Since I started doing the nightlife column almost two years ago, I've accumulated dozens of odd and funny stories. Some make the paper, and others don't. If you've got one, post it -- I'd love to hear some of your stories.

Here's a weird one. I was reading back through some old notes yesterday, and came across this one bit about a patron of Mum's, the dive bar on South Hanover Street.

I later realized that Phil, the guy in the story, is Phillip Stankovic, who used to run the Downtown Sports Exchange with his father and sister. 

Phil, a big burly guy with a bald head and a soul patch, sat next to me at the bar when two girls bearing free packs of cigarettes walked up. They were reps from a tobacco company who offered us complimentary smokes if we let them send us promotional junk in the mail. I said no, Phil said yeah, and asked one of them her name. 

“Angel,” she said.

Phil, who looked at least one, maybe two decades her senior, got excited. They talked for a while, and then the girls started to walk out. Phil looked up, saw them leaving, and yelled “Bye, Angel!” 

It was this great moment. Here was Phil, this rough and tumble guy who reminded me of Marv (Mickey Rourke's character) in Sin City. I said something to Phil about a guy like him saying goodbye to a girl called Angel.

Phil’s eyes got a devilish glint as he said something to the effect of: 

“The irony is, I’m actually the embodiment of Satan.” 

My girlfriend (sitting nearby) did not find Phil’s statement funny, but I cracked up. And though I didn’t stick around long enough to find out, I believe it.

Needless to say, this didn't make the original story, which was a review of Mum's. But it's a great example of some of the odd stuff you experience if you hang out in Baltimore bars enough.