Imagine my surprise when I opened up today's LJW to a front page article covering the "night consultants" for the local Fire Department, better known to us as the fire marshals and the reason we have a line most nights.

If you didn't read the post from a few days ago, it was about a young gentleman who tried to name-drop his way into the bar ahead of a waiting line. I've explained before why we have a line, and it's well described in the LJW article too: every indoor area where people can gather has a limit on how many people it can hold, and that limit is set by the fire department. The purpose is to make sure all the people can get out safely if there's an emergency.

So whether you agree with their policies or not, the occupancy limit is still a rule we have to follow, and now you know we aren't making this stuff up. Check out the sidebar list in the article of other bars' violations and take note of the fines some places have had to pay. We don't want to have to do that, which is why you're waiting in line.

Ironic that they published this article today; now I promise we won't talk about lines again for at least a month. Unless, of course, something funny happens at the door again.