Coming Full Circle
Our return to AZ one year later
Well what in the fuck do we have here?! Not a Bitter Bitch in AZ again!
Super funny story. It’s been exactly one day to the year that this bitch was sitting in a brewery in Tucson contemplating the last year of her life, vowing to become a better person and make the most out of all my new blessings. I rambled on about the saguaros and the sunsets, full of hope for the future. LOL what a crock of shit. Little did I know that five minutes later I would embark on a year plus long journey that would find me embroiled in a neverending lawsuit with Chrysler. Either way, I love that I decided to document what a high I was on then because only the lowest of lows can give you that perspective.
Today we’re sitting at yet another brewery, this time in Old Town Scottsdale, sipping a Long Drink at the Four Peaks Roc Bar. Why? Well, I’m not a Four Peaks fan and everyone else is closed because it’s fucking Easter. There’s a bartender in a tiny bikini top with a squeaky voice who clearly hates her life. She’s working 12 hours today (which she just announced to the entire bar for sympathy). I feel for the broad, I really do. I’m here on work too, and it was anything but glamorous, but you win some, you lose some, right? This place is quickly filling up with Scottsdale elites hitting this super hip neighborhood, where rich people go to feel like they’re slumming, buying “vintage” tees for $150 a piece. To my left is a trio of barbies in $300 felt hats and stilettos, decked out in nothing but Easter pastels. The bartender just dropped off my loaded potato skins, warning they would be super hot but were barely room temp. She doesn’t believe in napkins or forks so I’m raw dogging these spuds using my shorts to wipe my fingers. My canned drink has been empty for at least ten minutes, but hey, she’s working a holiday in swimwear. What more can I expect?
In contrast, I’m just happy to be alive this year if we’re all being honest, getting trash service in a city full of yuppies. In fact, it’s exhilarating. My truck is fixed, for now, and this was my first successful tow since I bought the thing. While getting somewhere was not the problem previously, moreso the return, we are once again filled with the slightest sliver of hope. If this trip is succesful, I dare say we may be back on the path toward travel freedom, out on the open road with a dog and a dream, a vagrant with a TAM card and a mobile home. For today, I’ve come full circle with just a little more knowledge and trepidation shadowing that inital enthusiasm. I still think I can do anything, but now I know I can’t do it without the right tools. Last year’s failure wasn’t my fault, and it’s taken me a long time to realize that. Life happens, shit goes south, but resilience is what separates the weak from the stupid. And boy if I’m not fucking stupid for thinking we’re going to try this thing again!! I’ve decided we will not be renewing our overly priced apartment lease and plan to strike out once again on the open road next spring, leaving me with just under a year to get my shit together, again.
As for this lovely Easter morning, I’m going to drive my ass back to Mesa and attempt to hit some breweries closer to home. A squad of dipshits has just landed across the bar from me and little miss works-too-hard can’t be bothered to pry herself from their attention. After another ten minutes, I catch her on the walk by. I ask for my tab and instead she says “just give me your card.” I was planning on paying in cash so just the tab would be great. Another ten minutes later she comes by and slaps it down. I flip it over to realize the very first thing listed is a 70¢ credit card charge. Don’t get me wrong, I have 70¢. What I don’t have is the patience to get worked over by some little bitch that isn’t even an intermediate mean girl. Let’s be honest, it’s a racket whether for her or for the establishment but that unstated upcharge was the final straw on my $31 tab. I slap down $35 and walked out. I NEVER tip so low as a hospitality worker but what I’ve received today at Four Peaks is anything but hospitable and 13% on that trash ass service is still way more than she deserved.
Pro-tip: Next time you’re in Old Scottsdale looking for a nice place to grab a drink or a quick bite, go ahead and avoid the Roc Bar at all costs.