I'm back!

The beer man is back!
That's right folks...get thirsty, cause I'm back. Aside from Opening Day & that concert thing in July, I'll be working Friday & Saturday games this season.

Raise your hands high, open your wallets, take out a second mortgage on your home, buy a few $8 bottles of gold & don't forget to tip the man carrying that hefty tub of cold ones.

Oh yeah, I'll be getting paid to be at the U2 concert in July....as if working Cardinals games wasn't awesome enough, i'll get to work at an awesome concert. Now, honestly, I'm not a huge U2 fan. I'm just not. Get over it. But I am excited to see an amazing production that evening.

If you happen to be in the Red Bird Club sections, flag me down & buy a few cold ones from me or just say hi.

PLAY BALL!

Day 67 - Final '09 Cards/Cubs Series #3

I haven't worked on a Sunday at the Stadium since the middle of May.

Since this was the finale of the Cards/Cubs series for the 2009 season, I figured I could bring in a decent amount of sales.

I had a feeling...that tonight's gonna be a good night...tonight's gonna be a good good night...ok, so maybe I have Black Eyed Peas to thank for getting that song stuck in my head when it's now been played before every game of this series during a video montage of the Cardinals clinching.

So I have the rainy morning and plenty of fog for the slow to start with beer sales on Sunday night. But the rain and fog didn't bother to slow down the drama and stories.

Story time! -

-I just finished handing a beer down a row to someone who just purchased a beer and they didn't give me anything as a tip. The lady on the end of the row kept looking back at the guy buying the beer and then back at me...she realized there wasn't any tip coming and asked me if that usually happens. I just shrugged my shoulders and said, "sometimes I do get something, sometimes I don't. I'm thankful for the times I do." She looked back at the guy who just bought the beer and then back to me and rolled her eyes in disgust.

I turned to sell a beer to someone in the next row over and then I felt a tap on my shoulder. That lady had her arm stretched out with $2 in her hand. She said, "take it. You guys work too hard for that jackass to go and not tip you." I told her that it was ok, rejecting the $2 in her hand and that she didn't need to tip for that guy. That only pissed her off more I guess cause she said, "If you knew what was good for you, you would take this money." I took it, thanked her for her generosity and got out of there.


-I made my way down a section and had two older gentlemen motion for beers. I walk up the steps to them and they needed 4 beers total for them and their wives. I give them their beers and tell them it's $31. The one gentleman who was paying handed me $24 (a $20 and 4 $1's) I looked back up to him and said, "sir it's $31. You only handed me $24" (holding the $24 up to show him I hadn't done anything to it). He handed me another $20 and told me to just give him back $10.

Now I've screwed up before. I know, I know...you're thinking, "how could the stlbeerman have a flaw?" Ha! I'm far from perfect.

I've told customers one dollar amount and would give them back the correct change (even if it didn't match up with what I said)...basically the words coming out of my mouth and what I do with my hands when giving change back haven't always matched up...but my hands hadn't been wrong before...only the dollar amounts coming out of my mouth have been wrong...

I look back up at this gentleman and give him the $4 that he originally handed me and $6 out of my 'bank' of change...totaling $10. In my head I thought I took the $10 out of the $40 which would make his payment a $1 short. I asked him to hold on a second. I still needed a $1 from him. (As I type this I am reminded of how stupid I was for thinking I was right and how he was wrong).

He tried explaining to me that I gave him $10 and that was the correct change and he gave me $44 already. I had already closed up my ears though and had it in my mind that I was right. He owed me a $1 still. I would explain numerous times over the next few minutes that I made the mistake of giving him more than I should have. After half of an inning of both of us trying to explain to the other how each of us were right...he threw a $5 at me and said don't worry about it.

I can't believe how stupid I must have sounded. I walked up to the top of the section, sat my tub down and thought the whole thing through again. It was as if someone just turned on a light switch. It hit me. A load of bricks just landed on me. I realized how I was in the wrong the whole time and he just gave me $5 extra on top of the $3 tip for 4 beers. A knot of guilt formed in my stomach that felt like a 300lb. weight. I wasn't going to walk away and keep this $5...knowing that it wasn't even mine to begin with.

I put a death-grip on that $5 bill in my hand, picked up my beer tub and took what felt like the longest row of stairs I've ever walked down. I sat my tub down on the steps, looked over towards him with a look of despair on my face and apologized. "It was my fault sir and I am sorry." I handed the $5 back to him and he had a look of forgiveness across his face. He told me to come back later on in the game. I nodded my head in acceptance of his request and went back up the steps.

I just made myself look like an ass. I know the people around him in that section saw the whole thing unfold. That isn't something that would be great for business...to have a disagreement over a $1...looking back on it, all I can think is, 'what was I thinking?!?!?!' In any situation while working in a restaurant or food/beverage service area I have always been trained that the customer is always right. So, why in the hell did I fight this guy over a single $1?

I eventually made my way back down to his section later in the game. He motioned for me to come up to him and waved up 4 fingers. I took his order and quickly apologized again while handing him the beers. He just shot a quick laugh back at it and said it was okay. What he did next, humbled me more than anything else ever has while working at Busch Stadium. He handed me $40 and motioned with his hand to keep the change.

I just screwed up. Fought with this man over a $1. Now he is giving me a $9 tip?!?!?!

I looked up at him and I told him, 'thank you!' I pray that he could see the expression of thankfulness on my face showed and how genuinely thankful I truly felt towards him.

Humble pie has never tasted so sweet.

*************************************

With 2 weeks until the last home stand of the regular season, it's really starting to sink in. I'm not wanting this job to end. I'm enjoying it way too much. Then playoffs are around the corner. I have so much I still want to share over the next two weeks before that last home stand...so be sure to check back frequently!

Totals thus far:
73 Bags of Cracker Jacks
167 Bottles of Water
279 Bags of Peanuts
4428 Bottles of Beer

Day 66 - Final '09 Cards/Cubs Series #2

*** So I forgot two stories from Friday night. here it is: ***

I was selling a beer to this guy who looked like he had been drinking all day long, but was handling himself well and just needed about 8 beers to meet his quota for the day...I handed him the beer and told him $7.75. He looked at me and handed me a $20. He said, just give me a $10 back. I said okay and started to get a $10 out of my roll of cash and then he just said, "wait." I looked back up at him. He continued, "you know what, just keep it. It's Friday night. Keep all of it." I couldn't believe it...I just made a $12.25 tip!

*********

TBS had a thing setup outside of Busch to promote the postseason. There was a 10ft bobble-head next to their display...why didn't I take a photo of this thing, I don't know...I wish I would have. It was a giant bobble-head!

*********************************

Now for Saturday's game.

If it weren't for me checking the scores of Friday's games, I would have not realized that Saturday's game was at 3:10 and not at 7:15...I would have missed the game cause I thought it was a night game....very happy I made it on time and showed up to sell some beer!

I would walk down the aisle of one section and sell an entire case of beer. Life as a beer man on this Saturday afternoon was going very very well!

I remember being at the end of one section as the game started and noticed a girl who had an ace bandage around her elbow. I thought it looked odd to see an ace bandage wrapped around there...maybe she had surgery recently or a tattoo or something....as she walked down the aisle a bit further, I noticed that her arm looked like she had half of a flesh-colored sleeve covering from her wrist to her elbow. She got a bit closer and then I realized what was going one. She had a prosthetic arm. The prosthetic arm was attached at the elbow, thus the ace bandage...it looked real from about 20 ft away!

We also had the issue of warm beer in our beer fridge. I guess they didn't realize they needed to get extra beer up to our commissary since we sold so much the night before! I wasn't about to sell warm beer to people....Fans won't remember you for a cold beer...but they won't forget you for bringing them a warm beer! So I put a case of beer on ice in the fridge each time i took out a case, so I knew I'd have cold beer each time I came back in... That's me thinking ahead, one step at a time...like a carpenter building stairs.

Total sales for the day nearly tied my all-time best for commission and # of beer sales in a day!

Tomorrow I will feature Sunday's game! (preview: I had a fight that lasted half an inning with a fan over how much change I owed him...check back to see who was right and who got the money)

Totals thus far:
73 Bags of Cracker Jacks
163 Bottles of Water
278 Bags of Peanuts
4355 Bottles of Beer

Day 65 - Final '09 Cards/Cubs Series #1

I was excited for numerous reasons for tonight's game.
-Friday night game
-Cards/Cubs series
-Sell lots of beer
-Jack Dorsey throwing out first pitch

Now, some of you probably have no idea who Jack Dorsey is...but if you have ever heard of Twitter, you can now make a connection. Jack Dorsey is responsible for Twitter.

