Jeff Burkhart: Once a bartender, always a bartender

Jeff Burkhart (Photo by Lou Lesko)

“I wiped up that table over there,” said the 40-something woman dressed in black from head to toe as she tossed the bar towel onto the bar.

“And here are these,” she added, plopping a handful of plastic New Year’s Eve accessories onto the bar, including a paper top hat, two plastic tiaras and some noisemakers.

“Thank you so much,” I said, grossly understating my appreciation.

The sound of a popping balloon startled both of us. But at 12:35 a.m. on New Year’s Day...