It Is Over When It's Over

Last week I visited the beautiful city of Charleston, South Carolina, and I must say if you haven't yet visited this picturesque and historic city, you should put it on your list of places to go. Located close to the Atlantic Ocean on a peninsula facing the Charleston Bay, it boasts magnificent homes, many of which pre-date the American Revolution. For Civil War buffs, it has Fort Sumter, where the first shots of the war were fired. For those who love food and wine, the city has many fine restaurants to choose from, and many of its kitchens are manned by James Beard Award winners. Its hospitality is unmatched and the pride in its city shines through in many details.

While visiting "The Holy City," something occurred that inspired this piece. I was at one of the best hotels in the city having a cocktail at the bar when the bartender made "last call." That was fine, but once she made the drinks for various customers, myself included, the lights came up quickly and the bar atmosphere suddenly became unwelcome. She could not have been nicer up to that point, but it would have been more appropriate for her to have allowed a proper amount of time for us to enjoy our cocktails. It felt like we all were being given the "bum's rush."

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