually present, though this other dude
was yapping at me and I saidthis dude's yapping at me, me
too.
Speaker 1 (30:50):
And I said this dude's yapping at me and I said,
hey, look, here's the manager.
He just came in.
If you want to talk to themanager, he's right there, go
ahead.
Anyways, he starts About to getcrazy.
He starts going loud and themanager's like hey, why don't we
step out into the hall here?
It's pretty busy, we don't youknow?
They step out into the hallway.
(31:10):
Manager's fucked up all my foodand it's just two orders and I
get the other order out.
I apologize to those peopleabout their food.
I go through and there's 53people at the bar at this point
and it's packed man and I callout every single person by name.
(31:32):
You know Steve, tommy, johnBlake, justin, susie, whoever
all 53 people by their firstname.
And I said you know what guyssee that asshole out in the hall
with the manager out in thehallway.
He had three drinks andproceeded to tell my manager
(31:55):
that I neglected him.
I said has anybody in this barbeen neglected?
And I need to tell you this barwent ape shit.
I said this is my last day.
Guys Pay out because I'm leaving.
I quit.
Every single person paid outwhile this dude, the manager,
and the dude out in the hall,when people started erupting,
(32:18):
turned around and looked back inthe bar and was like what the
hell is going on in there?
The supervisor standing next tome from the next restaurant.
She just looks at me and shegoes.
You just got every singleperson in this restaurant's name
, correct?
She's like what the hell areyou doing, working here,
bartending anyways?
And I just you said I'm notanymore.
(32:40):
I said I handed her my you know,about five to ten minutes later
I had everybody paid out.
This dude's still jawing at mymanager out in the hallway.
He proceeds to pay out when hecomes back in and the manager's
like I want to talk to you and I, uh, he's like.
But I got to go check on theother restaurant real quick and
I said no, dude, I won't be herewhen you get back.
(33:01):
He's like, just hang on asecond.
Anyways, supervisors there.
I handed her my drawer and mybadge.
She goes what do you want me todo with this?
and I was like I don't care whatyou do with it, I don't work
here anymore, and that was thatman and uh, that was the most
awesome way to ever quit a job.
(33:22):
It was freaking amazing deucesbest thing I ever did one of
yeah, one of the best things Iever did with my life.
Justin didn't mean to stealyour thunder and tell that
little story there at the end.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
He's not stealing any thunder.
Yes, I love reminiscing.
It's been about two years gonefrom the airport.
It makes me miss it sittinghere chatting with you all.
Speaker 1 (33:47):
You know we've got a couple openings.
You know the airport's missedyou.
Slangin' drinks on a.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
Tuesday Slangin' drinks on a Tuesday.
Speaker 1 (34:01):
Justin, I really just want to say thank you so much
for coming on this week.
Man, it's been amazing.
We would love to have you backagain soon.
Again, we want a specialshout-out to the Big Apple and
the Bedford Snow for sponsoringus today.
Shout-out to Snow Cones and Zah.
That's right.
Speaker 2 (34:21):
Don't eat yellow snow .
Speaker 1 (34:22):
Guys, thanks for tuning in to the podcast again
this week.
Especially if Kevin made itAbsolutely.
Remember you can listen to uson Apple Spotify Audible.
Absolutely, remember you canlisten to us on Apple Spotify
Audible.
And please, if you like whatyou hear, please, please, please
(34:42):
, support us, follow us anddownload the episodes.
We will do this again in acouple of weeks, guys.
Thank you, peace.
Hey guys, welcome back to the eighth episode of
Tales from an Airport Bar.
Pull up the bar stool, let'sget you something to drink.
Let's get this going.
This week's episode is broughtto you by the Big Apple Pizza
and Pasta located right outsidethe airport Best pizza on the
(00:21):
planet.
And, of course, our good friendKev.
That was on the last podcast.
We got to plug him in.
He's sponsoring us now.
The Bedford Snow Go get you asnowball.
It's hot as hell here in Texas.
All right, guys, Our specialguest this week is my good, good
, good friend, Justin.
(00:42):
Justin, thank you so much forcoming on the show this week.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
How's it going, man?
My pleasure.
Thank you for inviting me.
