by Rachel Robins

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25-year-old Businessman

     Running from the laundry room, to the front of the bar to help a customer, to the kitchen to check on a meal, Jan Fischer seems oblivious to the fact that his life will soon be radically altered.
     One look at his girlfriend and reality sets in. In just eight short weeks, Fischer will be a father.
     “Sure, I’m nervous,” Fischer said.
     At 25, Fischer admits he is excited to meet his first child, a son. He and his girlfriend of one year, Sina, already have a name picked out for the tyke: Colin.
     Before they knew the sex of the baby, the two of them sat down with a book full of names and picked their 10 favorites for a boy and girl. Using a points system, they settled on Colin.
     Despite being a first-time father, Fischer has had practice caring for someone else. His first child will always be his dog, Grace, or as Sina affectionately calls her, Grace Kelly.
     “It’s a nice name,” Fischer said. “I like the name Grace. Every dog is name Prissy or Bob. It’s Grace. Grace is Grace – only one Grace.”
     Three-year-old Grace is a common sight at Grad Celsius, the bar Fischer has owned for four years. She loves curling up under the stairs or greeting people at the front entrance of the café/bar.
     Within seconds on a daily basis, Grad Celsius transforms into a full-functioning bar, to a café with wireless Internet, to a restaurant with sandwiches and pasta, to a Laundromat with several washing machines and dryers.
     The different functions of Grad Celsius sometimes takes its toll on Fischer, who on some days will be there when it opens, 10 a.m., until the last drink is served, usually at 1 a.m. He admits that owning Grad Celsius does not go hand-in-hand with a family life.  It can be difficult for him to work nights when all he wants to do is spend time with his family.
     However, Grad Celsius is a part of him.
     “It’s fun and to earn money,” said Fischer about why he continues to own it.
     For the foreseeable future, Fischer plans to own Grad Celsius.  One day, though, he hopes to sell the establishment and find a more stable job that would allow him to spend time with Sina, Colin and of course, Grace.
     Until then, he’ll be at Grad Celsius with a drink and the wireless password in hand.