As for the “arch-nemesis” bit, it certainly is ridiculous, and never intended to be read by you. It was merely a literary technique employed to captivate the few people that do read my blog. This is why I clarified that I have nothing against you. It would be ridiculous to have any arch-nemesis, particularly having somebody with whom you’ve never spoken be that arch-nemesis. Although I do find it somewhat ironic that we are engaged in this banter.

As for the trouble you can get in, I clearly said that I didn’t want you or the bar getting in trouble. You’re right; it’s not worth sticking your neck on the line for some kid with a fake ID. But I read the law, or some interpretation of it and it said that you only get in trouble if you knowingly serve somebody that has a fake ID. You’re not at fault if the ID is too good, even to your discerning eye. I merely suggested that it wouldn’t be the end of the world if you let somebody by that had a good ID; you can always plead ignorance and get off.

Obviously it would be impossible for me to argue this to your satisfaction because at the core it is illegal, therefore, I won’t try to convince you any more than I already have. But I would like to point out that while there are many laws for our protection out there, not all of them are fair, right, or constitutional, and a lot of them change with the times.

Clearly, I have no clue how much it costs to run a bar in NYC, or any other city, for that matter. It’s not in my interest to know something like that. I do know that majority of start-up restaurants fail, so I can respect the fact that it’s certainly not easy to run one and restaurants don’t have an excess of money to waste on fines.

If I was going to be in New York any time soon (I’ve actually never been) I would make it a point to come and visit, I bet we’d have a nice conversation, and I genuinely mean that.

I don’t care if kids drink, but I do care about when they endanger me and the bar where I work. In New York, if your bar is found to serve underage drinkers, the bartender is responsible for it, no matter how shitty or perfect the fake ID used may be.

By responsible, I don’t just mean a fine, I mean a year in jail for the barkeep, fines for both the barkeep and the bar, and the bar loses its license. Do you have any concept of how much investment it takes to open and run a bar in Manhattan? Can you conceive the incredible sum of money and work it takes to run a successful bar here?

You claim, “No one will be harmed in this situation”, but my boss could be out hundred of thousands of dollars, and I could lose my job and end up in JAIL. There is a lot of harm in that. Why should I take any risk for some kid out of a sense of nostalgia?

If you’re underage and you can get beer at the liquor store: go drink at a party, go drink in your dorm room. Don’t come to the bar and expect to be served. Certainly not by me.

And if you want to flame me on the internet, don’t be such a pansy, come on down to 7th street.