Couldn't be better.
Best day ever, as you say,chris, best day of my life.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
So tell me, Justin, how long did you work out at the
airport From, like say, whatyears?
Speaker 2 (01:02):
to what years On my way over here I've been in and
out of the airport, I would saya.
To what years on my way overhere I was, I've been in and out
of the airport.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
I would say a total of over 13 years, probably
ongoing full-time, about 10 to11 years, okay but, on and off
for over 13 to 14 years so tellus about a couple of different
concepts you've worked at myversion experience into, uh, the
airport world was of.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
I was killing it at a bar in in downtown dallas, but
getting home at three, four inthe morning sucks balls.
It's no social life.
It's yeah, I make a tonthursday, friday, saturday, but
it's, it's no life.
It's not a life for you.
Know someone that that wants tohave a life in your late
(01:51):
thirties, forties, and so Iheard about this place of.
Hey, it closes at eight, nineo'clock at night.
You're home by nine 30.
It's called the airport whatyou know?
Wait, these people areprofessional eaters like they go
out to eat all the time and nota tip.
And it closes at eight o'clock.
Yeah, I'll try that out.
This is a little irish spotcalled um, an irish pub.
(02:14):
We'll call it that it was uh Iwas on my way in and you were on
your way out, chris yeah, youhad just uh left the irish about
a week before you started.
If we had only crossed paths.
Then, yes and yeah, got my feetwet there at this little Irish
(02:35):
Pope.
Nice, it was a blast Loved.
It Didn't turn back for about,I think, multiple through
multiple firings and rehirings,but didn't leave the airport for
about a decade.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Okay, nice, tell me, ben, what about you've met
anybody cool at the airport?
Any cool celebrities, tons andtons and tons.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
That's part of the joy of the undecided or unknown
joy of working in the airport,of that the people you get to
meet.
You get to talk to hundreds ofpeople a day.
Yeah, oh yeah, and that's.
That's the fun love of it.
You run into super famouspeople.
You run into unbelievablecharacters that you work with
also, you know I know you uh raninto a billionaire.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Yes, hopefully it wasn't flying commercial that
day.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
I didn't.
Yeah, you asked me that before.
I think I said I didn't ask himthe question if he was flying
commercial.
He, michael dell.
Yeah, for uh, dell dellcomputers.
It was during covid and and, uh, crypto was was popular.
I was off in the cornerchecking my cryptos and he said
what are you looking at chartsthere?
(03:45):
I was like, oh, you're, youknow what I'm looking at?
He said, no, I would like toknow.
You know, I kind of do chartsand numbers as my business.
I didn't know who he was.
He goes michael dell nice tomeet you.
I was like, okay, dell, wait,I've heard of dell computers but
I don't know who michael dellis.
He's like, yeah, I own all ofit, I own Dell computers.
I was like, oh, wow, oh, okay,yeah, you're a big deal.
(04:06):
Yeah, you're kind of a big Dell, yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
That was a good one.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
I got him on this platform called Super EX Crypto
Trading and it was a nine-digitlogin to log into him and I just
memorized it instead of havinghim copy and paste.
He ended up sitting andchatting with me for 45 minutes,
Told me a really good fishingspot in northern Colorado to go
to.
Yeah, he was a super cool guyand yeah, we became Facebook
(04:33):
friends and messaged each otherWith a billionaire.
That doesn't happen every day.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
Yeah, left a decent tip.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Yeah and hey.
I bet you I could call him upand he would remember.
Supposedly those people havegenius brains.
It's just another fun one ranacross Michael Irvin, emmett
Smith, pudge Rodriguez, on andon of sporting guys.
Emmett Smith leaves a $22 tip.
That was his number.
I don't know if it was.
(05:02):
I know there was one celebritythat asked you for some fresh.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
I don't know if it was 22.
Yeah, I know there was onecelebrity that asked you for
some fresh juice.
Can you talk about that alittle bit?
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Yes, off of Meet the Fucker.
What is his name?
Oh yes, blond-headed guy.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Owen Wilson, owen, yes, who.
I've waited on myself at thebar.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
Came in seemed inebriated Bloodshot eyes it
wasn't really inebriated.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Isn't that part of just his personality?