Jack, an STL native, was in town to accept the award of "Person of the Year" from Webster University. He was also in town to cheer on the Cards and throw out the first pitch.



But let me back up a bit...something that happened before the first pitch...



Paratroopers....yes, Army Paratroopers dropped into the stadium. It was pretty cool. Not everyday you get to see people skydive into a stadium.

Honestly, nothing too exciting happened during Friday night's game. Just an average night. No crazy stories. No crazy people giving me a hard time...just a plain old night of selling beer....which kind of sucked...was expecting great stories w/ it being a Cards/Cubs series...but I still had Saturday and Sunday to go yet....


Totals thus far:
73 Bags of Cracker Jacks
159 Bottles of Water
270 Bags of Peanuts
4238 Bottles of Beer

Day 63 & 64 - A Cheerleader & A Paparazzi

Well, this is about it...only 6 more home games for the regular season, then at them absolute most...I could work another 10 games after that...IF the Cardinals have home field advantage through the NLCS and take every series to the 5th or 7th game and make it to the World Series. At the very least, I could have only 2 more games, if they don't have home field advantage and lose in the first round. This season of my job as a beer man is coming to a close. The more they keep on winning, the longer I have a job...so let's pray they get their act together and give me an extension on my job! So many stories yet to share...So many blogs I've waited to talk about till the end of the season...(*sigh*)...but for now, here are the past 2 days of work:

Tuesday's stories:

I have numerous stories of things that I overhear while changing in the locker room...but this one might just top them all.

I was changing into my uniform when this older guy walks in and says, "Hey, aren't you that cheerleader?"

I look up with a confused look on my face and ask, "what?" (even if I did hear him, I needed him to repeat the question) I just thought to myself, 'does it look like i have a skirt on? do i have pom-poms in my hands? HELL NO! what's this guy talking about?'

He looked back at me and realized I wasn't who he was talking to/about.

He said, "Oh I thought you were that cheerleader." He read the look of confusion on my face as I shook my head and replied, "no."

"Oh, are you a beer vendor?" he asked. I said "yeah." He said, "oh. wow you look young and I thought you were him at first. That high school food vendor who is a cheerleader for his high school...he comes here and does cheers while he is selling food to get people pumped up and involved with the game....but you aren't him, so nevermind."

**************************

Wednesday stories:

Another day game = business time. That's right...tons of people in their business attire at the game. Maybe I should switch the title to "retired business time"...I witnessed something I'll hopefully never see again in my life.

I saw 3 different locations that had been turned into temporary parking lots for rascal scooters...not sure what I'm talking about? www.rascalscooters.com I'm not joking...saw about 8 or 9 of them parked next to each other inside the Red Bird Club at one point during the game.

Quite possibly the funniest and scariest sight at the same time!

Retirement homes and high schools were the main crowd at the game...scattered around were the business-folk. So many elderly people throughout the crowd falling asleep by the end of the 5th inning. Tons of high schoolers in the upper upper deck...would have hated to be working up there as a beer man...it's not like any teachers/sponsors would be buying anything....

While being assigned to commissary 441 during the day game, I decided to make my way down to the area I normally work (240-255) since there wouldn't be many beer men there at all...

It was slow to start off with...people were late to get into their seats and hardly anyone wanted to drink beer till around the 3rd inning...

While selling a few beers to these guys in one section, I noticed out of the corner of my eye a lady behind them slowly bring her camera up and snapping a few pictures of me...I was caught off guard. I had a paparazzi?

At first I was thinking, 'who wouldn't want a picture of the beer man?'...then I was like...What the heck!?!? Should I have carded those guys and is this a secret shopper catching me not carding someone? they looked like they were over 30...why is she still taking pictures of me?

I quickly got out of that section not knowing if I was caught screwing up? or what was going on?

When I got up to the commissary, I asked a supervisor if their secret shoppers snap photos of us? He said no, they would just talk to us...they don't have people taking photos...

That was comforting to know. So during last call, I decided to try my luck down that section where the paparazzi was. I sold a few beers and noticed her starting to bring her camera up...the lady next to her spoke up. We are gonna blow your picture up and put it in our scrapbook as our beer-man we had during this game. I was relieved to know she wasn't some secret shopper or some news station trying to catch beer men in the act of breaking rules....not that I had broke any, just comforting to know she was just an avid photographer. She kept taking shots of me...not putting the camera down or pulling her finger off of the button....I could hear the camera clicking non-stop! I wasn't about to just leave, I was making plenty of sales in that section at the time!

The lady that had spoken up finally told the paparazzi, "ok, that's enough. put that thing down."

They just smiled to me and told me thanks for being around in their section for the day. They were definitely a different breed of cougars that I had not encountered before...I appreciated their sincerity, but it was fricken creepy to see someone taking pictures of me like that.


Totals thus far:
73 Bags of Cracker Jacks
155 Bottles of Water
270 Bags of Peanuts
4132 Bottles of Beer

Day 62 - A Realist & A Scam Artist

Monday night games usually aren't the best nights for a beer man. Fewer people come to the games and those who are there drinking stop after a few beers because they either have to drive themselves home or are working the next day and don't want to go into work with a hangover.

Well, last night was a great night for this beer man.

With Wellemeyer on the mound, I figured it would have been an easy 'W' for the Marlins...guess the Marlins decided to show up and have their pitcher allow the Cards have some batting practice too. I mean I think the first inning took nearly an hour! I wasn't going to complain.

I was able to sell nearly 4 cases on a Monday night...which is pretty good!

*******************************

Before my night even started, I was hanging out at in the commissary talking to some of the guys. One of the food vendors (usually high school kids or anyone under 21 or anyone not selling beer) walks up to me and says, "you're the only realist here in this commissary."

I tried to understand what he was trying to say, "What do you mean?"

He just looked back at me and said, "you're the only guy that's actually real in here...these other guys are just wacked out....so you're a realist...you need to teach some of these other guys how to be chill."

I just thanked him as I was somewhat laughing at his statement, remembering back a few days ago when I had a conversation with this kid about why I wasn't married yet if I have a girlfriend. He didn't quite understand my reasoning of needing/wanting to have a full-time job before thinking about taking on the responsibility of supporting someone else besides myself. He just kept going in circles in his adolescent mind thinking of how that didn't make a bit of sense to him. So young. So naive.

*******************************

During the very first part of the game, I had just made my way down a section and was selling a couple of guys some beers when something bizarre occurred.

I carded these two guys who looked like they were in their mid-20's and they were.
I handed these guys each a beer.
I remembered as I write this that they wanted a Bud Select and a Bud Light.
I turn around to the other side of the aisle to sell a beer.
As I was finishing that sale, I hear these two guys I just sold beers to yell to get my attention.

One of them said, "is there something wrong with your case of beer? I think something is wrong with your case of beer."

I just looked back at him confused cause I hadn't had any complaints or anything...

He just held up an empty Bud Select bottle and said, "I don't know how to explain it, but I sat this down and after I put my change away, I picked it up and it was empty. There isn't anywhere that I spilled the beer or anything. It's weird man, you gave me an empty beer."

I look back at him, look down into my tub of beer, back up to him holding the empty bottle...knowing that I handed him a full beer and that I would notice handing an empty bottle to someone. I looked down at his feet and there wasn't any place that looked like there was beer spilled on the ground. I didn't see a cup that he could have poured it into or anything....there was no way he could have just chugged that bottle in that short span of time that I just made another sale.

I replied to him, "I'm sorry about that. But I know I gave you a full beer and would notice handing an empty bottle to you sir."

Then the guy in front of him spoke up to say, "ya know what, I'll just buy him a beer. I heard him saying something was weird about his beer just a second ago...I'll buy him one so no one loses here."

The original guy started to say, "no, no, no, it's okay, i'll buy it."

I wasn't about to give this tool a free beer. I could see it on his face, he was trying to score himself a free beer by confusing the little young beer man...

He bought another beer from me and I decided to stay out of that section...they've taught us that if we every have conflict or problem with a fan to simply stay out of that section...I guess they figure it's best that way so that fan doesn't try to start something the next time you come around. Avoiding someone to avoid confrontation and conflict is the best solution right? HA!

