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Text Box: I am an African-Jamaican and a bartender who is currently working at a local Bar, situated near the Cruise Ship Peer in Ohio Rios, on the North Coast of Jamaica, a very famous tourist resort. I was born, grew up and schooled in St Ann, a rural area of Jamaica. In a way, I might have lived a ‘sheltered life’, until I got to the age of eighteen and came in contact with foreign tourists. I am single and without children. I decided to become a bar tender because I get to meet different people, which is an education in itself. Bartending and the whole Liquor Industry are two of the oldest ‘partnership’, dating back to the middle ages. One can find this fact on the label of any bottle of scotch. Most people think that a bar is a place where people go just to have a drink and let off whatever steam they might have bubbling within. That stereotype is not without truth, but the bar serves other purposes. I have been doing bar tendering for over two years. I have to admit that it has been a roller coaster couple of years for me. I started as a naïve eighteen year old, who did not know what to expect - only a foggy view of where I was heading. I commenced my bartending journey at a world famous Resort, in Runaway Bay, also on Jamaica’s North Coast. I was sent there by a training institution that had a good relationship with the resort. When I first entered that resort, my manager ushered me to the nude section of the hotel. I was shocked out of my consciousness. I had never seen so many naked people – mostly foreigners. I came upon a world within a world. One that was all too different and unique. I watched in amazement as people walked around as if they were oblivious to their surroundings. Totally naked! As I said earlier, I lived a sheltered life before I came to ‘Hedonism’. I was not prepared for my new surroundings. I spent quite a few months trying to adjust to my new ways of socializing. I was extremely fortunate to have such warm and hospitable co-workers who helped me to negotiate difficulties. They were numerous. My primary difficulties were approaches by overzealous women tourists who were all too anxious to get their share of the ‘BIG BAMBOO’ – native sex. I was dumbstruck when one day an older woman walked up to the bar, looked me straight in the eye and blurted to me, “I want to fuck the hell out of me!” I stood for a minute. I did not know what to say. I was rescued from that ravaging moment, by one of my male counterparts, who, at a distance, saw what was happening. He whisked me away in a corner, with a smile and without hesitation, bluntly encouraged me to take up the woman’s offer. My colleague reason was that the tourist was able to provide me with an easy opportunity to go to the United States of America, where I could have prosperity and a better standard of living. My colleague was privileged, in that he had many years of experience in the Hospitality Industry. I was in no position to act like a novice, although I was. Moreover, I did not want words to swirl around the rest of my colleagues that I had ‘wasted a PERFECT OPPURTUNITY’. I would have been 'The talk of the town’ and that would be to my detriment. Without further hesitation, I took my colleague’s advice, went along to the woman’s room, presented myself and granted her passionate wishes. As the days and months went by I was fed with enough knowledge and experiences that my naivety gradually disappeared. During my tenure at Hedonism111, I learned how to make a wide variety of drinks, even how to manufacture my own, which helped me to make a lot of tips. I met a lot of foreign friends, some of whom I am still in touch today. I received many gifts. I lost touch with several of the women who used to spend time with me during their vacation. The down side is frustration in that my friends are so far apart, due to the long and costly travelling distance. I enjoyed very much my time at the resort. I was happy that I learned a skill so that I could eke out a decent living for myself, enabling me to take care of a family and put away some money in the way of my savings. However, my tenure at the hotel was ended in an abrupt fashion. One about which I am still ashamed to talk. I was caught by the management making out with a guest in her room. It is not clear who reported me. The management forbid staff to be in guests’ rooms. Even now by recalling that incident, brings tears to my eyes. I can still remember the sight of security guards surrounding the building, waiting patiently for me to come out of the room. I still remember the bitter sight of the woman crying her eyes out. Obviously, she was feeling the pain for me rather than for herself, because she knew that I was now out of a Job and she was going back to her country and a higher standard of living. As I am escorted off Hedonism 111 property, with security guards surrounding me at every angle, as if I was a terrorist, I sigh under my breath – ‘god help me!’ I sat at home for three boring months until one of my dear friends got a job for me at my present place of work. I promised myself that I would never again go with another tourist, because I thought they were sex hungry, who only come to the island to get a few days ride and that’s that. Some people say that foreign tourism can bring health risks and corrupt a nation’s youth. I did not learn my lesson. I found myself going to bed with several women, not surprisingly, they were tourist seeking my “BIG BAMBOO”. Right now, I am having a wonderful time at my new place of work. I am relishing the opportunity to the fullest. It is a wonderful sight to see the huge cruise ships coming in to dock each morning. I learnt that Americans were the biggest money spenders in the world as they gave me the most tips whenever I served them drinks. The Canadians, well…you will get something from them on most occasions, although it is not much. The Europeans….boy, they are extremely mean. You will never get a dollar out of them - no matter how good your service. All they want is coffee! Coffee! Coffee! Damn it, man! The experience at Coconut’s is a wonderful one. I met people from all walks of life, coming off the ship on a daily basis. I have got a good insight on many different cultures from the many types of people with whom I am now corresponding on a daily basis. Indeed, I have learnt a lot, for a twenty-year old. I now have insight on many different ways in which I can make money, ways that I did not know before. I now realized that persons who come to the bar, most times, they are having serious problems, with one thing or another. They often asked for my views and opinions. On very serious issues, I struggled to provide an answer. Nevertheless, I tried my best to give them the best common sense ‘advice’ as I could with my limited experiences. So if you want to talk about something and you think that there isn’t anyone willing to give you a ‘listening ear’, just stop by the nearest bar, there will be someone ready and willing to hear you out. Get a new least of life! For me, I have given up that type of life now. ________________________ About the writer: Wish to remain anonymous ____________________ Posted 28 September 2006

Bar Talk:

“Confessions of a Young Barman”

[Writer’s Name withheld on request]

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