BEARING AND BARING AT THE BAR

In our recent western states drive, we visited several towns dating to the 1880s. Each had a saloon of the same vintage begging to quench thirst--they were the sort of establishments where one could expect to encounter Doc Holliday coughing away at the far end of the bar, Wyatt Erp keeping the peace at the near end, and Marshall Dillon chattering with Miss Kitty in the middle.

Each saloon had an atmosphere that just screamed THE OLD WEST--you know, dark wood wall paneling accented by mounts of buffalo, deer, elk, antelope, moose and what not; dark wood beams hugging embossed tin ceiling tiles; a bar surface whose finish diappeared years ago; a back bar wall lined with a waterfall of half empty bottles and keynoted by the obligatory painting of a Victorian naked damsel.

We became like characters in an old western movie, it seemed. But, we quickly learned that something was unexpected and different. The stereotype image of a bar typically includes a male bartender who becomes a confidant of patrons, listening to them pouring out their problems and troubles to him, and occasionally offering advice in return.

In the saloons we visited, however, the complete reverse became apparent. Each had a female bartender who poured out her problems and troubles to us. As patrons, we became their confidants.

Collectively, these women appeared to have one problem in common: overwhelming personal anxieties. Their anxiety tended to be over such issues as job, financial security, family, self fulfillment, location, etc. None of the issues they cited were the national and international issues discussed in the media and by politicians, although their personal issues may have resulted in part from the more global concerns.

It was sobering to experience this small sample of anxieties on the local level. One wonders how pervasive are these personal issues and whether they in turn are adversely affecting resolution of national issues such as the economy, security, job growth and civil unrest. With all the political noise on the national level, one wonders what is happening below the surface. To paraphrase Benjamin Franklin's words at the completion of the US Constitution, are we still looking at a rising sun?