I imagine that he probably had a cup that he was hiding under something or handed a cup to someone else around him...the elderly couple sitting next to them did seem to act like something odd was going on...hmmmm...yes, maybe the 80 year old woman next to him took it....ha!

After I got back to the commissary, I explained the situation and they said it definitely sounded like a scam and that I did the right thing and to just alert other beer men so they don't get scammed.

I just laugh thinking of what he said "...there is something wrong with that case of beer..." ....ha! yeah, i should have said, "so guess won't be wanting another one then will you"... damn idiot!

*******************************

...also someone caught the stlbeerman in action.



Oh yeah, forgot to mention that I saw a kid get hit by a bat. I know it was towards the 6th or 7th inning when on of the Marlin's swung at a ball and his bat went flying over the top of the visitors dugout and hit a kid. He was alright from what I could tell. He walked it off. Medical personnel were on the scene immediately.

Totals thus far:
73 Bags of Cracker Jacks
149 Bottles of Water
264 Bags of Peanuts
3969 Bottles of Beer

Day 61 - One Happy Couple

Yesterday (Saturday) was a decent day as a beer man. Nothing too special about it with sales...but the energy of the crowd was amazing.

It felt like it was a playoff game the way the crowd was getting into it so much.

It's too bad for the outcome of this past series...really Cardinals? swept by the Braves?!?!?!

Anyways...yesterday, I think it was during the 3rd inning, I walked down to the end of a section and sat my tub down as I was about to yell out my beer call when this happened:

The couple sitting on the end of the row looked over at me with surprised looks on their faces. They just looked at me, smiled (and smiled the way you smile when you see a friend you haven't seen in awhile) and the woman asked me, "where have you been? we've been waiting for you."

Now I've had people say that to me in reference to me being 'their' beer man...but this lady just said this to me as if her and her husband were waiting for me specifically...She continued, "we waited for awhile and never saw you so we had to get up and get our beer from up there."

I just looked at them, trying to hide the confused thoughts going through my head...as I tried to think if I had ever met this couple before...and then I quickly replied, 'well, i'm here now.'

After asking me how my day had been going, as if catching up with a friend, they eventually told me to come back in a few innings and they'd buy some beer off of me.

So I did just that. Throughout the game I made 4 stops back by there to the couple...each time I came back they were happy to see me and carried on a conversation for another couple of minutes...you'd think it was the alcohol getting to them? nope...they just asked random questions about working at the stadium and if I have enjoyed it...blah blah blah...

The second to last time I went back to them, I sold them some beers and I told them that I'd be back before 'last call' was over...the woman looked at me and did a whisper towards me and in a kind of school-girlish kind of way and said, 'oh i don't think we'll need anymore, we'll be drunk by then.' Her husband just looked at me and said, 'she might be, but I'll be fine...come back before the end of the 7th.'

I did make it back to them...they were both alright to have another...they tipped pretty well throughout the game...I just found it odd that they were looking specifically for me. Each time I was selling them beer, they kept on talking to me as if they had known me for several years...it was kind of weird. They weren't drunk. I didn't recognize them as season ticket holders...so it's not like I had served them beer before...I dunno, they were happy i showed up though...

******************************

I also witnessed a guy wearing a neon-road-side-worker-green/yellow-colored shirt with a matching hat at the game.

******************************

As I was walking to the parking garage from the stadium...I witnessed this guy standing on the window ledge of the passenger side door of his vehicle.




Totals thus far:
73 Bags of Cracker Jacks
142 Bottles of Water
257 Bags of Peanuts
3881 Bottles of Beer

Day 59 - God bless you beer man!

Another day game. I didn't really know what to expect today. I knew that commissary 240 would probably be closed since our supervisor is a teacher during the day...so the beer men from there would be spread out through the stadium at other commissaries.

I quickly changed in the locker room and checked the list for today's game. I was in commissary 441. 441! I was always told that if you were ever punished for something, beer men were sent to commissary 441. I started to think through my strategic plan of how/where I would make my way down to sections 240-255....

I made my way up to 441, knowing that getting up to the commissary to get more beer wouldn't be a problem since there are escalators near by, but getting down to the 240 are would involve carrying that full tub of beer down a few sets of stairs.

I check in. I realize that Billy, the guy who works in the cooler for commissary 240 was working in 441 as well. Billy is deaf and partially mute. He is the President of an organization in Illinois for the deaf and mute. He is so funny though with the way he talks with his facial expressions and hand gestures (no, not sign language). He is like an old grandpa that you just want to hang out with cause he'd be full of great stories. I was glad to see him there because he works so hard and is such an awesome guy.

Side note: commissary 441 has a pretty crazy setup with their ice coolers. They are operated by a foot switch. There are these large coolers and they have a trap door at the bottom with a giant 'drill bit' looking thing with an electric motor on it. You have to press this foot pedal to turn on the motor and ice comes out through the trap door. Oh and if the ice gets clogged, you have to open the door that is at the top of this cooler and poke a metal rod in there to loosen up the ice. I've seen ice dispensers on refrigerators before, but this one was on steroids. Usually there is just a giant ice machine we get our ice for the beer tubs.

I think there was about 4 or 5 of us beer men from commissary 240 that I saw around that day that had made our way back to our home-turf. Compared the usual 12-15 beer men covering those sections, it was looking to be a great day of sales!

I often wonder if it is "nursing home day" or "senior citizen day" at the ball park during day games...about 40% of the fans I saw were very elderly people...most in wheel chairs sitting in the wheel-chair accessible areas. Maybe it's because by the time the night games start, they have already had their dinner and are in bed...but if that's how day games are..."senior citizen day"?...I wish every game was like this!

I bring this to attention for this reason: I had an elderly lady (probably in her 70's or 80's motioned her little hand in the air for me to come over to her. She asked for a beer. I was sort of shocked...It's not everyday that you have an elderly lady in her wheel chair motion for you to come over so she can purchase a beer. I mean, couldn't she a ticket for wheeling around in her chair under the influence?!?!

I sold her a beer and after she had her beer in hand she just looked up at me intently. It was like having a moment with Rose from Titanic at the part in the movie when she was old and telling a story about running around with Jack...anyways...she just looked back up at me with her eyes full of wisdom and said, "God bless you beer man." I wish I made this up, but it's so true. I'm pretty sure her and God had a connection going on at that time, because God did bless the beer man through this game.

I tied with my personal best in beer sales for the day. I honestly couldn't keep up with going back and forth from the commissary to the people with as fast as they were drinking the beer....actually it wasn't that they were drinking that fast, just being one of the few beer men around, made me a bit more wanted than usual as a beer man.

I had several people giving me a hard time because I wasn't around 5 minutes sooner because they had to get up out of their seat to go get a beer. Overall, an amazing day game!

Oh yeah, and that guy from last week's day game that bought an entire case from me through out the game for the group he was with...he was there at the game. He asked me if I was going to be around next Friday because he would have a huge group with him and he would be happy to have me around to buy beer from me. Oh yeah, I'll be there.

It feels awesome to have a job where everyone knows your name (beer man) and everyone's glad you came.

Totals thus far:
73 Bags of Cracker Jacks
141 Bottles of Water
247 Bags of Peanuts
3706 Bottles of Beer

Day 56, 57 & 58 - Territorial - Bottle Top

So I didn't have any stories worth sharing the past few games...but last night...I had a few dandy ones.

Last night I had a beer man that has been known to do very well in our commissary, come down into a section that I was already in. Now the rules set by our employer states that only 2 vendors per aisle. It has been an unspoken rule between all beer men that if another beer man is down that aisle, he's got that section...it's okay if a food vendor and a beer man are in the same aisle though...just never two beer men....(that's for the sections our commissary covers)...(down lower in the 100's sections, you almost need 2 in an aisle to cover that many people)

I just look up and he was already half way down the steps into my section. I shot him a look and he "then" realized I was down there and walked back up. He's been known to do this before and "take" sales from the top half of a section from the beer man that is already at the bottom of the steps. Not cool. Not cool.

Then, during 'last call' he follows right behind me down one section...not joking, only 4 or 5 steps behind me...Beer man foul! ...I just turn around (not wanting to make a scene) and ask 'what are you doing?' as he is asking a group of guys in the top row if they needed another one and if they were alright'. At that exact moment, the last out was caught, end of the 7th, end of sales.

