ing witnesses of the bar-fly and bartenders'-buddies' categories. In case of trouble with a bar attendant or owner, the customer is "always drunk," not "always right." In other words the customer is virtually helpless.

There are several conclusions to be drawn from these observations and interviews concerning public social drinking. Bar personnel may have a friendly "inside-track" with law enforcement agencies. This can militate against a customer even though he is in the right. There is a stronger and closer personal connection, socially and otherwise, among people who are engaged in the liquor dispensing business than the average customer usually realizes. Such connections can result in the spread of undercover slander through various drinking places which will give a customer a bad name in places other than the one where illfeeling first existed between bartender and customer.

A state administrator told me that such people operate somewhat in the manner of a clique. He stated that there may be a number of good people employed or engaged in the business, but that years of experience had taught him that all too often anyone so employed or engaged might be six feet tall physically and two feet high morally. I don't particularly question this judgment.

THEN WHAT MUST A CUSTOMER DO?

There are several positive things to do. It would, I think apply whether one wishes to become a patron of a "straight" or a Gar bar. Casual trade, trade at luxury and tourists' spots aside, if one wishes to find a friendly tavern or bar, do a little investigating first. Select the desired area. Drop in the places alone a few

one

times. See if the general run of people are the type you would want in your living room. If not, don't trade there. See if the crowd is friendly or operates as a clique. If the latter, then look elsewhere. If you see abuses of any customer or anything on the part of attendants or management which is out of line, go somewhere else. If the place has a reputation of getting into trouble with the law or control board, or if it has the reputation of harboring "tough customers," boycott it. In brief, before you choose a place, be reasonably sure that the customers are the type of people you would welcome in your home.

If you find a place where these aspects are satisfactory, or at least you think so, then treat it as your "second living room." Don't do anything to damage in any way the name, property, or business of a good drinking establishment, but use it as it is meant to be used.

One of the first rules that a good bartender learns is that undue familiarity with a customer usually leads to trouble. Be friendly, but always impersonal. If you don't know such people socially, don't get personal. This can prevent a lot of grief and trouble. Bartenders are not psychiatrists. Tell your troubles to your friends. They will listen. A bartender might peddle your story all over town. Why, indeed, select such people as friends. They work when other people play. Leave it at that. Speaking from experience, I have had more trouble from Joe and Cassidy than I could ever have had from a dozen temperamental women, though both are reasonably normal, or so I assume.

Do not ask any favor from people in the liquor business. This means, no personal favors, no requests for credit, check-cashing privileges, or anything else which will put you into