So, something for a slow Slog day. The Arizona Republic(an) reports about a rabid bobcat’s appearance at a bar in the small town of Cottonwood. Several things are striking about this story: first, the reporter only came to write the story two days after the event, yet all of the principals were in the bar, suggesting that Cottonwood , population 11,171, might not have a lot of nightlife options. Second, the rabid bobcat was seen in a Pizza Hut parking lot, but only went into the Chaparral Bar, suggesting that even rabid wildlife prefer local establishments to national franchises. But I was most intrigued by this line from Chaparral bartender Scott Hughes:

Hughes told Kyle Hicks that he should not get too close to the bobcat.

“A bartender is supposed to command authority,” Hughes said. “But he didn’t listen to me.”

So, the question is not, “What are you supposed to do when a rabid bobcat is clawing your leg and headed north?” but, “Are bartenders supposed to command authority?” Do you do what a bartender tells you to do simply because he or she is behind the bar?

And just to connect this small desert town to current arguments about transportation in Seattle a bit: Cottonwood, pop. 11,171, has a comprehensive bicycle plan up for public comment. No word on if there’s a monorail or light rail in works, but the bar is located on Main Street.

21 replies on “Do Bartenders Have Authority?”

  4. My first impression when I read this story several days ago was that it was a Goddamned miracle that nobody shot the thing. Half of that state is armed to the teeth.

  5. Well, on the one hand, a bartender is supposed to command some sort of authority – and they do it regularly, when they cut people off.

    But on the other hand, that quote smacks of small town assholeism.

  6. The bartender has authority – they are the ones who can 86 you for being a dick. If you are a rabid bobcat they have the legal right to cut you off if you’ve had too many drinks.

  7. Wow. I really have nothing nice to say about your post, so I’m just going to keep quiet.

  8. Why even ask? Stranger readers don’t think anyone should have authority besides Dan, Erika, and themselves…. oh, wait, I forgot Obama… Bush, no; Obama, yes.

    If a bartender in Arizona shoplifts a bottle of wine will The Stranger report it?

  9. All I can say is I sure wish like hell that the bartender serving me last night had exercised a little authority and cut me off.

    Not blaming him for my repeated trips to the bar, just saying that it would have been nice if he were a little more cued in to my condition and had shown me to the door and/or the water.

  10. The thing that most intrigues me is that he had to tell somebody not to get too close to the damned thing.
    How drunk do you have to be to want to get a closer look at an unrestrained bobcat?

  14. The bobcat has been coming there more than a year; yet, the bartender still couldn’t remember his mixed drink.

    Had he served up a Hi Ball (Whiskey Sour is a fav among lynxs) not of this would have happened.

    Command, my ass.

  19. yes bartenders have authority, because bartenders also have responsibility. they get punished for other people’s bad decisions thus they get a say in what goes down at their bar. whenever i see people argue with the bartender it always reminds me of a little kid arguing with an adult, the bartender is almost always right, unless they’re drunk, in which case they’ve knocked themselves down to the same level as the morons who are angrily trying to close a tab they already closed or haggle a few more drops of vodka in their vodka cranberry. but saying one is supposed to ‘command’ authority is a little too macho.

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