I like watching people. I especially like people watching at airports and bars, and the absolute pinnacle is airport bars.

Blackhorse is no exception. I think they probably get a little bit of airport clientele, being as close to the airport as they are. That’s where I took JA that time after I picked him up, so it stands to reason others go, too. In any restaurant, I prefer to face the door. I don’t want any armed gunman sneaking up on me. Plus, I want to be the first to see anything exciting, period, be it a red-hatted blue hair in her pearls and finery, or a shady character with a backpack. This is part of the reason I prefer that corner stool at Blackhorse. I can put my back to the wall, turning sideways, and watch the entire bar, restaurant, and front door. Only the patio view is unattainable, but I’m okay with that. If you sit on the long part, in front of the taps, you’re constantly being stepped around and people reaching through your space with an ever changing flow of people dining outside needing refills before the waitress can get back to them, or people waiting for a table who want a drink while they wait. Plus they do a swift carry out business, which is picked up from the bar. I’ve never understood that, you’d think it would be more convenient to be at the hostess stand. But I guess they don’t want another tray to count, as well as one that close to the front door. But as I was saying, in the corner, I’m left alone, just like I like it.
By the time I get to my perch, it’s a quarter after 5. Early in the evening like that, you’ll see older couples. Retired and still able to go, well off enough they can eat out a few times a week. As the evening wears on, it’s mostly young families. It’s amusing- with one child, the couple will be loaded down with equipment and bags. With two children, they look like they’ve braved a war just to make it in the doors with all bodies and limbs attached. One twenty-something rotund female waddled in with a car carrier slung over her arm, looking like she’d spent her day stirring soup in the laundry room. Her shirt read “Thicka than a snicka” in sparkly script. 🤢 really? I looked at her husband. He seemed unassuming and it was obvious she wore the pants and dared him to comment on her wardrobe choice. I cocked an eyebrow thinking, you’re proud of your wife, are ya? I watched a statuesque blonde woman picking up a to-go order. I wondered if she used to be a model, or if she was into basketball. Could have gone either way, in my estimation. People celebrating entrance and exit exams, birthdays, anniversaries. I don’t see a lot of couples my age. And the people at the bar tend to be young, less than thirty, or over 55. They are all exclusively devoted to their phones. I sighed. I wish it was like Cheers.

So I had my drink (from the holiday menu: a spicy pear martini, just our regular pear martini with a kick), I was on my favorite perch, and I was watching people. The lady on the nearest corner, a regular I recognized, asked me how my drink was. She’s one of the few who only resorts to her phone when there’s absolutely no one to talk to. She plays trivia on the nights they have it. She put $5 on my tab one night because I gave her a few right answers.
“Very good,” I brightened. “I’m quite content.”
“You look it!”
And there it is, the truth, in all its shining glory.
I love it when people tell me that, when they notice.
She went back to trying to engage the man on the corner who was waiting on his call in order. She gets a sweet tea, and the largest beer, and nurses on the beer all night. She’s married, and her husband has been sitting right beside her before, playing on his tablet. Odd ducks, but it takes all kinds, I reckon. He was not in evidence tonight, and I was a bit surprised when the guy in the corner got his food, then requested another beer and kept talking to her. Supposedly he is a computer programmer. You never know around here, but I heard him say Commodore 65. Maybe he watches Big Bang Theory, too.

Kay joined me, all smiles, and had what I was having, as is her tendency because she is unable to make a decision when under pressure. As is her custom, she made Erica pick her second drink.
“We do this every time,” she said good naturedly.
“I know, I know!!”
I think she wound up with a Chardonnay. I can’t switch to those after having something good. Unless I’m wanting to quit for the night and get a case of heartburn, to boot.

It started slowing down once all the pick up orders abated. We chatted with Erica some. She’d ha a long week and was ready for her days off. We told her that the main reason we like Blackhorse so much, and is our preferred watering hole, is because of her. She’s always on point with her drink suggestions, she doesn’t let us run out, she has a sixth sense of when we need something. We hope the manager knows how valuable she is. She gave a bit of a small sideways smile and said she thought they did. I remarked that she’d been here a long time, I remember she wore a mask during Covid. And she pulled it down a lot, so I thought I knew where she stood on that. She said she started the week after they opened, and the rule was you had to wear a mask if you didn’t get vaccinated. I like her even better now. I think it’s important to tell people how you feel about them, no matter how small a role you think they’re playing in your life. It’s how you get to know people, and it builds a trust. Like Kay said, a good bartender is important. As ladies who often travel alone, bartenders are invaluable. They watch out for their customers, especially single ladies. If I were there alone, and I skipped out on my bill, I like to think she’d know something was terribly wrong and could give a good description to the police. It’s things like that.

We left a few minutes till nine. The weathermen were hollering snow, and it was definitely cold enough, so we wanted to be snug at home before anything started. It sort of misty rained on me the whole way home and when I looked at the radar, Seymour was right on the line of snow. Oh well. I wasn’t missing it. No doubt we’d have plenty of other opportunities.

It’s good to have friends and it’s good to get out, and it’s good to know your limits on liquor and everything else.

With love from Appalachia,
~Amy