I Was Working as a Waitress in a Cocktail Bar
Kelly to my right
I don’t know about you but I’ve been kinda heavy-hearted lately with everything going on in the world. You might be too. So I thought I’d write about something that makes me smile when I look back on it and if it does the same for you, all the better. Here goes…
It was the mid 80s. I was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar (that much is true) — The SunGarden — a glass enclosed structure that jut out over 42nd Street from the Grand Hyatt Hotel in NYC. It was owned by Donald Trump. He was creepy even then. Always leering at us waitresses from the mezzanine. 🤮
Just about everyone who worked there — the servers, the bartenders, the busboys, the greeters — had stars in their eyes. Big dreams about getting discovered, signed to a record label, writing a hit song, dancing on Broadway. We supported each others’ endeavors by going to each other’s gigs.
Busboy/Actor Scott was cast in a play that fellow waitress Kelly (always a hoot) and I planned to go see together. Brunch was an every-week NYC cultural occurrence back then. So one Sunday we ventured out to a place on the east side before his matinee. We had a few tokes of a joint on the way (of course we did) and then a few Bloody Marys with our eggs benny. 😳
Through our meal we laughed and laughed…harder and harder with every crunch of a celery stalk. What were we laughing at? Who knows. We were young, beautiful and stoned. (There’s a song title!) What was there not to laugh at? Everything was funny.
As you might have guessed we lost track of time. If we high-tailed across town we could get there sort of on time-ish. But not quite. We knew we’d have to be stealth entering the theatre because we didn’t want Scott to see us arrive LATE.
Now for those of you who don’t know, a “Broadway” show is right smack in the heart of the theater district. An “Off Broadway” show is a block or 2 away and an “Off-Off Broadway” show is a few blocks further. And the “theatre” of an Off-Off Broadway show might not even be a theater at all. More likely some kind of make-shift venue.
Scott was performing in an Off-Off-Off Broadway play. You get the picture. We arrived out of breath from running across town. The “theatre” was a 6-story building/warehouse. There were signs taped on the lobby walls with the name of the play and an arrow pointing up the stairs. Up we ran.
There was yet another sign on every level instructing us to continue to the next. We kept going. By the time we reached the top floor we were totally out of breath, mascara running down our collagen-filled cheeks.
An usher stood guard outside of a closed door at the top of the stairwell. He advised us that the performance had indeed already begun and that we’d have to wait (theatre protocol) for the scene-in-progress to end before he could let us in … so as not to disturb the actors or distract the audience.
We abided. When it was time to enter he told us to be quiet and be careful as it was dark in there. Please find our seats quickly!
I squeezed Kelly’s hand to make her stop laughing and in we went. I found a place for both of us to sit and pulled her over with me. We got a hold of ourselves. Caught our breath. Wiped our eyes. Relieved that we made it and…thank god — nobody saw us. Especially Scott. Mission accomplished.
But low and behold to our surprise, when the lights came up Kelly and I were seated side-by-side on a loveseat on the stage facing the audience. 😳😳!!
The audience must have thought — ‘who are these 2 new characters?’
We were aghast. The usher could have given us a bit more guidance, don’t you think? — “When you enter you’ll be ON the stage — seating is to the left,” would have been helpful.
Scott in the wings, was mortified. Pretended he didn’t know who the hell we were. Kelly and I scurried like little rats off that stage to find proper seats. Hysterical yet again. The audience was laughing too.
Surely we’d have to give Scott a larger cut of our tips for the next few weeks.
If you’re smiling, you’re welcome.
I loved working as a waitress in a cocktail bar. I was the leading actress on a stage all the time. If you were seated in my section you were at my mercy. I had the power.
I made wonderful friends (and tips). We had a blast.
Everyone should wait tables as some point in their life. It teaches you how to multi-task and how to be of service.
The SunGarden is still there, overhanging 42nd street at the Hyatt at Grand Central. I think it’s called something else now.
Busboy/Actor/Scott
When the hotel was brand new they hired 13 waitresses from a line that went all around the block. Not a lot of diversity here, I know. Ugh. This was…from left to right Belinda, Kelly (with the beer), Vicki, Nancy Bee, Melanie (RIP), Corinne, Nancy M, Me, No clue! Missing is Debra who must have been taking the pic.
Halloween at the SunGarden (With Corinne) I think I was Pebbles.
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