Cash Is King

So I’m at the local watering hole. This time, Sedgwick’s. Every bar that I’m aware of has a $20 minimum for using a credit card for the purchase. Bars like cash. There’s this one older guy that comes in to Sedgwick’s off and on. His name is Walter. Walter refuses to obey this rule. He’ll order two drinks that total may be $11 and then insist that bar take his credit card. He’s been told and told and told that he has to spend $20 or more on the credit card. And every time he comes in he raises a stink and argues about it.

Sunday was no exception. In fact, when he first sat down the general manager approached him and told him that he couldn’t use his credit card if he didn’t spend the minimum. Walter bought his first drink with cash. After his first Stella he opened a tab with his credit card for his second beer. There was another old guy that comes in somewhat regularly. I don’t know his name. He’s well past retirement age, appears to be very poor, and seems to suffer from dementia. The guy usually just drinks water and eats popcorn. The bar staff let him thinking he may not be eating anything else.

Walter on his tab bought this guy some soup and toast. Walter gets his tab up to $20 and closes it. All are happy for the moment. But with the GM not in the main bar area he orders another Stella and wants to charge it. This precipitates his argument with the bartender who is clearly getting upset. The argument remains hushed but very intense. One of the other regulars pointed out to me that he’s seen Walter do this at two other bars. I don’t know if the man get’s his jollies from these arguments or what his deal is but, as I said, it happens every single time he comes in.

Personally, if I ran the place his ass would be banned from the bar.