The Time I Got Bit by a Customer While Bartending

The bar isn’t just a counter between the bartender and the customer–it also is a protective barrier.  It’s hard to grab bottles of alcohol and it’s hard to take a swing at the bartender.

bar

So even though I’ve had a lot of episodes of getting hit in the face with thrown objects, I rarely had someone attack me at close range.

One time, I had a group who was getting kind of unruly and I was trying to calm them down.  I was succeeding, so when I saw someone reach across the bar out of the corner of my eye, I didn’t worry about it too much.

Nothing was really in his reach and I wanted to finish up this situation because I pretty much had them calmed.

Next thing I knew, I felt biting pain.   …literal biting pain.

The customer who was leaning over the bar decided to bite my ear.  Hard.

Now, I have tiny ears and the bar was pretty wide, so I don’t know how he managed it.  But as I turned and screamed, he slid back and ran.

The bouncer in the bar heard me scream and came running over.  The previously unruly group was really sympathetic and wanted to help.

We quickly pieced together a description of the guy.  About 5’11.  Wearing a pink polo shirted with a popped collar and white stripes.  Jeans.  And a University of Michigan blue and gold baseball cap.

Did I mention this bar was in Ann Arbor?

The bouncer ran off in pursuit and came back a few minutes later to ask for our help in identifying the culprit.

My new-previously-unruly-friends and I ran over with the bouncer to look around the club.

A club pretty much filled with 5’11 male college students, wearing pink polo shirts with popped collars and University of Michigan blue and gold baseball caps.

The assailant was able to get away by totally blending into the background.

I’m pretty sure I didn’t bartend for this guy that night (we had multiple bars in the club), which raised a lot of questions for me.  I really want to know why he decided to bite me.  Did I do anything?  Was he just in the mood to bite someone?

It’s still probably the most bizarre bartending experience I’ve ever had.

About Jeanne Marie Hoffman

Former bartender, still a geek. One equal part each cookies, liberty, football, music, travel, libations. Stir vigorously. +Jeanne Marie Hoffman Jeanne on Twitter

3 comments

  1. Could have been a hazing ritual.

  2. I just want to know if this was ScoreKeepers

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