*****************

Last night, during the bottom of the 6th, I was walking down a section when a guy motioned for a beer. I sold him a beer and he gave me a $8 at first...then handed me another $1. As I was about to head down towards the rest of the section, he asked me something. I couldn't hear what he said because of the roar of the crowd. He leaned in and asked in a mumbling voice, "where is the bottle top for this beer?"

I grabbed into my beer tub and showed him the bottle top. He grabbed it out of my hand and I grabbed it back saying, "I'm sorry sir, we can't give the caps out with the beer." (It's a rule we have to follow by our employer...rarely do I ever have anyone ask for the cap) He looked at me with a funny face and said, "then how about you give me that dollar back." So I gave it back to him.

I walked all of the way down to the end of that section and as I was walking up, the game went into the 7th inning...'last call'. I started to announce this and that same guy who just asked for his dollar back, wanted another beer.

I debated on just walking past him, but thought to myself, it's another sale, even if he doesn't tip me, i'll still be getting commission from that beer. I wait for people to pass by because everyone seemed to need to go to the bathroom or buy beer from the bar at the same time...I finally make it over to that guy. He asks for one beer and say, "here. here is $9 since you got all mad at me earlier." I responded, "sir there is nothing I could have done. We are not allowed to give the bottle cap out with the beer. I'm sorry." He just looked at me with a dumb look on his face...then he said, "you need to just relax man. stop taking your job so seriously." I told him, "thank you and enjoy the rest of the game."

*****************

That's it from last night. Today is another day game. Oh yeah, you know it's business time again!

Totals thus far:
73 Bags of Cracker Jacks
141 Bottles of Water
245 Bags of Peanuts
3586 Bottles of Beer

Day 55 - Worst Best Day Ever!

I wish I could tell you that I make half of this crap up...but it's all true...it's honestly way to crazy to make up....the reason I titled this blog "Worst Best Day Ever!" is because of the events that took place. I had an amazing day in sales, but felt awful for an incident that occurred...read on and you'll understand what I mean.

Yesterday's day game was by far one of the most eventful games I've had in a long time.

I was running late...Since it was a day game, parking was going to be more expensive in the garage I normally park in...have to pay the "day rate" of $10 instead of the $4 for the night price during games....So after trying to figure out where I was going to park and make it into the stadium in time...I parked in the "special" parking lot that employees of Sports Services can park in for a discounted price of something around $6. It is the lot to the southwest of the stadium. We have been told before that if we park there, we can enter the stadium on that street side entrance for employees near gate 3 and walk through the stadium to change/clock-in in the Sports Services lobby.

I walk up to the entrance way and the Busch Stadium employee tells me I can't enter through this door. I explain that I was told at the beginning of the year that we were able to and he just replied back with saying, "yeah, well there's been a problem with that, you need to walk up to that green awning area past gate 3."

So I walk to that entrance he pointed to and the older gentleman behind the door that was shut just looked at me. I showed him my badge and he just motioned for me to keep walking. I tried to tell him through the glass door that I was an employee, showing him my badge again and he just shook his head 'no' and told me to keep walking.

I finally make it around to the other side of the stadium where we I normally enter the stadium...I was a bit ticked at the fact that I was told one thing and was now being told another thing by a different person...it was my own fault for running late...but it wouldn't have been my fault if I wasn't able to clock in because I was late when I was at an entrance I was told I could enter through...frustrating way to start my day off..... I still made it there in time...just a bit frustrated...

With it being a day game, my commissary was closed due to our supervisor having to work at her other job as a school teacher. So the guys that did show up from commissary 240 were split up between commissary 168 & 134. I was assigned to 134 with 2 other guys from 240. We had discussed that since our commissary (240) was closed, there wouldn't be any beer men up on that level in the sections we normally sell in. So we decided that the 3 of us would go up there and rake in the sales!

Before I even got out of the commissary, some of the regular beer men down there were harassing us (240 beer men) as if they were superior beer men for working down there. They were telling us that if we were going to stick around in their sections they would cut down into our sections and take as many sales away from us as possible...most of those guys were just a bunch of barbaric fools if you ask me...I'll explain more later...

Thank God for escalators...this made the trip up to the second level of the stadium much easier...going down, well, we had to take the steps since the escalators closest to us don't go down till the 7th inning.

I had already sold about half of my first case before the game started...I told myself that this was going to be a great day of making some sales since there were only a few of us guys working 25 sections compared to nearly 20 guys working in the 25 sections...

***Before I share this next story...do this: yell the word "peanuts" really loud! If you can't do that right now, do it in your head. Do you hear what that sounded like?***

I was making my way down into a section as people were still coming into the stadium...trying to make a few more sales before the games started...I was yelling out my beer man hawk, "ICE COLD BEER! ICE COLD BUD, BUD LIGHT, BUD SELECT! ICE COLD BEER! PEANUTS!" I had a guy motion for me to come down to him and his buddies...all of them wearing business attire...I thought the guy was asked me for peanuts. He kept looking at me and back to the guy sitting next to him, then back at me with a childish grin...He said, "penis! this guys a penis. you said you have penis? this guy needs one.... I didn't want to buy anything, just wanted to share that with you." I shook my head and walked away. I realized that I need to be sure I enunciate a bit more...or else full grown business men will act like a jr. highers...

*I really struggled with deciding if I was going to share this next story...but here it goes...
Have you ever been so thirsty that you choke when you take a drink of something? Have you had your throat so dry, you want to chug any liquid as fast as you can and as soon as that liquid comes into contact with your throat, you instantly choke or cough?

I was busting my butt off during the heat of the day game when I sat my tub down behind section 251 to quench my thirst. My throat and mouth was so dry from being so hot as well as yelling out my beer call. I twisted off the cap of my Gatorade bottle filled with ice cold water. I noticed that Holliday was up to bat. I paused to watch him hit. I then lifted my Gatorade bottle to my lips and got a huge mouthful of water when at the exact same moment as Holliday hit his homerun, I choked on that ice cold water the moment it came into contact with my throat. I tried to turn my head towards my arm to cover the cough that was coming on. That big gulp of water just became a projectile.

The sold out crowd was on their feet cheering for the solo shot out into left field while I gave the couple sitting in the last row of section 251 a shower. I can only describe it as what it would be like to take a ride on the Maid of The Mist at Niagara Falls. I have never in my entire life felt so bad for what had just happened. I just spit water onto these 2 fans. I immediately apologized. The could see that I was embarrassed, but I don't think they knew how bad I truly felt. The fans were still on their feet and this couple who just had a quick cool-down were still half unsure of what to do. I apologized again and they just said it was okay and then the guy walked off...I didn't know what was gonna happen, I didn't know where he went to...I saw that he came back with some napkins to clean him and his wife off a bit. I apologized again and the lady said it was okay.

Again, I have never felt so bad in my entire life. I could have just caused this couple to never want to come back to a baseball game at Busch Stadium their entire life in fear of getting spit on! I had already made my way into a few sections over, still feeling awful when I decided that I would go back and give them a free beer (even though, I'd be paying for it, it was the least I could do in hopes of kindling our relationship). They were gone. I don't know if they left, if they moved into another section or what, but they weren't back there for the remainder of the game...

*While walking through the amazing air-conditioned Red Bird Club to get to the next section over, I hear someone yell my name. Not just my first name, cause it's not like I don't share a common name or anything...but first and last name. A girl I graduated high school, Jane, with was there with a few of her coworkers. She came over and gave me what was like a semi-side hug...which I personally was thinking to myself, 'I'm fricken drenched in sweat and smelly and she's huggin me?...who wants to hug a beer man?' Then it hit me...'WHO WOULDN'T WANT TO HUG THE BEER MAN!??!?!'

*I was in a section making a few sales when I had a guy in a business suite motion for one beer. He was sitting on the end of the row. He asked for a Bud and then leaned forward to get his wallet out of his pocket. Then there was a loud 'snap'! It sounded like a gun went off right under his seat.... Nope...not a gun, but the sound did come from his seat. He broke his seat. The bottom of the seat catches on the back so it wont' fold down any farther...well this guy (yeah he was an easy 300+ lbs.) snapped the chair past the part that keeps the seat level. He couldn't sit back, cause the bottom of the seat was sloped down and I did everything inside of me from not bursting into laughter from this site. He stood up and snapped the seat back down. He sat back down and looked at me and said, 'let's make that a Bud Light'. I wonder if him switching from Bud to Bud Light will create a flow of events that will inevitably lead him to become the "Jared" of Budweiser?

