SAN DIEGO — Local man John Traeger was greeted to emotional cheers and cries of joy this week when he returned to his group of friends at Shooter’s Bar after purchasing a round of shots for the whole table.
“In the back of my mind, I always knew we’d see him again, but when I saw him approaching our table, with all that booze, I could barely keep it together,” said Carlos Diaz, a friend of Traeger’s who was present for his return. “He was out there, and he didn’t think about lines, or the cost, or what could happen. As soon as I saw him, I just wanted to hug him and never let go. It felt like no time at all had passed since he’d gone up to the bar, even though I’d been missing him every moment, praying he wouldn’t cheap out and get well whiskey.”
Bartender Sarah Goodwin, who recorded the emotional reunion, reported that she will never forget the look on the faces of Traeger’s friends when they saw him returning to their table.
“For most of us, we think about it a few times a year, on drinking-based holidays or maybe when we see a movie set in a bar,” Goodwin said. “But in my opinion, we don’t think enough about the sacrifice some make so the rest of us can live in inebriation. When I saw the looks on his friends’ faces — the relief knowing that he’d gotten enough for everyone to get trashed, I felt deeply that this was the type of moment that everyone should see. I only wish I could have been there to see his dog greet him when he crawled home that night after having been apart for those five whole hours.”
Camille Gutierrez, a sales representative for Jagermeister, said that fewer young people are taking the brave step to enlist in purchasing a full round these days.
“We do what we can to recruit young men and women into the service of getting their friends trashed, one overpriced ounce at a time,” Gutierrez explained. “But many millennials and members of generation Z don’t think about the freedom that service provides to immediately increase their blood alcohol level. Our world is changing, but we will never forget the great heroes who served drinks to their friends who were ‘will get you back next Friday, promise.’”
At press time, Traeger was headed back into action to pay the full tab on his card, trusting that his friends would be there to Venmo him on the other side.