Bartenders
Usually dutifully
sometimes happily passing you drinks
what are those who tend bars but often
only slightly more affordable shrinks?
Who after all of sound mind would think
that barkeeps would ever pay heed
to even the teeniest jot of the tedious rot
that frequently pours
from their customers' lips
if it weren't for their jobs
and it weren't for the tips?
On the upside, it's a ringside seat for those of us who enjoy observing humanity and its foibles! (Until they've closed all the pubs, that is...) I have never tended bar, but I went back into waitressing voluntarily a few years ago and mostly enjoyed it, until they promoted me to manager. No thanks.
Accurate description of my youngest's son's current occupation, which he finds preferable to owning a business during covid, which he did, and we couldn't even visit without "vaccine passes" or masks (so we didn't). Even afterward it was hard to find employees willing to work, and he got burned out...so he and his wife moved to the big city. And are figuring out where to go next. But yes, bartenders learn a lot about humanity....or its lack.