I've witnessed some amazing things in my days while working at Busch Stadium, but this day game really just topped it off. Sales were amazing! The crowd of business folk were amazing...and some were childish.

As I was going through check-out in 134, the other beer men were acting a bit more childish than that businessman did while asking for a penis for his friend. The beer men were cutting ahead of each other in line, yelling at each other, complaining about how hot it was, trying to cut in front of each other again in the line...they were acting barbaric in the ways they were treating each other. Myself and the other 2 beer men from 240 just kept to ourselves and ended up at the end of the line...I didn't care where I ended up, I had a crazy day.

After waiting in the long line to check-out and after clocking out, I was able to make my way back to my car and head home (hopefully before rush hour traffic hit). Then about half-way back towards the usual parking garage I park in, I realize I parked next to the stadium. Awesome! Well, it wasn't awesome till sitting in traffic for nearly 45 minutes just to get onto the interstate, which took another 45 minutes just to get home...who cares...I witnessed a man break a seat and accidentally gave a couple a shower (which even as I type this, I still feel bad).

Totals thus far:
73 Bags of Cracker Jacks
135 Bottles of Water
227 Bags of Peanuts
3365 Bottles of Beer

Day 53 & 54 - Double Vision?

Double Vision...not just a hit song by Foreigner, but it's what I felt like I had between Tuesday's & Wednesday's games.

Sold nearly the same both nights...actually, I sold the same number of bottles of beer both nights...commission was the same (ok, so there was an $0.08 difference between the 2 nights)....and I only have a few stories from each night...so there ya go...

Tuesday night:

-Thanks to a few people in section 254, I didn't put my knee down into a pile of puke on the end of a row. I guess someone had a bit too much fun and puked. I didn't realize it and noticed people were missing from a row...and when the people in the row behind them asked for a few beers, I started to go into the row with puke and about a half step later and I would have had to buy knee pads...

-It felt like all of the weirdos decided to show up to the game on Tuesday night. I've never seen so many odd people at a ball game before. I had a few groups of people that would fit in the 'goth' category, a large number of elderly people who I found to be sleeping during most of the game (not that a lot happened other than in the first inning), I had a group of kids that decided to have their face be used as a pin-cushion and had more facial piercings than anyone I've ever seen in my life, there was a group of college aged people that kept getting ticked for being carded (if you're just turning 21 or 22 what the hell do you expect?!?!?! i card for anyone 39-1/2 and under suckas!!) Just lots of odd groups of people in my sections tonight.

Wednesday night:

-I busted a knuckle open tonight. At the top row of section 250, there is a counter-top with bar stools that people sit in...with about 4 ft between them and the brick wall. Well, when people stand up, their chair goes back, thus the smaller walk-way to get around them...well, as I was walking through there, I had to squeeze around someone and busted my knuckle open as the brick wall acted like a cheese grater on my skin. AWESOME! I was hoping my gloves would have covered the first knuckle up on my ring finger enough, but it was just at the right spot to catch it...oh the price I pay to get people their beer.

-Ironically enough, in that same section I busted my knuckle...before the game even started, I sold a bag of peanuts to a couple and they started to carry on a conversation with me. They asked if I was ever tired of working there or got tired of baseball...I replied with a "no" I don't think I could ever get tired of it...The more I thought about it, I don't ever see that happening....I mean, I'm getting paid to be at the fricken ballgame! The lady asked if I was exhausted from carrying my beer tub around...I responded with just saying that some games it feels heavier than others and the heat doesn't help some nights. She responded with, "well, you are more of a man than I am." I thought to myself, God I hope so...or you and your husband need to talk!

Day game tomorrow (Thursday). Looking forward to plenty of business men in their business suits and business socks (you know when i'm down to just my socks it's business time that's why they call them business socks...(yeah, i have to say it...(if you don't understand, go here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j94V5u53bLA ) but not that kind of business, cause i ain't gay) buy business beer tomorrow. ...lots of business mena and women at the day games...that's mostly the day game crowd since school has started back up.

Totals thus far:
73 Bags of Cracker Jacks
135 Bottles of Water
224 Bags of Peanuts
3269 Bottles of Beer

The end is near!?!?!....

I've had a few friends ask me recently if I was ready for the season to be over?...If I was prepared for the end of being a beer man.

This took me by surprise.

Am I a beer man for the Cubs or something? If so, I would know my job as a beer man would be over the last day of the regular season...but last time I checked, I work at Busch Stadium! We're in 1st place in the NLCD and that means playoffs. Not to get ahead of myself...but we just pulled ahead of the Cubs by 7 games last night. Playoffs? Me thinks so!

I mean, I guess it is already nearing the end of September and there is just a little over a month left of the regular season...but we are sitting in an amazing spot to be in the PLAYOFFS!!!!

When I first started this season, I knew that the All-Star Game was well worth working at the stadium. Shortly after the All-Star break, I felt like something wasn't the same...I didn't feel as excited to go to work at the stadium...I lost my passion...

Wait...a beer man who has passion for his job?

You better believe it. There's something about going to the stadium and being surrounded by the smells and the sounds of the game. You know what I'm talking about. Seeing a team in a city with deep roots in the American tradition of baseball. I love it! I LOVE MY JOB!

As for being finished after this season...HA! I mean, hopefully I'll have a full-time job by the beginning of the 2010 season and have no need to work as a beer man...BUT...as long as my job schedule would allow for it, I have full intentions of at least working Friday and Saturday games through next season. Why not?!?!? It'd be easy extra money. I use the term "easy" lightly...because of the actual physical labor that is involved with the job. As long as I live in the STL area, I have full intentions of continuing this job...I love it!

The only problem I currently have is not knowing what days we'll be playing in October. Yes, they have the general dates of each playoff round, but not sure when those games will be at Busch...

Tips - "To Flirt, or Not To Flirt?"

This topic has been on my mind for quite some time now...I have asked my girlfriend to help throw in her 2 cents on the topic...I wrote my thoughts and she commented and shared her thoughts in here....I have in no way edited the sections she has written....the text that is pink-ish/purple-ish is her thoughts...

I used to wait tables while in college. It wasn't that fancy of a restaurant...just a small place at a tourist attraction back home. Seeing as how most of my tables were tourists groups of families/old woman/retired couples...it wasn't common for a group of young women that I could flirt with to try my chances... I would occasionally get a table where I would flirt to try and get a better tip.

I, personally, have never waited tables or held any job that I received tips for. I have heard friends tell many stories though. I have one female friend that would always flirt with tables of men, and said that it seemed to help her tips, especially with older men. Is this ok? My very first reaction was no. But the more I think about it, the more I realize there is so much more to it. If it is all innocent, then why not? Why not do what you can to get a larger tip? Is there a set of rules for flirting with customers somewhere out there? Like do not flirt with a male customer who looks old enough to be your grandpa. Or do not flirt with a male customer who is in the company of any female, mom or not. That would make things a bit easier…probably for bother genders.

As a beer man, although it is a different atmosphere, I'm still serving customers and will occasionally get a tip. Numerous times I've been stiffed by fans. I've had a few people that make small talk ask how much beer men get paid. That's the only time I'll share with a fan that I am paid through commission and if they ask about tips, I share that there is the occasional tip here or there.... (Since it is in our handbook that we are not to advertise in any way or try to coax fans into giving us tips.)

As a waiter, you can milk the people sitting at your tables with something that is known as 'sucking up'....no other way to put it...There are numerous things that can be done to accomplish this...always making sure their glass is full, double checking on the quality of their food, being very prompt, friendly...you get the picture...

While being a beer man, you can only do so much....I mean, the beer can only be so cold...it comes out of the fridge, into my tub and covered with ice. It's not like I can give out frosted mugs with each beer....I can't control the way the Cardinals play (not that I need to worry about that recently anyways...since they won 5 of 6 in their last homestand) I can only do so much to make sure their experience is the best ever...Yes, I can stand there and talk to them, but most of them want to watch the game and want me to serve them their ice cold beer and get out of their way.

However...there are the groups of college girls, young woman and the cougars....only way to make their night a bit better is to show them special attention...oh, they call that flirting don't they.... Fact: women like attention. Fact: most single women enjoy flirting. Fact: cougars are out for young blood...and it's scary.

