He's the greatest guy to work for
Posted: July 28, 2005 12:54 pm
Since I'm new to the community, I wanted to share a Buffett story. I belong to a handful of forums and usually just leech with little input, but this happens to be a place that I'll have plenty to talk about.
I spent the summer I turned 21 like many other summers, at the Jersey shore. (1991, wow has it been that long) I got a job as the night grill guy at Shoebees in Sea Isle City. It's owned by the same guy who owns the Ocean Drive bar next door. We'd listen to alot of Buffett in that place and we'd stay open late to catch the drunks leaving the bars. sidenote: Cheeseburger in Paradise was one of the 45s in the jukebox along with a couple other of Jimmy's classics. Most of the employees at the restaurant and the bar would work there summer after summer, so I was the new guy and low on the totem pole.
Since I was the night grill guy, it wasn't long before I was the one locking up at night. After we'd close, my boss would grab a 6 pack from the OD and throw it in the ice machine for me. I'd have beers while cleaning the kitchen & mopped the floors. when finished I'd head next door to the OD for very late night / early morning beers with the staff stragglers. I got to know everyone and not before long was part of the group.
I'd drive home while the sun was coming up, get washed and head to the beach. I'd sleep in the sun all morning until my friends woke me up with a cooler of beers. We'd hang until it was time to work again. Another stop home to get clean and off to the kitchen. I did this routine 4 - 5 days a week for most of the summer.
On those off nights, we go to the bar.
I'd never been to a Buffett show before, but he was playing that summer at the Garden State something or other far north up the parkway and I wanted to go. For the owner's 40th birthday, he decided to throw himself a big Buffett celebration and take around 20 of us to the show. Somehow, i made the cut even though I was the newbie and practically a Buffett virgin. We started the day with a private bar-b-que at the OD. As expected, it was cheeseburgers with lettuce and tomato, Heinze 57 and french fired potatoes. oh and I almost forgot the big kosher pickle
After the food, the longest limo I had ever seen at that point picked everyone up and took us north. I followed the limo in my truck with 3 others who didn't fit. It was big, but we just couldn't all squeeze in. 1/2 way up we pulled over for a p*** break. there were 20 of us lined up along the weeds on the GSP taking a p*** while cars passed laying on the horns. Someone had the genius idea to snap a photo of us with the limo in the foreground and all of us lined up along the tall grass.
When we arrived at the show, the driver pulled right up to the curb at the foot of the steps leading into the show and parked. I'm not sure how we didn't get kicked out and made to park in the lot, but it was clear that somehow they had swung permission. He popped the trunk and started unloading stainless catering sterno fired buffet trays and lined them up across the roof. There was a case of assorted bottles of absolute on ice and what seemed like an endless supply of Coors light bottles. We tailgated in style.
Everyone that walked by assumed we were somebody. The limo was so long and we were parked where you obviously weren't allowed to park, we had to be somebody. I heard whispers about how it was Bubbas limo and he must be inside. When people asked, we just let them assume what they wanted too and told them, I'm really not supposed to talk about it. It was fun watching them try to peak inside.
The owner hadn't cut corners on the tickets either. all 20 of us were on the floor within the first 7 rows. (I've never had a seat to a Buffett show that good since.) The show was a blast and I was a parrothead from that moment on. On the way out of the show, the owner picked up concert shirts for all of us. We made it home in time for last call at the OD where he bought us a round. He was amazingly generous with the entire day. I wonder if he knows just how great it was or that someone like myself is still talking about it.
The photo of us taking a leak was a classic. We all chipped in and had it made into a plaque. it was a piece of wood with the photo under plastic. Engraved on the brass nameplate was the name of the tour & the date with a quote "He's the greatest guy to work for. Man he's really cool". The plaque hung in the OD for years after that. It's not there anymore. I wish I could get a copy of the photo or at least find out where the plaque is now. It was a great show, a great summer, and a great job.
