The last time I went to O’Connor’s bar, the old timers were trying to remember the names of all four of actor John Derek’s wives.
I thought about those guys at O’Connors while I watched the first three episodes of “Abby’s,” which is set in sunny San Diego. In the outdoor bar one of the regulars — a sad-faced, silent old man named Skip — would’ve fit right in at the old Brooklyn dive. And, as at O’Connor’s, disputes at Abby’s must be settled without the benefit of Google; at Abby’s bar, there’s a bookcase full of reference books available if necessary.
She captures the sentiments of countless bar regulars I’ve known in real life, including my own. We all know we can drink less expensively, and more conveniently, in our own living rooms than we can in bars. . What regulars seek is community, and the company of others who are separate from our families and our coworkers, and who exist in a space that is itself set apart from home and office.
THINK Totally thought that said Arbys . . .
THINK Drinking is harmful to health, Rosie.
THINK Alcohol kills more Americans and causes more violent crime than any other drugs. Yet they are considered innocent personages in the war on drugs.
THINK Some of the people that drive to bars drive home drunk and their families hide afraid for their lives!