TGIFriday's

In honor of tomorrow turning Friday, the end of yet another week, I wanted to share another favorite hang-out of mine while I lived in Houston.  This place, ironically enough, was named TGIFriday's.  There aren't many of them around in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, but in Houston they were located conveniently around town and were in among the places to be on any given night.  The particular one I hung out at on most occasions was on Interstate 45 and Fuqua, typically called the Almeda TGIFriday's because it was located near Almeda Mall.  My favorite bartender, and also personal friend, was Tom.  At the time, he had been employed by the company at that location for almost twenty years.  He typically worked on Sundays, Mondays, and Wednesdays, which meant I could always be found in TGIFriday's on one of those days but usually on Monday.  Tom was a great bartender and a great friend, for he had seen me in my highs and lows and always expressed a genuine concern for my welfare.  One particular evening he hooked me up with this woman who was sitting a few bar stools down from my usual seat at the end.  He greased the wheel to what would become a very brief romantic relationship with this lady.  From then on I would call my friend by the nickname of "Tom the Pimp" because he was "the man" in regard to fixing me up with the ladies.  (Of course there is more to the story, but since this blog is part of a public forum, I am unable to provide all the juicy details.)  Above and beyond the employees and patrons I knew in the restaurant, I simply loved the atmosphere of the place.  I frequented bars to escape the stresses of life, mostly the stresses of work and the career industry I was employed in.  However, this TGIFriday's was magical in that time stopped, and all the inner-mental faculties ceased to whirl for the few hours I was able to steal away into one of my favorite bars.  I sure miss those times and sorely miss my friend Tom!  Wherever you are, my friend...Cheers!