I spent the summer I turned 21 like many other summers, at the Jersey shore. (1991, wow has it been that long) I got a job as the night grill guy at Shoebees in Sea Isle City. It's owned by the same guy who owns the Ocean Drive bar next door. We'd listen to alot of Buffett in that place and we'd stay open late to catch the drunks leaving the bars. sidenote: Cheeseburger in Paradise was one of the 45s in the jukebox along with a couple other of Jimmy's classics. Most of the employees at the restaurant and the bar would work there summer after summer, so I was the new guy and low on the totem pole.
Since I was the night grill guy, it wasn't long before I was the one locking up at night. After we'd close, my boss would grab a 6 pack from the OD and throw it in the ice machine for me. I'd have beers while cleaning the kitchen & mopped the floors. when finished I'd head next door to the OD for very late night / early morning beers with the staff stragglers. I got to know everyone and not before long was part of the group.
I'd drive home while the sun was coming up, get washed and head to the beach. I'd sleep in the sun all morning until my friends woke me up with a cooler of beers. We'd hang until it was time to work again. Another stop home to get clean and off to the kitchen. I did this routine 4 - 5 days a week for most of the summer.
On those off nights, we go to the bar.I'd never been to a Buffett show before, but he was playing that summer at the Garden State something or other far north up the parkway and I wanted to go. For the owner's 40th birthday, he decided to throw himself a big Buffett celebration and take around 20 of us to the show. Somehow, i made the cut even though I was the newbie and practically a Buffett virgin. We started the day with a private bar-b-que at the OD. As expected, it was cheeseburgers with lettuce and tomato, Heinze 57 and french fired potatoes. oh and I almost forgot the big kosher pickle
After the food, the longest limo I had ever seen at that point picked everyone up and took us north. I followed the limo in my truck with 3 others who didn't fit. It was big, but we just couldn't all squeeze in. 1/2 way up we pulled over for a p*** break. there were 20 of us lined up along the weeds on the GSP taking a p*** while cars passed laying on the horns. Someone had the genius idea to snap a photo of us with the limo in the foreground and all of us lined up along the tall grass.
When we arrived at the show, the driver pulled right up to the curb at the foot of the steps leading into the show and parked. I'm not sure how we didn't get kicked out and made to park in the lot, but it was clear that somehow they had swung permission. He popped the trunk and started unloading stainless catering sterno fired buffet trays and lined them up across the roof. There was a case of assorted bottles of absolute on ice and what seemed like an endless supply of Coors light bottles. We tailgated in style.
Everyone that walked by assumed we were somebody. The limo was so long and we were parked where you obviously weren't allowed to park, we had to be somebody. I heard whispers about how it was Bubbas limo and he must be inside. When people asked, we just let them assume what they wanted too and told them, I'm really not supposed to talk about it.
It was fun watching them try to peak inside.The owner hadn't cut corners on the tickets either. all 20 of us were on the floor within the first 7 rows. (I've never had a seat to a Buffett show that good since.) The show was a blast and I was a parrothead from that moment on. On the way out of the show, the owner picked up concert shirts for all of us. We made it home in time for last call at the OD where he bought us a round. He was amazingly generous with the entire day. I wonder if he knows just how great it was or that someone like myself is still talking about it.
The photo of us taking a leak was a classic. We all chipped in and had it made into a plaque. it was a piece of wood with the photo under plastic. Engraved on the brass nameplate was the name of the tour & the date with a quote "He's the greatest guy to work for. Man he's really cool". The plaque hung in the OD for years after that. It's not there anymore. I wish I could get a copy of the photo or at least find out where the plaque is now. It was a great show, a great summer, and a great job.
Great story!
That hat made it to 8 Buffett shows. I had fashioned it out of a big round womens sun hat. It didn't look anything like a cowboy hat when I started and it certainly didn't look like the Hawaiian punch hat it finished up as. I recut it and soaked it in water. then molded into it's new form and then sat holding it for the next couple hours while it dried. a little fraying and it was nearly complete. some spray glue and the miller label cut from an aluminum can of MGD it was perfect. I have a new straw hat for this year, but it doesn't have the sentimental value that one had. it was unique.