A Bad Night

Saturday, March 26th, wasn't a good night. It started out pretty normal. When I got there (at 8:10) I set up the V.I.P. Room for Shane ("Big Sexy") and Fate's birthday party. Then I put Reserved signs on some tables (for U-92 and Mountain High Motorsports). I also gave radios to the rest of the security team. For the next couple of hours I roamed around the club. Around 11:00 Phil told me to help the bouncers that were working the front door. Derett was I.D.ing just outside of the door, Martell was searching inside the door, and Tiffany (yes, we have a female bouncer) was stamping people after they gave her a ticket they recieved after paying cover. On Saturdays we have a line outside that comes from the right side of the door (if your facing out). Bree, one of our hostesses, sits outside with Derett and sells memberships. I stood outside the door and controlled the flow of customers into the club. We try to not let more than 5 people into the entrance at one time. This makes it easier for Brandy, the hostess and cashier, to make sure that everyone has a membership (or is sponsored by a member) and pays cover (ladies never have to pay cover at Players). I also controlled the V.I.P. line. The V.I.P. line is for ladies (that don't bring guys with them) and a few V.I.P. customers (people that spend a lot of money and tip well, employees of other clubs, and close friends of Players employees). Everyone, including people in the V.I.P. line, gets I.D.ed by Derett. This ensures that everyone who comes into Players is 21 and over and has their I.D. on them (it's Utah state law that all customers of a Private Club have their I.D. on them).

Before I continue, let me give you some history between Brandon Melendez and I. Brandon is a former M.M.A. student of Phil, my boss and roommate. He has been working as a bouncer at Players longer than anyone else. He is a decent bouncer, but he is very arrogant. He is a professional N.H.B. fighter. The first weekend that I worked at Players, we had an employee get-together on Sunday at Southern Exposure and Green Street. At Green Street I was upstairs and Boogie (one of our bouncers) told me that some guy was talking trash to Brandon. I guess this guy had fought in the Toughman Contest and thought he was pretty tough. I kept an eye on the situation. The guy was bragging about how tough he was. He was trying to get Brandon to argue/fight with him. Brandon was keeping his cool but his cousin wasn't. His cousin was getting aggravated and was arguing that Brandon was a better fighter. Next thing I know, Brandon, his brother (Tyler a.k.a. "Tybone"), and Brandon's cousin are moving towards the guys like they've had enough of his mouth. I moved in between them and told them to calm down. I called for Security. One of the waitresses heard me and told one of the bouncers. He called for back up. Then Brandon's cousin threw a beer mug towards me and the instigator. It hit a big screen T.V. and cracked it. John ("Big John") came running upstairs with some other bouncers. John asked me what happened. I pointed at Brandon's cousin and said, "He threw a drink at this guy." I later told John the full story, but I thought at this point that I should point out who was being more aggressive. I also knew that both groups involved in the fight would get kicked out because I used to work at Green Street and knew their policy. Some words were exchanged and Brandon, Tyler, Brandon's cousin, and the instigator all got kicked out. I tried to make sure that they all left without fighting. Brandon's cousin spit on me when we got outside. I went back inside and told Phil what happened. Phil went outside and got into an argument with Brandon. Phil said that Brandon slapped him and he didn't hit him back. Brandon told him that he wasn't going to work with me. He didn't come to work for a couple of days. The following weekend we finally got to talk, but Brandon still thought I was a "sell-out". He has been argumentative at work and seems to enjoy not getting along with me.

Around 11:30 that Saturday night, Brandon came up to the front door and waved some of his friends up to the front of the line. I already had a few ladies in the V.I.P. line, so I told Brandon that I saw his friends and I would get them in through the V.I.P. line. Brandon ignored me and told his friends to come on in. I told him no. He pushed me out of the doorway (yes, a fellow bouncer pushed me). I said "Don't push me." He said "Or what...?" I wasn't looking for a fight like he was so I let them in. Phil had been standing next to Brandy. He told Martell to tell me to go back inside. I started to explain what happened because I felt like he was punishing me by sending me back inside. Phil got mad at me and said "Clock out and go home." I said "Fine." (Phil is my ride to work because we are roommates and I don't have a car. I knew he didn't expect me to go home.) I clocked out went over to where Pat Clark from U-92 was sitting and asked if he had a U-92 shirt I could wear. He said "Yeah, but it's long-sleeved." I said "That's O.K." He gave me a shirt and I went to the coat check room and changed from my Security shirt to the U-92 shirt. I spent the rest of the night keeping an eye on Fate, Theory (a.k.a Dissaster), and their friends. When I told two of the waitresses, Noc and Gabby, what had happened at the front door and that I though I might be getting fired, they both said "If you're gone, I'm gone because you're the only one that takes care of us."

After the club closed, I sat and talked to Noc and Gabby. Phil was around but we didn't talk. After I didn't see him for a while, I wondered if he had left me so I called him. He said he had already left but he would come back and get me (I think he was just sitting in his S.U.V. outside because as soon as I told everyone goodbye and grabbed my coat, he was already "back"). He wanted me to drive so I did. I tried to explain what had happened again but Phil became angry. He told me that Brandon might have knocked me out. I told him I didn't care. After we argued for a few minutes, he told me to pull over and get out. I slammed on the brakes and got out. I called my friend Cody, who I used to live with in Midvale, and asked if I could sleep at his place. He said yes. He doesn't have a car either so I walked 2 miles to his house. The next day I text-messaged Phil and explained what had happened and how I thought he had treated me really bad. He came and got me and took me to a buffet and a movie. He didn't apologize or even admit that he was wrong. I don't think he has ever apologized or admitted that he is wrong, but I still forgive him.

Brandon didn't show up for work at all last week and he didn't call anyone to let them know he wasn't working. Bags, the manager over security, told me to take him off of the schedule (I do the Security schedule for Phil). I've forgiven him, but I'm not going to miss him.