Bouncing

So recently I was asked how I became a bouncer at the illustrious 'Bu.'

Briefly I'll describe the events that led to that decision.

Way back in the mid-80's I guess, I had been dating killer Kathy. She lived on Long Beach's West End. I would visit her after work (I was working in Island Park at the time), plus she also worked at the same place I did. She was a secretary there. So, I'd leave work whenever quitting time hit and travel a few miles to her family's place. There we'd have dinner together with her great family (2 younger sisters, mom and dad) and then I'd sit around bonding with Mom and Dad over a case of brews and be the son they'd never had before. I was generally a likable guy. ;)

One Friday night at about 10PM, the weather was hot and sticky and the breezes little, we spent our quality time out on the porch watching the people walk down to Chauncey's on the beach(another place I'd bounced.) The amount of drunken people was excessive for this night and they weren't exactly moving towards the bar, but would turn and go east a bit. I asked Dad where he thought the 'kids' were going. Kathy walked out of the house at that point and said the people are going to Joan Jett's house. She's having a party.

A year or so (maybe) earlier Joan had come out with her famous 'I love Rock n Roll' and had also formed the Black Hearts. She owned a house a street or so away and was now famous for throwing really cool parties and being friendly to the neighbors (within reason.) Kathy turned to me and said, 'Let's go.' A few minutes later we ended up at Joan's house and walked into the side yard (if you could call it that) and then went inside. The place was hopping. I swear to have eyed the Setzer Brothers and another person who looked very much like Michael Hutchins there as well.

We walked throughout the place, blaring music, bodies writhing everywhere, until we just about ran into Joan herself. A small fight then broke out right beside the kitchen. Seeing this was going to get really physical I grabbed the two very drunk guys and, with some force, ejected them through a screen door and out of the house. This caught Joan's attention and then gratitude. She came up, gave me a hug, thanked me and asked who I was and who I was there with. Kathy then said hi. Joan asked who I worked for. I didn't understand the question until she asked, 'what security firm.' I responded with a grunt (this was Joan Jett for crying out loud) and uttered, 'no one. If hadn't have tossed them they'd have broken your kitchen. Sorry about the door.' She smiled widely and gave me, again, a somewhat dazed hug. She then said 'you should bounce.' She walked away.

A few minutes later Joan came racing back through the partiers and shoved a huge wireless phone into my hand. I then found myself speaking on the phone with a guy from the 'Bu' who proceeded to hire me sight unseen because Joan Jett thought I was good and needed to make money doing it. A few weeks later I was also hired at Chauncey's for similar reasons, at Joan's request.

Joan was very nice to me. I'd only met her 4-5 times, but she was always friendly and gracious. She was the reason I started bouncing, not full time mind you, but a frequent amount of last-minute Per Diem stuff. Last time I saw Joan was just after she saved some kid from drowning in LB's surf.

Good times. Good times.