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Yeah, just never made eye contact, but I could tell
extremely bloodshot eyes.
So I was thinking no alcoholfor you.
But he doesn't even look at themenu and orders I would like
some fresh grapefruit juice.
And I was like thinking whereon the menu is that located?
Because we don't offer that.
I didn't say that to him, butI'm thinking I would like to
(05:55):
point that out to me on the menu.
That's normally what I do withmy guests that order off the
menu of something we don't have.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
So where are you looking on the menu?
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Right, Show me where the strawberry cheesecake is,
sir.
It's like well, I don't see it.
That's because it's not on themenu, sir.
That means we don't have it.
You can't order something noton the menu.
That's kind of my joke.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
People do that every day.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
They'll come into the Mexican food place and be like,
yeah, I'll just take a burgerand fries I'm like, okay, yeah,
well, is that the number threecombo, or can you point that out
for me?
Speaker 1 (06:28):
so I can supersize that, yeah, right I think you're
.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
You're one fry short of a happy meal there, sir.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
We don't have that for you so you said you started
out at the irish pub.
I know you also worked atanother little wannabe Irish pub
chain in the airport at onepoint.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
I think it's closed now.
It's the last one in existence.
I can say the name Binningens.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
I remember you telling me a story about a lady
that pissed herself.
I think the authorities wereinvolved.
The piss train or whatever youwant to call it, lady that
pissed herself.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
I think the authorities were involved.
Yes, the the piss trainer.
I've I've seen a lot in thisworld and some things I've never
seen before.
Two of them were in this.
This story of a late night fullbar awesome, killing it.
What do you want to drink nextperson?
What do you want to drink?
Serving them all at the sametime.
This lady orders shot.
Yeah, saucing them up, makingmy money.
(07:31):
I'll stay till one in themorning.
We're supposed to close at nine.
Late flight.
I'll extend it out to make thatmoney.
That's what we do.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Yeah, let's go home.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Yeah, yeah, that's it I've had it the last irish but
I've stayed till five in themorning from a previous night,
walked with 2,400 bucks.
You know I'll stay all night.
Um, but this lady startedharassing another guest, not
drinking her drink.
Then she I kind of like madeeye contact with her 20 minutes
after I gave her her first drink, undrinked.
She goes I'll have anotherdrink.
(08:02):
And I'm like, oh, ma'am, yougot to finish the one in front
of you first.
And she goes, fuck you.
I was like, okay, I guess you'llnot be getting that second
drink and I just kind of ignoreher.
Did you enjoy that first drink?
Right, yeah, about 15 minuteslater I bring her her tab.
She kind of long story shortreplies back again with fuck you
(08:25):
, I don't have my second drinkyet.
I didn't ask for the tab and Idon't want to tab out.
And I said, well, as of rightnow, you can still make your
flight.
I was like can you have a drinkin front of you?
There are other bars.
Tab out, please and bye-bye,head on your way.
Well, she doesn't do that.
(08:45):
She decides to ignore me andcontinuous harassing other
guests.
I call authorities.
Authorities are so awesome.
They're constantly waiting forthe Krispy Kreme donut plane to
show up.
So they're there in 30 seconds.
We're right by that gate.
They thought, maybe it was a hotcall, but this one's maybe a
cold call.
She replies back to them withalso a fuck you.
(09:08):
She is not leaving.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
She has not got her second drink.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
But this time she accelerates it a little bit with
a spit, a full, not quite lug,I didn't hear, but I didn't have
the second drink.
So she right, she was a littlethe cliff or dry mouth, but she
did release fluids into thecop's face, an object I have
never seen before a like a likea pantyhose mask that goes over
your head.
He had this little device inhis pocket, pulls it out right
(09:38):
over top of her head.
She's netted and she now shelooks like devil.
Yeah, she's like.
Looks like a pantyhose robbernose up and everything no more
spitting is.
It's a spit proof mask.
I didn't know these existed,but they do all the money in the
register.
Yes, I'll be all out there justknow they exist and they they
(09:59):
pop on you real quick she's.
She seemed confused and dazedfor about 20 seconds.
What just happened?
Well, long story short.
