The T ycoon

Its not often that Mr. G invites me to any of his social events......in fact this is the first legitimate invitation I have received. Well of course I have been invited to his Saturday Game Day Buckeye Parties.....but they are usually the games that are not on TV at his house and he is sitting in some bar with satellite TV with that smug look on his face. Mr. G is not very techy. He is sans computer and cellphone. He does have a wired phone with a 30 ft extension cord which allows him to be mobile in his house. It was from this very device that I got the invite. (Don't call him from 10 - 11 am weekdays because he doesn't want to be interrupted while The View is on.)

So when he called me about the reopening of the Tycoon for cocktail hour, I felt honored. Little did I know it was also his Christmas party all wrapped in one event....at least that is what he told me.

He had Uncle Tony cater the event with wings that would usually go for 25 cents per each. Felicia was our server for the event.

You see the Tycoon is where the wags would go for cocktails after work when the Fox finally closed its doors for the last time. The Fox is short for the Fox and Hounds which had long been an institution in downtown Cedar Rapids. It is where I met my second wife Rosie. I was driving a fire engine red Triumph TR-6 and it was parked in the loading zone right in front of the joint and the Dragon restaurant was just that and not a gay bar....but I digress. I think thats a whole other post...stay tuned.

Anyway, returning to the Tyke is like looking into an open grave...if I can paraphrase Bob S. And when I stepped into the "institution" last night it all came back. You see its been at least three years since I set foot in the place, yet it seemed like yesterday...well really not like yesterday, because yesterday the weather people prevented me from going outside....but you know what I mean.

The smells were the same. Tim was behind the bar and asked me what I wanted. I responded with "the regular" and he remembered the formula. Tim is still the same. He may have added a pound or two....but so did I and it appears that his barber may have passed away a few months ago...but like I say its like an open grave....nothing really changes. There were the Tycoon babes...albeit not as many as the past...but babes are always apart of the "Coon".

Mikie was there for the first shift sitting in his signature bar stool, ringing the ashtray with his expended Camel cigarette butts and using the quarters he receives in change as a counting system for the drinks. David was not at his assigned table. Instead he was at the host's table and he was missing his mom's 100th birthday party for this event....now thats dedication.

The undercover cops showed up for the second shift. Jimbo (not his real name), the entertainer showed up. Mr Popcorn showed up. The Schled showed up. Czar Nicholas was there. Barrister Henry was there with his traction devices. It was almost as much fun as one of Mr G's home parties, I imagine.

A trip to the Tyke would not be complete with out a visit to the men's room. You see there is a new contraband amongst the youth of Cedar Rapids. It used to be fashionable to rip off the hood ornament of Cadillacs and other luxury cars and wear them around your neck. Now the status symbol is to have Hand Sanitizer dispensers prominently displayed in your home. A quick check in the mens' room confirmed that the Tyke's was safe and secure. Be sure to use some of that stuff after flicking the urinal handle....like I said some things just don't change.

It wasn't long before a Tycoon babe worked her way over to the table to wish our host a Merry Christmas.

Thanks Greg...A great party.