Day People

The world is changing. Duh. I know, bold statement there. But specifically, the world is changing from the so-called "bankers hours" to a more wide ranging realm of hours that the every day person works. I do not work a standard nine-to-five schedule. As a matter of fact, a lot of my working hours are in the late and very late evening. I still have some friends and acquaintences who work those regular hours, and to be honest, they piss me off. The bulk of the world still caters to those who work regular hours, and ignore those of us who follow a different schedule. They get up early, the go to bed early, they can go have a drink and socialize after work with friends, they can go shopping at normal stores, and a plethora of other options that are not available to people like me.

But for your information, it is those of us who do work the late hours that keep this economy running smoothly and provide you with conveniences that you don't even consider. Your morning newspaper is produced at night. The deliveries to your stores happen at night so that your milk and eggs will be at your grocery store when you get there in the morning...or the afternoon. Shelves are stocked, streets are sweeped, the emergency room is staffed, and your local watering holes are manned, all for your convenience, by those of us who take up the torch to keep life as you know it running.

But have any of you ever thought about those of us who make your life a little easier? Hell no. Never once has a day person even thought about this aspect of their life. And when our shifts are done, what do we have to look forward to? Pretty much nothing. Bars close, at least in my area, at 2am, which is exactly when I get off work on weekends. So there is nowhere for people like me to go have a drink with friends after work. Restaurants close up, so we have to go to Waffle House or convenience stores to even get some food. On the rare occasion that you can actually make it out somewhere on your weekend and by some act of the gods meet someone you want to spend some time with, they inevitably crash on you way too early, leaving you alone yet again. Shopping? Well, if there isn't a 24-hour Wal-Mart in your area, you're pretty much fucked.

Yes, the world still caters to the day people. And I for one think this is an area of social life that is ripe for the picking. If some savvy entropreneurs out there would tap the night side market, you could find yourself with a gold mine on your hands. Sure there are a couple of "after hours" clubs here and there. Most of them charge a $50 per year membership fee, and still over charge for the drinks, and quite frankly those clubs are just a bit too far on the seedy side for me to ever feel really comfortable in them. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate day people. Hell, I envy them. I just wish there were more out there for us night vermin to participate in so that we wouldn't feel like such social outcasts. After all, I know it is us who help make your life a little better. Even if you never think about it.