Fact: Women like attention, yes…most of the time. But not necessarily from their waiter/beer man just trying to get a better tip. Personally, I don’t think being hit on by a strange man would affect the tip that I give. Unless, I reduce it due to the overly creepy vibe that some men tend to give off. Fact: Cougars are a different breed and I don’t think I have enough time to address this sort. Scary? Indeed.

You can go ahead and call me shallow, but when I've been single, I wouldn't think twice about flirting with an attractive woman. Where you at men? Let me hear you... what guy doesn't mind flirting with an attractive female?

Yeah, where are you men? Step up and admit that you shamelessly flirt with every attractive female you come in contact with just to get a better tip with no other intentions other than that! Ha! Ok, ok, all sarcasm aside, I think this is a prime example of how much the male and female minds differ. Most males probably don’t see any problem with a little flirting to increase a potential tip and fattening up their wallet a bit. However, the female customer may interpret that differently. This is where the possible problem lies. In all honesty, women look way deeper into things than what may be intended and an innocent flirtation from a man can seem like way more to the women on the receiving end. Yes, women do flirt with male customers as well, and I actually think are probably more prone to do so. Does it help their tips? In most cases, probably so.

Have I flirted in hopes of getting a better tip? Yes, but ONLY when I've been single...Now there is a minor detail I would like to mention. Smiling back at a woman and/or making eye contact with a customer is part of my job...so when I make eye contact and smile back to a woman who smiles at me with her flirtatious tactics, I'm only doing my job and have no intentions of my relationship with this female going past the sale of a beer while I'm working at the stadium.

I agree with smiling and being friendly with your customers. This is an important aspect of any job. It is something that most people should understand, and for me would impact a tip way more than the amount of flirting that is taking place. This could be because I am not an overly flirtatious person, even in the least bit. I would much rather rely on a friendly demeanor than flirting with someone to receive a good tip.

The number one group of women who flirt and initiate the flirt are the cougars.

Not surprised. However, I originally wouldn’t picture many cougars hanging out at a baseball game. I guess I imagine the Real Housewives of Orange County, Atlanta, and any other city this ridiculous show resides in that I have left out, drinking cocktails on a yacht. Yet, this baseball game idea is brilliant. What better place to prowl on young single men than a baseball game? We gotta give these cougars some credit! Well done!

Now I know I have a baby face and young looks...which is why I think that woman my age don't think that I'm old enough for them to flirt with...or not to mention, even look old enough to sell them a beer....so the cougars lay low in the grassy outfield and then attack when the little beer man doesn't expect it coming.

As a guy who has been dating an amazing girlfriend, I don't think about flirting. Do I have the occasional female initiate a flirty smile or initiate a flirty conversation with me? Yes. Do I return that flirt? No. Only way I would ever return that flirt is if my girlfriend gave me the thumbs up to flirt with other women...and in turn who am I to say she couldn't then flirt with other men? We have the upmost trust in each other. So what would be the harm in me flirting with a lady to try and get a bigger tip? The Bible doesn't cover the area of flirting. Now if I was married, I wouldn't even consider asking the question: if flirting is even okay? even if it was to bring in more money...

The ultimate question here, is whether or not it is ok to flirt in order to potentially get a larger tip. Probably so. I don’t see it as a huge issue for someone to initiate or even return flirting in hopes of increasing their tip. As long as it is truly innocent and the intention does not go beyond the sale/service, it really is harmless. I do, however, think that the situation changes if you are in a relationship/engaged/married. I think in this case, it is probably a good idea to choose not to flirt, even if it is strictly for a bigger tip. This doesn’t mean it is necessarily wrong, I just think the best choice would be to avoid it.

So in closing, I appreciate my girlfriend's thoughts and opinions on this topic and hopefully we've stirred up some thoughts in people's heads... What would you do? I want to hear your thoughts. I have opened the poll back up for a few more days and want to know why you voted the way you did.

Day 51 & 52 - Vomit, Locusts & Leather Chaps

On my way out of the stadium on Friday night, I was in a hurry to get around to the other side of the stadium to meet up with a few friends. The sidewalks were crowded and it was tough to maneuver through everyone...then I nearly stepped into a puddle of puke. Vomit was all over the ground...someone must have done a great job of projecting that...cause it had splattered around in a radius of 6-7 feet. Thank God I was looking down...I did see a few people walk right through it...which nearly made me gag. The site/sound/thought of puke makes me gag. It was tough to even write this paragraph...

The heat was harsh on Friday and Saturday night's games. I haven't felt the effects of the heat as bad as I did this weekend. I had to stop every section just about to take a drink and wipe the sweat from my face.

As I was walking out of the parking garage on Saturday, I had a sudden thought in my mind that we were about to be facing plagues of locusts.


I've lived in the country before, but I've never seen a locust as big as this one! It was still there when I got back to the garage Saturday night. I think it waved to me.

After thinking through how having plagues would effect the world today in my head...I was walking through the parking lot next to the stadium where the old stadium used to be...that's when I saw over half of the parking lot full of Harleys. I guess there was some big promotion/sponsor by Harley Davidson for the game. Usually I'll see plenty of fans bring gloves to the games, but I've never seen so much leather in the stands as I did on Saturday night.

I saw so many leather chaps & biker chicks (not the hot ones either...the kind that could beat me up and). There were numerous women supportn' the dike spike...women that had hair much shorter than me. I saw a few dudes with pony tails that were a few feet long. It was insane.

I know I posted a new poll recently...I encourage you to vote...and be sure to check back here on Tuesday for a special blog where I'll be sharing this area with a guest blogger. Together we will tackle the topic of "Flirting: is it okay if it gets you a bigger tip?" This has been a topic that has been on my mind for awhile and with the upcoming away series for the Cards, I want to still give you something to read and ponder.

Totals thus far:
73 Bags of Cracker Jacks
130 Bottles of Water
213 Bags of Peanuts
3139 Bottles of Beer

Day 49 - Shaq-attack & Green Day

Yeah, the big goof on the the mound...that's Shaq. If you haven't watched any SportsCenter...then you don't know about how Shaq challenged Pujols to a homerun derby. Pujols just replied with, "good luck." I always thought Pujols was a big dude...but Shaq...well, he towered over Pujols standing next to him.

I need to say a quick thank you to Green Day. They were in concert last night at the Scott Trade Center and several of the beer men were working there instead of the Cards game. This allowed for much higher than normal sales with the few of us guys that were in our commissary. Green Day, thank you!

I honestly don't have any stories from last night. I could complain about the heat...but I'm not gonna. It's summer. It's supposed to be hot. Not to mention, we are in the mid-west...it's supposed to be humid. Ah, the joys of sweating off 5 lbs a game...(i'm not joking).

Totals thus far:
73 Bags of Cracker Jacks
114 Bottles of Water
205 Bags of Peanuts
2901 Bottles of Beer

Day 46 & 47 - Stupid People

I didn't blog last night because I was too pissed off to blog.

I'm not going to go into it that much and I'll start it off with one simple statement:

-I hate stupid people and wonder why we allow some people to reproduce.

I was at a stop light downtown trying to get to the parking garage when a ticket scalper started to buy tickets from a car that was at the red light in front of me. The light turned green and they continued to bargain back and forth. I laid on the horn. That didn't help. Finally the guy got the money/tickets for what he was wanting and just stood in the middle of the road...my night was starting off great.

My tickets were messed up while vending. Was it a simple mistake/simple fix...yes...I should have caught that my tickets were all under someone else name...was it frustrating to deal with when the error was caught...yes.

Sales were also very awful for me on Friday night. The worst night of the week so far...the whole week was backwards...I did better on Monday and Thursday's games than I did on Friday....oh well...Saturday night has got to be better...right?

now that I have that out of the way...Onto tonight's game...

I just kept telling myself to stay positive, last night is over and tonight's game is a new/different day.

Tonight did go well! best night of the week in commission! I was finished with my first case before the first inning was over. I probably could have got a full 5 cases sold if I didn't hit a bit of a roadblock in the commissary when the printer for our tickets ran out of paper....overall a great night!

