For years, I ran a home bar that saw me run my living room as if it was an actual bar. I stocked it, cleaned it up, made sure everyone had a drink in their hand – and I welcomed anyone that walked through my door. But now, I actually work at a bar – and get paid for it…

…I should have thought of this years ago.

For over seven years, I ran “Paulie’s” out of my apartments on both Brigham Street and Bergen Avenue. Perfectly resembling a real bar, it had everything a bar had except a tap and a cash register – but everything else was the same as a paying establishment. With a “fee” of bringing your own drink of choice, “patrons” would arrive and have as good of a time as they would at an actual bar, if not better. I did not charge them anything at all, but would give them the exact same experience that a bar would. But now that I work here at Secrets, I get paid to do what I did for free for years – and I cannot believe that I never thought of this before.

For a set salary and whatever fills my tip cup, I get to do what I have done for all those years, make friends, socialize, drink, have a great time – and enjoy myself night after night after night. And unlike my two home bars, I even have the added amenities of a jukebox, pool table and three tier liquor shelf. Of all the things I have done in my life, I can’t believe that becoming a bartender has never before crossed my mind – especially since it is something I did by choice for close to a decade. Many of my friends have told me over the years that I should become a bartender for a living, but I always laughed at the idea. But now that I am actually doing it – I am instead laughing at myself for not taking their advice sooner.

Take tonight for example. If I was home, I would be hanging out with a few friends while enjoying a few cold beers along with their company, listening to some music or watching the Yankee game – and serving them drinks as if my home was a bar – which is exactly what I am doing right now. I am watching the Yankee game, hanging out with new friends and good friends – and serving them drinks – but this time, I am getting paid to do it.

In an ironic twist of fate, I answered an ad in a newspaper and wound up landing a paying job doing exactly what I have done for the last seven years. Instead of continuing to entertain for free, I am finally getting compensated for it. In addition, I have made many new friends, including Mimi, John, P.J. and Diane, Frankie and his girlfriend Gloria, Jimmy, Dawn and Marie, Pine and Stretch – and many more new faces in the continuous play that is my life.

I love my life and look forward to each new day of it. And even if I work here for only a short time – or for a while – I will be very happy that I finally got paid to do something that I considered only a hobby – and a daily part of my life since 1996.