Then she tries to muttersomething through the this
pantyhose deadpool mask and shenow is on the ground and they
are gonna get go get awheelchair and make her leave.
(10:19):
I don't, I don't think she madeher flight wrong choice.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
You've chosen unwisely as she as they're
taking her out, yeah, as they'retaking her out in the
wheelchair.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
She decides to.
She can't spit, so she releasesfluids out of another hole.
She pees, she just startsurinating herself everywhere in
this strapped-down chair.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
She's in a wheelchair , strapped down, struggling,
making murder noises, with aspit mask on All the way down
the hole.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
She had not had liquids that day.
It was a bright yellow pee.
She was dehydrated.
It wasn't that clear you couldtell where she was peeing.
So about 70, 80 feet of pushingher out of the restaurant it's
a solid yellow line Like you'repouring a Mountain Dew.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
She had been drinking .
Speaker 2 (11:07):
She hadn't been drinking, I guess, or not?
Speaker 1 (11:11):
enough.
I know you worked with one ofour buddies that was not only
bartending and serving, but healso did TSA.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
Yes, one of the hardest working MFers I've ever
worked with.
Most of us go to our job and wefind a lovely bar like I tend
to you at, like I get to servemy guests and my patrons people
that listen to this.
Why we go To get a drink whenwe're off work.
Well, he would work doublesevery day so he really didn't
have off work.
(11:48):
Well, off of his first job, I'mgoing to start drinking on the
way to my second job.
He did morning basement tsa inthe morning, non-drinking, but
then at about 2 30 when he'dshow up with us over at this
mexican restaurant, he wouldstart drinking little shots and
uh, fyi, fun fact and you couldget those through security yes,
(12:08):
absolutely yes.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
Well, a one quart bag open a couple monsters every
day too.
When he got in, he's like allright, let me go to mustache.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
He is.
You're allowed to bring aone-quart bag of under two-ounce
individually bottled liquidsthrough TSA.
That conveniently fits 12one-ounce shots Conveniently
fits 12 bottles in your carry-on.
Ladies and gentlemen, you cancarry this onto the plane, just
FYI, and then you don't have towear a it Right, you can just
(12:37):
order a tomato juice and apacket of salt and pepper.
I didn't bring cash for theplane.
Pour freely, I serve myselfBest bartender.
I know Nobody makes my drinkslike I do.
Well, we would chitter chatback and forth of it was it was
(12:57):
during a big tsa push and in ourairport they'd spent one
billion dollars and I wouldalways clown him on how many
people y'all catch this week andhe'd be like we didn't catch
anyone.
We've never caught anyone.
You mean, wait, you're notcatching people coming through
with bombs every day or whatever.
No, nobody does that.
You know the airport's safe.
It is.
(13:17):
It really is a safe place.
It is, it is, we love it there.
But uh, he would catch peoplegoing with uh 13 and a half foot
anaconda.
Just put that through the x-raylike they're not gonna check
that live snake right live snakelike no big deal right?
yeah, he.
He said uh, if you ever need tosmuggle anything, wrap it up in
your underwear.
(13:38):
He's like no one's going to digthrough it.
He's like.
I got to open this bag up andlook at this dude's underwear.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
Put a streak on it, no one's going to dig through it
.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
Yeah, he said you're good, just ship it.
Yeah, you're not going to getcaught.
Don't?
they got a special like popsspecial like popsicle stick or
something to move your underwearwith.
They don't want to dig throughthat.
So it would be openly drinkingthere at the restaurant we would
have.
Uh, I don't know if you know,you ring in the drink and it
(14:04):
pops up and the bartender makesit, or the drink's made.
Well, when you're in the zoneyou're passing out a period of
30 minutes, 50, 60 drinks.
Sometimes one of them might getmade wrong, made right, she
doesn't want anymore, he doesn'twant it, wants another one.
You know, hey, what's the story?
But we get extras and so those,those shouldn't be just thrown
away.
I don't think that's alcoholabuse.
(14:25):
So sometimes we would put it inour belly instead of into the
trash, and so we yeah, it'staste test I or put it in a
to-go cup and put it at the hoststand.
Yes, the hosts need drinks too.