Tonight's stories-

-I was standing at the top of a section near the Bank of America club when I kept hearing a loud snapping sound. I took a second to get a drink and wipe my face from the sweat that was running down it. I saw a policeman standing a few feet from me and he kept looking around as we kept hearing that snapping sound. I saw him look behind us and then he did a double-take. I looked back to see what he saw. It was an usher. He had a set of finger-nail clippers in his hands. He was cutting his fingernails during the middle of the game. I fully believe in keeping great hygiene habits, but to cut your fingernails while at work? His fingernails must have been made of metal...it was the loudest snapping sound I've ever heard while someone was cutting their fingernails. I just looked back at the cop and we both had the same look on our faces...the look of, "what the hell?!?! Is this guy really cutting his fingernails while working?!?!?!"

-During last call tonight, I gave a guy the wrong change. He asked for one beer and handed me a $20. I was ready to head down the steps to the rest of the section when I quickly handed him the change as if he ordered 2 beers....($4.50) He caught me as I made my way down the section and told me about it. I quickly apologized and gave him the correct change of $12.25 I had thought he looked confused when I gave him his change back, but I thought it was because he was just buzzing a bit and was in mid-conversation with the lady sitting next to him.

-I had always known about the idea of "suggestive selling" and tonight I decided to use it a bit more than usual...meaning I would suggest a bag of peanuts every time someone ordered a beer in the first 3 innings. Well, I sold 5 bags of peanuts just from suggesting it when someone bought a beer. What I don't understand is when people just ask for a bag of peanuts and don't have anything to drink and don't want to buy anything to drink...

-I had a guy complain to me about the price of the beer. He still purchased 4 beers for him and the people he was sitting with...but asked me if they were helping pay my house payment? my college tuition? and my fancy sports car?....i told him I didn't have a house, I've already graduated, and I own an '06 Toyota Matrix...I also told him that I didn't set the prices, I just sold the beer. We then got into a conversation about when I graduated from college, what I've been doing since graduating...blah blah blah, basically told him how I was laid off...temp jobs as graphic/web designer...beer man job...blah blah blah...he ended the conversation by saying..."well, the economy is turning around. best of luck to ya." he didn't tip me. It's not like I was trying to put a guilt trip on him about my sad-sob story...I mean, he kept asking me questions and I just kept on having a conversation with him...

-I had about 9 or 10 different people/groups stiff me on the tip tonight...and every time, people around them noticed this and made comments to them and/or to me about it. When they would comment to me about it, I really didn't have anything to say...I just told them that that happens and I just keep rolling with the punches. I thought to myself how I usually try not visit a section if I know people are buying and not tipping. I'd much rather go to sections that I know are buying and tipping...even if it's just a little bit...that adds up! Again, people don't realize that beer man aren't on an hourly wage...

-With the NFL season quickly approaching, I have been contemplating on working at the dome to sell beer during Rams games. Sports Services are not only at Busch Stadium, but also at the dome...so I'd already have a foot in the door over there. I'm just not sure if I want to work there...I mean, the Rams have really sucked over the past several years...not to mention, I've never been to an NFL game...if the Cowboys were scheduled to come to STL this year, then that would be a no-brainer...GO COWBOYS!

-I'm looking forward to not working tomorrow. Sunday's have never been that great for beer sales...not to mention, Rock the River is going on during the day...downtown seems to just attract people who are incompetent of driving/walking through downtown...I heard if you follow the traffic signals, they help! Green light means go, red light means stop...white walking person means walk, red hand means not a good time to cross...yellow light and blinking red hand means hurry the hell up! I have seen it so many times - people almost get hit by cars because they don't pay attention to traffic signals...yes, if there aren't any cars coming EITHER WAY cross the street...but i've seen all kinds of people nearly get hit cause they only look one way and start to cross and when traffic flies by from the other direction, they nearly get hit.

Well, be sure to check back this next week, while I'm enjoying a week off from work, for a few new blogs...I'm not quite sure what I'll write about...but just be sure to check back throughout next week!

Totals thus far:
73 Bags of Cracker Jacks
98 Bottles of Water
193 Bags of Peanuts
2759 Bottles of Beer

Day 45 - The beer man has NOT left the building...

It's taken me a bit to cool down after tonight. I had an amazing night in sales and just an overall great night and then I tried to stay and watch the game.

I'll get to that later...first...the stories from the night...

-I witnessed a man in his 70's have his collar popped on his polo. He was also carrying 2 beers and a huge thing of nachos.

-Manny still got booed...it was plenty worse tonight...guess if your name gets added to the bad list for the '03 season you just get more boo's. I didn't feel bad at all when Manny was booed...he deserved every bit of it tonight. I even noticed some Dodger fans booing him!

-I ran into an old boss. Not just any old boss...but the president of the college where I was laid off from...which has inevitably allowed me to get such jobs as being a beer man at Busch Stadium. He had a sheepish grin on his face as he said hi to me...He was accompanied by 2 professors from said college. I was semi-hoping they would buy a beer from me...but they seemed to have stuck with their soda and peanuts. I'm hoping he saw me in action and felt some regret for the layoff they had to make...I won't lie though...I'm beyond blessed that I'm not still there though! I can't imagine working there with the pay cuts and such that have had to take place over the past few months...not to mention, several other reasons why I'm much happier selling beer and doing contract jobs around STL as a web/graphic designer.

-I have been told before that I have a "booming" voice. I have also had a few nights when I felt like my voice just wouldn't project very far. Well tonight I think I projected very well. I may have accidentally caused an older gentlemen to nearly have a heart attach. I was at the end of the steps in a section knelt down about to yell out my beer call. I projected, "ICE COLD BEER! ICE COLD BUD, BUD LIGHT, BUD SELECT! ICE COLD BEER HERE!" As I said the first part of my beer call, I noticed the older gentlemen next to me jump as if he was scared to death...He immediately reached his hand up to his ear and started to mess with his hearing aid. I felt awful. I could see the expression on his face that he just experienced some pain. I apologized and he said he was okay, he just needed to be sure to keep it turned down a bit when I came by...I apologized again and just made sure I either didn't go down that section the rest of the night or not be right next to him when I'd yell out my beer call.

-I decided that after last night's lengthy game in extra innings, that I wanted to witness something like that again if it'd happen tonight...So I check out and clock out and decide to stand behind the bleachers, next to a merchandise booth behind left-center field. I wasn't blocking anyone's view and I was having to watch the game through the bars of some bleachers...Not the best view, but hey, I could still see the action around the diamond. I watch about 3 or 4 plays when I get a tap on the shoulder. It was one of the supervisors for Sports Services. He motioned for me to come with him. I honestly didn't know what I was gonna hear from him. He just looked at me and said, "You aren't supposed to be in the building." I was kind of shocked but at the same time I wasn't about to fight with him on something and get in some sort of trouble or risk losing my only job. ...not that I could really have gotten fired, possibly written up...but I found out earlier in the night that they have started to let people go recently...starting with the high schoolers who are food vendors and not making much commission...and if they need to cut beer men, they said they will... So he stood there and watched me walk out of the gate...I didn't turn around to see if he guarded the gate, I just decided I'd walk over to Mike Shannon's and watch it there...by the time I got over to Shannon's I decided that I just wanted to get home. I was exhausted and hungry...and when Josh gets hungry, Josh gets cranky. I'm glad I didn't stay...glad I didn't get to stay...since they did cough up the game in the 10th. Oh well...we still won the series!

Overall as for sales, a great night! I've been very impressed and blessed with my sales this week...Looks like I've been nudging my way into the top half of most sales for the beer man of my commissary.

Totals thus far:
73 Bags of Cracker Jacks
90 Bottles of Water
177 Bags of Peanuts
2606 Bottles of Beer

Day 41 - 42 - Hit the Ground Running

It's been awhile since my last post. It has felt good to take a short break after the All-Star festivities. I did work the Friday night game following the All-Star Game against Arizona...It was decent. Honestly, not that many stories from it.

Several people would ask if I was there during the All-Star Game and wanted to know what that was like. I'll be honest, it still hasn't fully hit me that I was there.

I then took that Saturday game off and I went to the game on Sunday with my smokn' hot girlfriend. 3rd row up from center field in the bleachers...not a single hit out to us the whole game. We won though.

And now after having over a full week away from the stadium, I hit the ground running last night. A sold-out crowd in attendance to welcome in the new Cardinal's we had gained over this past weeks road trip.


Highlights/stories from working last night:

-Manny got booed and it was delicious!

-Holliday received a standing ovation from the his new hometown fans. Personally, I think Lugo should have gotten a standing-o as well, I mean, both guys are on fire!

