Tag: bars

The Neighborhood Tavern in Northbough, Mass, on RT 20


Being new to Massachuetts and the Worcester County area, I continue to explore the area. I moved here after my wife passed and arrived in Westborough, in March of 2022. As a widower, I basically keep to myself, and have not dated anyone in my age range or otherwise, since.

So yesterday was a Saturday and I decided in the end to explore The Neighborhood Tavern in Northbough, Mass, on RT 20. It is a clean place, with a nice atmosphere and the staff is friendly there. I took a chair at the bar and ending up ordering a Rubin Sandwhich and a Red Ale Beer. My thought was I am alone and hungry and didn’t care about where I sat.

My intention was to just enjoy myself and talk to whoever I could, to make friends I had hoped. While the atmosphere was nice and the bar is very neat and clean, and the food is good, the service took a few minutes to catch up to me, because there were busy.

Once my sandwhich and beer arrived I tried watching some sports on the tv’s there and golf was on. Now I am not a big golf fan and I do not play it, but, I wondered out loud what Tiger Woods was doing and how. Well turns out he was 8 over, I was told and not in good shape at all physically, seems, he hurt himself I was told lifting weights. I talked tpoa couple next to me and tried to make jokes and laugh some with them. I learned not to talk to complete strangers, due to the guy I sat next to, he was very tense it seemed to me, and not a happy person. His girlfriend it turned out wasa nice person and a teacher, and had a nice smile. We talked of where I was from, I came up from Connecticut when my wife passed and it turns out she was from Connecticut also. We made small talk and I mentioned I served 16 years in the military, in three different branches. Well, in the end, I shouldn’t have said anything. The guy wanted to know where I served, I mentioned Grenada, and went off, saying that wasn’t a war zone. Well, doesn’t matter, I tried to tell him, one mission is not a 16 year career in the military, but, he was all out sort, so much, his girlfriend had to tell him to stop and calm down. I am like 15 years older than either of them, and smart enough to know when to shut up and leave it be. The guy apologized for getting angry and went quiet and so did I and his female friend. I finished my sandwhich and beer and paid and left. I learned a lesson, I thought I was being nice by joking and talking about my military life and my wife’s passing, and I ended up, with a angry person next to me. I won’t make the same mistake twice, I will keep to myself. Sadly, when I left I waved goodbye to the young lady and the guy did wave bye quickly.

The experience has been strange here in Massachuestts for me, each bar/ tavern I have gone to is different in nature and the types of people in them. I may have wandered into The Neighborhood Tavern just to check it out, and found people who seemed angry at the world for one reason or another. I just hope, the guy is ok, for his girlfriend did try to calm him down and make him stop when he went off on me. There are many reasons people go off on others like that, and I know asa senior citizen and ex-military man, about most of them. Sadly, it seems, Massachuetts, has many angry folks in it, who thjink they know everything in the world and will disagree with what ever you did or say. I didn’t find this in other bar’s or taverns in Westborough where I live though. It just seems, to have been in this one Tavern. I don’t hold it against anyone of course, I understand it for I have seen angry people before, and at my age, I forgive and forget, the moment I leave.

I have met some people since I moved here in 2022 to Westborough. Some in my community of 55 plus, are great and kind. I have only met a few women in my area through dating apps online. The first I met was a nice lady, but, for me, there was no chemistry with her. The second I met, I had lunch with and she was a nurse, and again, we had no attraction, or anything in common. The third one, was very good looking redhead I met and I thought was nice enough, but, I found out she has a alcohol problem. So that wasn’t for me either.

So, after being here for over two years, alone and on my own, I gave up online dating sites, because, they cost too much and do not produce matches as far as I can see. So, I decided to try the taverns and bars, but the ones I see, and have been in are not for my age group it seems. Maybe I am too old or just not, right for this area I do not know yet. I keep looking for a place to meet others my own age range, who I can get along with.

As to The Neighborhood Tavern on RTE 20 in Northborough, Mass. it is a nice place, clean, neat, not overly expensive really in today’s day and age. As to it’s food, and service, I would rate that a B+ only due to it being busy at the time, The staff is helpful and friendly and the atmosphere is bright and clean. Overall, I would rate the tavern in the A- range. I will keep searching and hoping, to find a place for my age range, where senior citizens have a chance to meet other their age range. And yes I have tried the libraries, and the Senior Center in town. Always gonna keep trying and hoping is all. Age will always be a factor for sure, but as an elderly person, who is a widower I keep trying.

Massachusetts


 Massachusetts, I ask, simply, what is happening here in this state. Now, I know the people of Massachuestts will probaly object to what I am saying here. I have lived in Connecticut, Virginia, Florida and Pennsylvania, been around the world to places like Italy, Germany, France, England, and all of South America and the Virgin Islands too. I have never had any problem communicating to the populations of all of the places I mention here, yet, I find the people of Massachusetts, difficult to comminicate with, or talk to. You speak to them politely, and they don’t talk back, or push you away, or in the end, just ignore you. I find it strange in the way they act, and why is beyond me.

I find it weird, in Massachusetts, where I live at least. The town I live in Westborough has more bars, churchs and banks than any other place i have ever seen basically. If you, are looking for some place to meet people, or to find someone to date or even just hang out, you have to go to bars/ taverns, resturants or church. If you don’t, well no one talks to you really. I know I am elderly at 67 going on 68, and ageism exists here big time, yet Westborough has a senior population, I know it because I live in a 55 plus community. I was in a mall today, and just walking and standing around watching people go by. I ended up talking to a gentleman about a lot of these subjects, this one for sure. Turns out he came to Massachusetts from another state also. He finds it weird also here, but, he said to go to bars, play pool, bowl, or do senior centers at my age. I understand and bowled the first year I was here, and I play Billards in the 55 plus community I am in once, a week. As to the Senior Center, I visited it three times now and each time, it is empty, or basically empty. Bars/Taverns are really not my thing, but, I have tried a few of them here also. I went to Red Heat Tavern, and it is usually 30-40s there. JP’s Tavern is an older crowd but, usually full and then I tried Central House in the center of town, and went there three times. Each has a slightly different clientel of course in age range, and style, but, the elderly of 55 plus, don’t seem very welcome. So, my question really is this for the people of Westborough, and Massachusetts as a whole, if your building 55 plus communities and retirees, divorciees, widowers/ widows are who you are selling to, shouldn’t you also, be building or creating places they can meet others their own age, and things for them to do besides, eating and bars to drink in? Just wondering is all, and asking an obvious question.

 I was also told that Westborough is known for it’s Indian Population here. I see many around of course in grocery stores and more like banks. Nothing wrong with it of course, and it is not a problem for me, just, it was brought to my attention. All seem friendly enough of course and nationality, race, color mean nothing to me. I just want to know, where we over 55 and up go to find others of out own age group, and who may be single, to meet and get to know each other?

  Karyoke Bars can be fun, and I see none around here. We have one book store here, many stores yes, plazas, resturants abound. The real question comes down to what are we the 55 plus community supposed to do for fun, to meet others our own age in Westborough? And why Massachusett’s people are so scarred of talking, and so, either snobby or put offish, lol. I know being from out of state may be strange to some here, but, if you don’t give people a chance, what do you think will happen, then? Maybe it’s just me, but as I see it, if I can get along with people all over the world and everywhere I have lived before, why is Massachuetts so hard? I wish I knew, but I shall survive and carryon of course, I just hope it gets better for me. Someone out there, knows I am sure. Otherwise what will all of you do when you hit 55 plus yourselves?