Or wait, maybe I can hide mydrink there.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
I think the hosts and hostesses are underage, Justin.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
Just for the record.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Yes, we can't confirm or deny that?
We're not sure, right, well,and then it's either that or
they're like 60.
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
Yes, we would have a taste test during shift.
It was required by myself.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
It was in my code of conduct Specification checks,
quality control there would be.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
I worked with a guy for about five years that was a
excellent talker, really hardworker, 58, 60, big time car
collector, passion for womenwhere I just found out over this
last week and had passed away.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
Uh, I don't want to name drop him.
He's a good friend of mine aswell and um, rest in peace, um,
but go on, he great guy, um,amazing guy made me believe in
in like of love stories withwomen.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Hot women in their 30s and 40s would fall in love
with him all the time just at ameeting greet at a table at a
bar top of like how can 40swould fall in love with him all
the time just at a meeting greetat a table at a bar top.
I was like how can this happen?
You fall in love and they wouldrun decades of meetings just at
the airport and would make outthe whole time Like in line.
He'd be like hey, I got to beback in an hour.
I'm going to take this.
You know my girlfriend.
(16:10):
He would say you know to theand we're going to go have a
meal.
She would come once every,twice a month.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
Not to mention the waitress he was dating that he
worked with.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
He was a suave, very good-looking older gentleman,
no-transcript, and I had it whenI was at an establishment that
comes after the day Thursdayworking.
Shenanigans, shenanigans.
I saw love at first sight.
(16:43):
Also, one of my lovely hot21-year-old bartender ladies
fell in love with a real-lifedrug dealer.
He was 19.
He came up to the bar top withtwo phones and she was all into
getting high on cigarettes andthey fell in love and were
married three months later atthe DFW airport, kids and
(17:07):
everything.
He moved from California, quitdrug dealing and came here and
started a life with her.
True love at first sight canhappen in the airport.
Very cool.
What was he selling?
Power pellets.
He was a legal marijuana moverin California.
He had two phones.
(17:28):
She was like is that yourburner phone?
He was like yeah, because I'm adrug dealer.
She was like no, you're not,I'm a drug consumer.
She was like no, you're not,you're a drug consumer.
So let's be honest, you meet alot of interesting.
A 19-year-old dude had $1,000shoes on and she just kind of
can tell you can tell he reekedof marijuana.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
You sure that wasn't me.
Oh, that's right, I don't havethe money part.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
It's not my bag, baby .
So the stories go on and on andon of just some amazing times
of, uh yeah, the family bathroom, ladies and gentlemen, you can
do anything in there you want,it is awesome yeah, it's, it's,
it's the real wild west.
No bars hole all out like youdon't know if a if a small one,
a child, is in there doing outof dirty do or if people are
(18:19):
getting it down.
You know there's noises comeout of there all the time in the
pipes yeah, right, we don'tknow is there a guy or a girl?
Speaker 1 (18:30):
we don't know it's so I remember you were talking
about the pizza place up abovethe Irish pub and it had a male
and female bathroom upstairsright next to it and man all day
long, because you could go inthere and lock the door and all
day long a reek of cigarettes inthe airport.
(18:52):
Unreal to me.
I'm a cigarette smoker.
Chris, I remember the time youwere so delirious.
We got off work one day.
I think it was three in theafternoon and you hadn't even
made it through the double doorsyet oh, I would lit your
cigarette inside a baggage rightnext to baggage claim.
I remember that what are youdoing?
You're like what you like wokeup out of a dream and you're
(19:13):
like, oh, we're not outside, yetmy bad 15 yards from the double
doors, he's got the baggageclaim.
I was like, what are you doing?
He's like he snapped out of it.
He's like, oh shit, that's whyI don't work those morning
shifts anymore.
I'm going down the escalatorburning a cig.
God is choosing me to be the oneto smoke inside you know we
(19:36):
outlawed that back in 1993 inthis airport it's the number one
question I get asked a littlebit Do you have an IPA?
Where can I smoke a cigarette?
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Basically nowhere.
Speaker 1 (19:50):
And then, yeah, we're going to need you to go
downstairs.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Stairs to the designated smoking area, and
then we're going to need you tonot take that the airport, one
thing I love about it.
