Bikers Wreak Havok At Local Bar & Grill

I love chicken wings. On Monday nights a nearby Bar & Grill offers chicken wings for 25 cents each. All you can eat. My wife and I heard about this deal several weeks ago and last night the timing was right to try some. We headed out.

As we pulled into the parking lot the very first thing we noticed was the presence of probably forty or fifty Harley Davidson motorcycles parked near the front entrance. Milling around the bikes were fifteen or so leather jacket clad, tattoo looking, braided hair, bearded, tough guy characters doing that "Hey, nice bike dude" thing. You know what that means; noise, profane language and drunks. Should we even go in?

The establishment, although conveniently located near major interstate access is somewhat isolated along a lonely road. What you might call, out in the sticks. So our greeting at the parking lot, at dusk, on a road seldom traveled after dark was less than inviting. We wanted some chicken wings. So against our better judgement we decided to stay.

We walked past the parked Harleys and through the cigarette smoke with our best "Yeah man, that's our Taurus, its an 01" look on our face and went inside. Inside we found what appeared to be the rest of the biker world converging for a combination gang meeting and sombrero wearing Cinco de Mayo celebration. Remember Road House?

The usual "Wait for hostess" sign was located just inside the door. We looked at each other, we looked at the sign, we looked at the chains and leather and waited. Maybe two minutes went by and a young lady in a server apron came up to us and said: "Are yall waitin' to be seated?" I acknowledged that indeed we were. She said: "You don't have to wait to be seated". I let her know I had read the sign. She immediately came back with: "Don't pay any attention to that sign, You can sit anywhere you want". Realizing I somehow should have known that, I spotted an empty booth in the main dining area and we headed for it. There's also is an adjacent bar area but it looked pretty full, and you know, like a bar, so we decided to share the dining area with the Hell's Angels.

We placed our wing and drink order and before long realized we were in the middle of a local H.O.G. gathering. H.O.G. is for; Harley Owners Group. There was a big screen video showing an introduction to HOG stuff. A very biker looking guy with a microphone was speaking to the group. It was hard not notice the activity. We realized it seemed to be organized and the group was pretty quiet overall. But there were some big outlaw looking guys with tattoos wearing big sombreros and some women who seemed perfectly at home with all that so, needless to say, the atmosphere was still somewhat intimidating. We were sure that it wouldn't be long before somebody busted a beer bottle over an unsuspecting bald head. Since we were seated so close to biker heaven it was impossible not to hear everything going on in the gang.

There were only two other guests besides us in the dining room that didn't appear to be part of the biker group and they headed over to the bar side after they finished their meal.

The waitress brought our order. A pretty big pile of wings. They were very good. As we commented to each other how much we liked them we were interrupted by the biker with the mic calling on one of the group members to lead a prayer before they began eating. We felt obligated to bow our heads as the prayer was offered because we had failed to acknowledge and thank God for our blessings before we started our meal.

As nearly a hundred bikers wolfed down, I mean ate their meals; different members were called on to give reports about local and regional activities their group is involved in. The leader of the meeting apologized for getting started a little late. He would have been on time but had to drop his son off at a Boyscout meeting. Several members spoke about the work the members were doing raising money for MDA (Muscular Dystrophy Association). They were encouraging each other to continue in the good work and reported some impressive results. One member reminded everyone that the next meeting would be at a Methodist church in the area before they would ride to Huntsville for supper.

For over and hour all we heard were positive statements, a little good humor and plans for upcoming events and meetings from a group of really decent folks enjoying each other's company. How disappointing. No cops, no swearing, no broken windows. Just a group of folks like you and me who share a different lifestyle.

The meeting ended at the same time my wife and I were finishing our meal. As we headed out, a big burly leathery tattoo looking biker dude stopped, held the door, and allowed us to go out ahead of him. There are two exit doors. I thanked him and held the second one for him. He thanked me. I smiled for twenty feet.

Isn't it sad how quick we are to judge folks purely on outward appearance and our preconceived notions of them. In how many situations, in how many areas of our life are we guilty of that? How would you fare if someone like you, judged you, as impartially as you judge?

As we walked to our car I was kinda hoping I might hear someone yell: "Nice Taurus dude". It didn't happen but that was OK. It was still a very pleasurable experience.

I love chicken wings.