ON THE WATER -- A seat behind the bar

Mathis Winkler

NEWPORT BEACH -- When Bob Seaburn retired from the Los Angeles Police

Department in December 1983, becoming a bartender wasn’t much of a

question.

“My first ex-wife’s father owned a restaurant in Long Beach,” the

52-year-old said Friday as he calmly sliced limes and lemon skins. “So I

helped out.”

Then, a few years later, the Vietnam War veteran came upon Newport

Beach’s American Legion Post 291. He’s been serving drinks in the post’s

bar for the past 12 years or so, he said.

The views from Seaburn’s work place are hard to beat. There’s the

harbor, the harbor and more harbor stretching out just beyond the

continuous front of windows that line the bar.

“It’s a beautiful place, isn’t it,” Seaburn asked, filling maraschino

cherries in the cocktail fruit containers on the counter.

Although you’d expect that he’d not be too busy serving drinks to his

customers during his shift from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Seaburn said it can

get crowded.

“There are busy days and slow days,” he said, adding that the high

death rate of World War II veterans was diminishing his customer base.

“Most people of Desert Storm age are working [during the day,]” he

said. “They’re young enough for that.”

When Seaburn first started working there, a refrigerator for drinks

and some sandwiches for lunch was all he had to offer.

Now, he’s in charge of a full-blown bar and the nearby kitchen

prepares meals ranging from cheeseburgers to lasagna, he said.

As far as the drinks are concerned, vodka -- no brand in particular --

clearly wins as the favorite spirit among Newport Beach’s veterans.

And yes, Seaburn gets to listen to story after story American Legion

members come to share.

“Just like any other bartender,” he said, “it comes with the

territory.”

But the bar never turns rowdy, he added.

“This is much more family,” he said. “This is a club . . . We’ve got

everyone from retired generals to retired privates here. Everybody’s

equal.”