Stage right bar. The place...

Stage right bar. The place looks a little worse for wear, even by Block standards. Walked in feeling the same. Voice had gotten a little raw from having to scream to communicate in all of these tiny clubs and I didn't really want to do much talking for a bit while I gave it a rest. So this place had not a single customer in it when I walked in, but something looked to be going on. Turns out it was a birthday party for one of the dancers. Not always a bad thing. I'd checked out a similar party over at Chubbies Club on Eastern not too long ago and wound up with birthday cake all over me by way of the guest of honor...but I digress.

So anyway, the bartender asks me to come in and I answer back as best I can that it'll probably be another time.

The air in there was bothering me (smoke from the candles, maybe, who knows). She asks me what's up with my voice and I say my throat is bugging me. Her response was very, very crass. Something about a hair down the throat or the like loud enough for the whole bar to hear. Ha ha. Maybe on The Block that passes for charming wit. With my not looking amused, she then says I should really come in because it is someone's birthday. The girls nearest to me at the end of the bar, in fact. So I walk in far enough to wish her a happy birthday. Think she goes by Kelly or Keely. Seemed nice enough.