I think there was 75, 70, don'tquote me on exactly restaurants
in there.
We'd all rotate doors.
I'd be a year and a half hereand then you get fired or
whatever.
There's a better spot, peopleare new terminal, whatever it be
(20:14):
money's better, I walk in, weall walk in.
Hey, hey, hey.
It's like an old reunion.
It always is like a familyreunion.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
We're working together again.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
I didn't even know you were here.
Six months ago we were both atda-da-da-da-da.
It's kind of like a familyreunion every time, Every time.
Every time, every time You'rejust going to know one person.
Yeah, it's so, so crazy.
And then, while you're there,more people you know are going
to come in after.
Yes, or you call them and bringthem over.
Yeah, you recruit Because it'sinvite only the airport's invite
(20:44):
.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
Only I'm like.
Why did I know about?
Speaker 2 (20:45):
this 10 years ago.
It's invite.
Only you have to be invited in.
Speaker 1 (21:01):
Literally you got to be invited um.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
People fall in love tsa um, yes, ma'am, I think that
too is the invite thing of Ithink about it, of uh, a good,
good husband and wife couple.
They're awesome.
You know, he's got his thumb onher, she's got his thumb on him
, and.
But airport, it's noble, it'sthe wild west.
You now your husband is notthere.
It's an open bar, you aretraveling and have money, I can
(21:28):
get all the drinks I want andI'm a little nervous, so I took
my uh prescribed xanax.
Yeah, we've talked about that,and so it's constant, and the
husband can't come in and getyou, it's you on the plane
heading somewhere else, so youcan do whatever you want.
None of our business.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
None of our business.
Oh shit, so you worked outthere for a decade?
Speaker 2 (21:59):
Yes, Over a 13-year period.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
I know that you've seen and or done drugs in the
airport.
Can you elaborate on that atall?
Speaker 2 (22:13):
I mean, if guests were bringing them to me, or if
I brought them myself, what areyou?
Speaker 1 (22:17):
getting tipped, and what are you doing inside the
airport, sir?
Speaker 2 (22:21):
Just serving up a cold drink, as you request, just
trying to fulfill the guestneeds.
Some need things that are noton the menu.
Some bring things that are noton the menu.
Yes, yes, they do.
And yeah, hey, I might orderoff the menu myself.
Speaker 1 (22:40):
Wait, you can't order off the menu where you work.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
Yeah, but the guests have a menu that I didn't know
existed.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
Yes, it's like the secret menu.
It's like the secret menu.
You know the password, you canget in, but you also have to
know where the door.
Can I get that animal style,the golden ticket?
Speaker 2 (23:04):
in the in.
Things I've had ones even saycome with me right now.
Hey, I have an extra ticket,I'll want to go to cancun.
That that guy, that that thatolder gentleman had left many
shifts, just hey, I'm out, I'mgoing to Cancun right now.
And I was like you're leavingin the middle of the shift.
(23:25):
He's like, yeah, I'm going togo to Cancun.
I was like this morning youwere going to go back home, and
now you're going to Cancun.
He's like, yeah, that's why Ilove the airport.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
I'm about to see my pants.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Sorry, man.
You know there's always a planeto get on there.
I had another lady I workedwith that the spirit.
If you go to Terminal E at acertain time of day, they
literally do $5 flights but youdon't get to pick where you're
going.
It's like we got an open seat.
We need to fill it Right $5.
I don't know if they still dothat, but they did do that, but
they did, they used to.
You could go, and I'm going toIndiana, I'm going to Cancun,
(24:00):
who knows where you're going?
Five bucks, how much is theground trip?
Speaker 1 (24:05):
Billings Montana, let's go, it's no normal
Illinois.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
It's excitement, excitement filled with
excitement, pleasures, joys, upsand downs Um very financially
being.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
I miss it.
I miss it Um, you know it'squick money but it isn't easy.
No, that's the best way I'veever heard it described.
So I know that you also workedat this one barbecue spot in the
airport.
Um, can you without getting too?
Uh, you also worked at this onebarbecue spot in the airport.
Can you without getting toomuch into politics?
Can you tell me how you exitedthat place?
(24:47):
Because I found that veryinteresting.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
Yes, if you're not bartending and you're waiting,
you have sections.
