[Horatio Gates]

I guess I'm spoiled because it's okay to carry off duty here in Washington bars. Although I won't use that as an excuse to start going to bars again 8>)

I know they're out there but the only cop bars I've ever seen are on TV

[1rudeboy]

The one cop bar in Chicago that I visit with some frequency is an interesting experience. When you walk in, ten or twelve pairs of eyes try to connect your face to the ones on their mental "wanted" list. The cops sit on the side of the bar where the right-handed ones have a clean(er) draw on the front door, the firemen on the other.

I was there once with one of my Marine buddies (both of us very well lubricated), when he took exception to some knucklehead who was "exaggerating" his military experience. I had the pleasure of watching a five-second demonstration of open-hand fighting technique. My first reaction was "if these cops get up, I'm screwed." My second, "will I be out of the jail/emergency room in time for my brother's birthday party." My third, "why are these cops not getting-up."

Turns out that the guy getting pummelled was not a cop, and some of the cops were Marines themselves.

Here's the interesting thing: after the fireworks, one of the cops gets up, walks over to me (I haven't moved), and says, "You guys can't stay here. Do you need help getting home?"

[rellimpank]

--some criminal genius attempted to rob a cop bar in Las Vegas a few years ago and died in the process--the only officer to shoot him did it with a .25 ACP, IIRC---