Or perhaps only kneecapped me. We'll never know for certain.
It was many many years ago (24, roughly) that I had my first taste of Guinness. The Sainted Bride was pregnant with Daughter Number One. Our college friends Ira (the Jew who made me an Honorary Jew) and Diane (who was Episcopalian or Baptist or something that didn't mix well with Jewish according to her family) came to visit us.
First amusing story: The Sainted Bride, about five months along in the pregnancy, had kicked off her shoes and reclined back on the couch to relax and feel better. And Ira said, "Gosh, I hope our friends from college don't see this." Well, at least she wasn't in the kitchen, barefoot and pregnant. [UPDATE: It was on this same visit that Ira, on seeing the SB's morning sickness, helpfully suggested we name the child "Ralph"]
Anyway, while they were visiting us, Sainted Bride and Lovely Friend Diane went to a (might have been more than one, the synapses are not certain) baby shower for The Sainted Bride. Meanwhile, Ira and I started hitting the bars. Had a beer at a biergarten on the Pacific Garden Mall (very good), hit another or three, and wound up at an Irish bar in Aptos called Murphy's. I decided to try a Guinness, as I'd never tried it before. The bartender suggested that I try a sample first, and drew me a small, ~2 oz. sample. I tasted it and liked it.
I said to the bartender, "I'd always heard that British stouts were very bitter." And a large fellow at the end of the bar, in a rather belligerent tone, said "Guinness...is...IRISH."
To which I replied...nothing. Just kinda shrunk down and drank a whole Guinness, embarrassed at the faux pas and not really interested in fighting anybody, least of all a large, possibly drunk Irishman.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Iz out!
2 months ago
8 comments:
Hahaha. I was in a bar with a friend of mine whose boyfriend is a first generation Irish-American. When I ordered a glass of Bushmills, he went apeshit over the fact that I was drinking "Protestant whiskey." I switched to Jameson's for the sake of diplomacy. And my kneecaps.
Heh. The idea that there are "Protestant" and "Catholic" whiskies still amazes me.
I'm mostly amazed that there are people that care enough to complain in offense if someone drinks one or the other.
Ah yes, dear Ira. Didn't he become a lawyer? With that sense of humor, I'd imagine him to be the next Denny Crane....
WV: satic (n): amalgam of satin and plastic.
He did indeed become a lawyer. Strange, since he's such a fine human being.
Your life must've flashed before your eyes! Although I think declaring you didn't like it would be more likely to get you killed.
"He did indeed become a lawyer. Strange, since he's such a fine human being."
It occasionally happens to even the best of us.
Heh. Just tweakin' you, Dave!
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