So I talked to my guests.
So I don't know why I would goacross the restaurant and talk
to someone else's guests andmaybe mess up their dining,
unless they call me over.
You know they have that secretoff the menu stuff.
Hey, I got something for you.
(25:12):
You look like my people, I knowyou you look like my people, I
know you well, she wrote in andcomplained that I wasn't
engaging with her and my tableshappened to all be Caucasian and
she was an African lady andyeah, it was very racist of me
and mean and rude to not engagewith her.
Speaker 1 (25:33):
So basically not to come out of your section.
The people you're waiting onleave your section and come to a
different person's section.
That's neglecting her,basically.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
She was being neglected.
I guess she hasn't seen herwaiter.
Speaker 1 (25:47):
She has seen when I was her waiter.
Speaker 2 (25:51):
We ended up having to part our ways after that one.
Not my fault, but that placewas awesome too.
12 hour shifts it was like from6 am to 6 pm.
Speaker 1 (26:00):
Shut her down, it was post-covid shifts right, it was
like well, we just one run onecrew, and that's not open three
days a week and make rent in twodays speaking of exits, chris,
I don't think you've told yourexit story from a certain
NFL-affiliated bar that weworked with.
(26:21):
Okay, yeah, that was adifferent.
We have to tell that story.
Okay, so, that was a differentairport.
So, okay, I start my shift.
You know, I think we went in atlike 2, 3 o'clock and I start
my shift and we came to our carat like 1.
Those were long shifts and I wasworking with this dude named
(26:46):
Chad Chad and Chad, yeah.
And he would always say, yeah,it's like shitty.
Chad, great guy, greatbartender, awesome dude.
This particular day we're about15, 20 minutes into my shift
and he just looks at me withthis dead look and he's like my
(27:07):
stepdad's in the hospital.
I've got to leave right now,da-da-da-da-da.
Okay, cool man, no problem.
Transfers over all his gueststo me At this point.
You know it's early in theshift.
We've probably got about 20, 25people in there.
Big nice bar Only two peopleworking.
Typically you could get up to 70people in there, and this is
(27:31):
not at the airport we work atnow.
This was under Southwestcontrol, the Stepbrother Airport
, in this, in this largemetroplex, anyways, um, working
for the local nfl affiliate barthat's inside the airport,
that's branded, you know, dallascowboys, and uh, nothing like
(27:52):
working for jerry jones, and uh,so at this point I have like 25
people at the bar.
I know every single person'sname at the bar and, uh, I'm
just proceeding to get my asskicked and didn't want to be
there, was at the end of my ropeat this job anyways, was
working at both airports andenough was enough, and uh, so at
(28:14):
this point, so we startedaround 2.
At this point it's about 5, 530.
And they've called the managerto come help me because at this
point I have 50-plus people.
It's like a waiting nightmareat this point where you just
can't get to people.
You come in, no matter how hardyou try, and it's just alcohol
in our restaurant restaurant.
(28:38):
But you can order.
There's a, there's a QR codewhere you can order from the
fast food places and pizzaplaces and stuff right next door
to us and they'll we'll bringyour food over.
So, uh, five o'clock, manager,manager doesn't get there for
until about five, five, 15 tocome in and back me up and help
me.
So at this point it's aboutfive o'clock and I'm waiting on
(28:59):
50 plus people and this onegentleman he sat with these two
ladies and I recall he had hadtwo drinks already and was
starting to get a little loud.
And I'm just proceeding to getmy ass kicked.
But I'm taking care ofeverybody.
Everybody has everything theyneed.
(29:20):
And then I start getting acouple food orders.
So I put those food orders inor, excuse me, I wasn't taking
food orders.
I take that back.
I had had one food order.
Just put that in.
(29:41):
This guy is yelling across thebar at me for a third drink.
I said, hey, let me get theseguys their first drinks and I'll
take care of you.
And uh, come back around thebar and I'm still just I'm
making drinks right in front ofhim and he's like hey, are you
going to get me a drink?
I said, hey, sir, I'll be rightthere with you.
And he's like dude, you can'ttalk to me like that.
(30:01):
And I said, excuse me.
I said you've had two drinks,he's had zero.