-I had a really cool group of older guys who were Dodgers fans who kept buying from me all night and told me to come back tomorrow night cause they'd be there and would buy from me again.

-I witnessed an older guy (Cards fan)...I mean he had to be in his late 70's...maybe even 80's and he was standing up yelling and cussing at Manny and the Dodgers for keeping Manny. It was a sight to see...it was simply hilarious to hear an old man cuss.

-I had a fan who kept asking me for Grey Goose. I told him I only had Bud, Bud Light and Select Beer, he would simply respond in a goose-ish yell "Grey Goose". He had a good laugh and every time I walked by him, he'd yell, 'Grey Goose'.

-I think someone crapped their pants in section 251. I didn't even bother going down the steps into that section one time because the smell was so awful and so strong. People were complaining to the ushers and I think someone set off a stink-bomb...

Overall, a great night! Thanks to the bottom of the 7th, and the Dodgers' pitching changes, I was able to sell nearly a whole extra case of beer. I did just as good in sales as I did during the All-Star Game...If I keep this up all week...I could get away with only working at the stadium for the next month...

Games every night for the rest of the week...hopefully lots of stories to share!

Totals thus far:
72 Bags of Cracker Jacks
80 Bottles of Water
165 Bags of Peanuts
2381 Bottles of Beer

Day 38 - All-Star Future's Game

**Editor's Note** (This is part 1 of a 3 part blag covering the 3 events this beer man will be working)

After a very easy drive downtown without hardly any traffic like I thought there would be, I pull into my usual parking garage on 7th & Pine. It was a much older lady collecting money today. She looked at me...did a double take...and then asked me if I had a brother. I don't. I was confused by her asking me this...I told her no. She looked at me and said, "are you sure?" I laughed to myself and told her I had a sister and that was it. She went on to tell me that there was a guy who just went up into the garage who looked like he was my twin. I just responded with a "ah" and gave her my money. She handed me my parking pass and told me to watch out for myself up there. Never a dull moment parking in that garage.

I started to walk towards the stadium. There was a vibe in the air throughout downtown. It was like something I had never experienced before. Seeing everything decked out with All-Star decor and the crowded streets was amazing!

If you haven't had a chance to walk through Kiener Plaza and the area where the old Busch Stadium used to be, it's a must see area! Amazing stuff! I can't even begin to describe it all...


After getting changed into my uniform, I made my way up near commissary 240 and had glanced over to see this amazingness. The design in the grass. I've never seen a stadium's grass look so amazing!

I made it into the commissary where guys were discussing how bad they thought it was gonna rain. I checked the radar on my iPhone and saw that it was inevitable, we would face a rain delay.

I didn't think it would turn out to be a 4 hour rain delay!

I don't even think they got all of the way through the first inning...

Selling beer isn't even something i care to discuss. It was so awful. I didn't even make enough commission to cover my parking...and I park in a $5 garage....Only one guy in our commissary started to sell into his second case. I think they anticipated more people to show up to the game. The cost of beer was also raised during the All-Star activities....$8.75 for a 16oz bottle of an all-star brewski.

With the rain delay, most beer vendors were waiting around to see when we were able to check out. We were originally told we were able to start selling at noon and had to be done at 5:30. Just as the grounds crew was removing the tarp, ...around 5 we were all told we had to check out. I kept flirting with the idea of staying and watching the game and for the Celebrity Softball game...but carrying a full beer tub around for nearly 5 hours was exhausting and I honest would have rather of saved my energy for a much more busier two days ahead of me.

I'm kicking myself for not sticking around. I watched most of the All-Star Future's Game at home on ESPN 2 and what an exciting game! I also learned that the Celebrity Softball Game will be televised after the Home Run Derby on Monday night...so I feel good about getting to watch that!

Totals thus far:
65 Bags of Cracker Jacks
80 Bottles of Water
151 Bags of Peanuts
2053 Bottles of Beer
(no typo in those beer totals. I only sold 2 beers today...one guy didn't sell a beer...most of the guys sold about 12 beers...rough day)

Check back for pt. 2 late tomorrow night after the Home Run Derby for a full report of experiencing something amazing!

Ooooh, We're Half Way There...Oooh Oooh, Livin' On A Prayer!

Now that Bon Jovi is stuck in your head and your doing the air guitar...or maybe that's just me, I'm gonna take a look back at the first half of the 2009 MLB Beer Man Season.

First of all, I want to apologize for my rant in my previous blog entry. I obviously need to take a much more humble approach in this job. I'm blessed with even having a job...actually 2 jobs (a contract job at Wachovia/Wells Fargo, that ends next Friday...and the part-time beer man gig). Honestly, I thought being half-way through the season, I would have landed a full-time job and wouldn't be able to work as a beer man...I'm still praying a full-time job comes along soon...


So here I am. The season will officially be half way over on Tuesday night. It's actually already half way over as far as home games for the Cardinals go...so as a beer man, I'm half way there...yes, livin' on a prayer that the season last through the end of October....well, we're in a better spot than the rest of the NLCD right now...

Now for a few thoughts/stories to share -

I've had something on my mind that I wanted to share for quite awhile with you...
I find it down right hilarious when I see fans talking on their cell phones...you're at a baseball game! You paid good money to sit in these seats...to talk on your cell phone? I can sit at home in much more comfortable attire and talk on my cell phone and save myself the $80 for a ticket to sit in the Red Bird Club sections...you're at the baseball game!!! Now I know, some people are calling to find a friend in the stadium, but honestly, what could be more important than watching whats going on in front of you?

Now for where I get my kicks out of this...I LOVE to yell my beer call when I see someone on their phone that is near me. I don't directly yell towards them, but I yell out and project my voice into the area. I think it's hilarious when they then take their other hand and protect their other ear...and most of the time people are having to tell the person on the other end that they are at the ball game...No I'm sure some of you are thinking how that is just down right rude...I still have to hawk and yell my beer call...I can't whisper it every time I see a cell phone being raised up to someone's ear...So I help remind the phonetards (yes, I just combined phone & tard) they are there for an enjoyable baseball game!

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When the news came out this past week that there were over 1 million iPhone 3Gs' sold, I wasn't surprised...not that I don't already see enough people talking on their cell phones during the game...but I see TONS of people on their iPhone throughout the game.

I'm not exaggerating when I say that I could go down every single section and see at least 5-10 iPhones. Several people look like they are actually doing some form of work on there...lots of people are emailing...and over 75% of them are texting!

It's crazy to realize how many people have them and what they are using it for. I know when the 3Gs first came out, I saw people with them at the game that same day they came out. It allowed me to strike up a conversation with them...but then they looked at me as if I was a crazy person for talking to them about their phone and if they like the 3.0 OS. Oh well...

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Other things I've learned while being a beer man so far this season (and I have blogged on here about the majority of these topics at some point) -

-there are only a few pairs of boxer-briefs that cooperate well when walking up and down so many steps...i won't go any farther than that...
-more people drink Bud Light than any other beer at Busch Stadium
-knee pads smell like death after working a few weeks and not washing them
-as soon as the temp is over 65, clothing tends to become optional for woman...not cool
-cougars run rampid and are on the prowl at baseball games
-I have beautiful calves according to a slightly intoxicated female at one of the games
-the parking garage attendant in the garage on 7th & Pine accepts tips
-according to numerous fans, I don't look old enough to even have a job yet...
-in sales, confidence is everything...unless you are selling beer, and then it sells itself most of the time

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Totals thus far:
65 Bags of Cracker Jacks
80 Bottles of Water
151 Bags of Peanuts
2051 Bottles of Beer

I'll do the math for ya on this...

Cracker Jacks are $3.50/bag
Water is $5/bottle
Peanuts are $4/bag
Beer is $7.75/bottle

I've sold -
$227.50 in Cracker Jacks
$400 in Water
$604 in Peanuts
$15,895.25 in Beer

Grand Total of sales - $17,126.75
Now, that's not what I've made...that's just in sales...I'll remind you I only make tips and commission.



Well, that's it for tonight. Check back on Sunday night after I've worked the XM All-Star Futures Game and the All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game!

Oh, and did I mention Jenna Fischer, Nelly, Billy-Bob Thorton, the chick that plays in 24 that is from STL, Mike & Mike from ESPN's Mike & Mike Show and Ozzie Smith are just a few of the celebrities playing in the softball game?