Bartending For Billy Pantele

I got to work tonight and found out that I would be bartending for a mayorial fundraiser on our upstairs patio bar. The candidate holding the fundraiser? The guy I arbitrarily endorsed last week, Bill Pantele!

I got a chance to see the guy up close and personal, hear a speech to his supporters, and most importantly (to me), witness his drinking habits.

My take: He's not a great public speaker, infact he did remind me a lot of George Costanza. A bit fidgety, balding, wears glasses, the whole nine. His speech sort of rambled and he tended to fumble with his words, but his backers (all 50 of them who attended) seemed to love it and kept applauding. He even poked fun at Mayor Wilder's entourage and PR staff. I admit though, I didn't listen to his every word because the other bartender and I were talking and joking around. From what I heard though, he sounded like a man with real ideas and a real solution for Richmond, someone who is ready to stand up for the little guy..... okay okay, I made that last part up. Other than a few potshots at Mayor Wilder, I really didn't catch much of what he said. From what I did hear and see though, Pantele doesn't seem to mince words. I could see him being a tough guy-type leader for Richmond.

What really impressed me about Pantele though, is that the man likes a stiff drink, actually, he likes multiple stiff drinks. Before he even arrived, one of his campaign workers ordered a double bourbon on the rocks for him, then Pantele came up 20 minutes later and got another. 20 minutes after that someone came up and got him a double Makers Mark on the rocks, and then for good measure I think he had one more, although I'm not completely sure about that 4th one. Even when I was done cleaning the entire bar and closing up the shop, he was still drinking with some of his people out on the patio. Needless to say, I was impressed. Pantele is a busy man, but he clearly isn't afraid to down a few cocktails with his friends, on a Tuesday. Bravo Billy, bravo.


My score so far:

Bob Grey- Drinks Diet Coke, dresses like a UVA frat boy, has a mustache that would make Craig Stadler jealous, sort of wimpy. Drinks like a pretentious pantywaist.

Bill Pantele- Drinks Makers Mark (with plenty of ice), looks like Dilbert, would most likely be the guy who instigates a bar fight then lets his friends do the dirty work. Drinks like an old money Virginia blue blood.