He gets his drink.
Then I could come back to you,buddy.
And I said I can talk to youlike that because you're
stepping out of turn and you'rebeing rude.
And well, next thing I know,here comes the manager.
It's about 5.15 at this point.
This dude's been stewing at thebar.
(30:21):
I finally get him another drinkand he's still jawing at me
like blah, blah, blah, blah.
I was like bro, manager's goingto be here any second.
You can talk to him.
Here comes the manager.
What does he do?
He starts taking food orders.
He puts in the people's foodorders wrong trying to help.
He's been there all of like twominutes.
Just takes these people's foodorders, puts it in, fucks it all
(30:45):
up.
Speaker 2 (30:46):
He was actually present, though this other dude
was yapping at me and I saidthis dude's yapping at me, me
too.
Speaker 1 (30:50):
And I said this dude's yapping at me and I said,
hey, look, here's the manager.
He just came in.
If you want to talk to themanager, he's right there, go
ahead.
Anyways, he starts About to getcrazy.
He starts going loud and themanager's like hey, why don't we
step out into the hall here?
It's pretty busy, we don't youknow?
They step out into the hallway.
(31:10):
Manager's fucked up all my foodand it's just two orders and I
get the other order out.
I apologize to those peopleabout their food.
I go through and there's 53people at the bar at this point
and it's packed man and I callout every single person by name.
(31:32):
You know Steve, tommy, johnBlake, justin, susie, whoever
all 53 people by their firstname.
And I said you know what guyssee that asshole out in the hall
with the manager out in thehallway.
He had three drinks andproceeded to tell my manager
(31:55):
that I neglected him.
I said has anybody in this barbeen neglected?
And I need to tell you this barwent ape shit.
I said this is my last day.
Guys Pay out because I'm leaving.
I quit.
Every single person paid outwhile this dude, the manager,
and the dude out in the hall,when people started erupting,
(32:18):
turned around and looked back inthe bar and was like what the
hell is going on in there?
The supervisor standing next tome from the next restaurant.
She just looks at me and shegoes.
You just got every singleperson in this restaurant's name
, correct?
She's like what the hell areyou doing, working here,
bartending anyways?
And I just you said I'm notanymore.
(32:40):
I said I handed her my you know,about five to ten minutes later
I had everybody paid out.
This dude's still jawing at mymanager out in the hallway.
He proceeds to pay out when hecomes back in and the manager's
like I want to talk to you and I, uh, he's like.
But I got to go check on theother restaurant real quick and
I said no, dude, I won't be herewhen you get back.
(33:01):
He's like, just hang on asecond.
Anyways, supervisors there.
I handed her my drawer and mybadge.
She goes what do you want me todo with this?
and I was like I don't care whatyou do with it, I don't work
here anymore, and that was thatman and uh, that was the most
awesome way to ever quit a job.
(33:22):
It was freaking amazing deucesbest thing I ever did one of
yeah, one of the best things Iever did with my life.
Justin didn't mean to stealyour thunder and tell that
little story there at the end.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
He's not stealing any thunder.
Yes, I love reminiscing.
It's been about two years gonefrom the airport.
It makes me miss it sittinghere chatting with you all.
Speaker 1 (33:47):
You know we've got a couple openings.
You know the airport's missedyou.
Slangin' drinks on a.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
Tuesday Slangin' drinks on a Tuesday.
Speaker 1 (34:01):
Justin, I really just want to say thank you so much
for coming on this week.
Man, it's been amazing.
We would love to have you backagain soon.
Again, we want a specialshout-out to the Big Apple and
the Bedford Snow for sponsoringus today.
Shout-out to Snow Cones and Zah.
That's right.
Speaker 2 (34:21):
Don't eat yellow snow .
Speaker 1 (34:22):
Guys, thanks for tuning in to the podcast again
this week.
Especially if Kevin made itAbsolutely.
Remember you can listen to uson Apple Spotify Audible.
Absolutely, remember you canlisten to us on Apple Spotify
Audible.
And please, if you like whatyou hear, please, please, please
(34:42):
, support us, follow us anddownload the episodes.
We will do this again in acouple of weeks, guys.
Thank you, peace.
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