Ace’s Bartender Back at Work After Taking Sensitivity Classes
You may recall last month when we broke a story about Bubbles being kicked out of Ace’s for looking queer. It was based on audio in which Bubbles asks the bartender if he was being kicked out for the way he looks and the bartender saying yes.
As you can imagine there was quite a backlash. While Ace’s owner Scott Broccoli stepped up and handled the situation by apologizing profusely and firing Jake, the bartender, immediately, the internet pulled out the pitchforks and torches. Ace’s got slayed and flayed on places like yelp, by many people who’d most likely never even been to the bar. The internet is as the internet does.
Anyways, last week I heard from Broccoli that Jake, a 71 year old Vietnam veteran, had gone to sensitivity training and would be getting his early morning shifts again at Ace’s. I had a phone conversation with the two of them to learn more.
Bubbles, who was kicked out of the bar
Jake: “I never meant anything like this to happen. The only reason I wouldn’t serve him was because I thought there was something going on that I wasn’t sure of and it didn’t seem right. Nothing against him, I just wanted to protect bar. I thought he’d had too much to drink. Working in bars you find that the easiest way to deal with drunk people is just to agree with them and that’s what I was doing. He’s been in before and I’d served him.”
Broccoli: “Jake went to sensitivity training. He went and did it on its own and came back with a certificate. That meant a lot to Ace’s that he did this on his own, so we gave him his job back. He understand he handled it incorrectly. He’s an old guy who handled the situation poorly and he feels terrible.”
Jake: “Honestly I meant no harm. Nothing against him. I thought he’d had too much to drink. I just handled it wrong. I’m just trying to do the best I can. Taking the course was a good thing. I learned a lot and now I understand that things are different than when I grew up.”
Broccoli: “We don’t argue that he handled the situation poorly but we thought he earned himself a second chance. Plus he’s 71 years old. Where else is he gonna work? I know Jake will be a better bartender, I’ll be a better owner, and Ace’s will be a better bar.
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