Blog #97: For it’s Beer, Beer, Beer that makes you want to cheer!

I’m sure I’ve mentioned my old pappy’s weird possession of extremely good luck. Well, it is apparently rubbing off on me as well. Don’t remember if I’d alluded to it before, but we sort of bumped into this amazing media consultant person recently, and in addition to promoting my ole blog, she gave us the suggestion for this BEER blog. She very accurately assessed that folks were sick and tired of hearing about politics, and recommended I do a little narrative of those wonderful suds.

As it happens, old pap has fond memories of his own experiences enjoying a bit of brewed happiness, and recalls one interesting tale from an old neighbor back in Charm City. This particular neighbor happened to be a tailor by trade, and walked downtown (a distance of about 10 or 11 miles) one day during the Great Depression looking for work. He didn’t find any work that day, but while traversing the downtown streets, he spied a one dollar bill on the sidewalk. Looking all around, he could see no one else in sight, so he picked up the bill. Relating the story many years later to old pap, who was a very young man then, the neighbor stated that he took his newfound treasure to the nearest tavern, and purchased a 5 cent BEER, which in those difficult days was accompanied by a complimentary lunch of a sandwich and hard boiled egg. The old neighbor also allowed as how he rode the streetcar back home (spending another nickel). This was not a bad day for the times!

Old pap was born right in the middle of that nasty depression, but was fortunate even back then, as his father was one of the lucky persons to be gainfully employed through the worst economic period of the century. By the time old pap was old enough to begin imbibing himself, BEER had gotten up to 20 cents or more per bottle, and certainly came with no free lunch. The same old neighbor, after relating his tale from hard times, mentioned that in his opinion when a BEER costs more than 20 cents, it begins to lose its taste. That old feller has surely been spinning in his grave for quite a while!

Which brings me to another stroke of good luck after my brand new and amazing media consultant suggested this little Beer Blog. That same evening old pap and I happened upon a neighborhood group enjoying a little early holiday party, complete with BEER and wine (another fine elixir which has found popularity here in our good old U.S.ofA. since the latter half of the last century). The group was certainly having a jolly good time. One of the happy participants, a loverly young person, was good enough to record old pap and I coming into the establishment and milling around to sense the joy engendered by the adequate flow of the potion for which this here blog is named.

Certainly BEER has not lost it’s taste, as predicted by old pappy’s old neighbor; quite the contrary, as the ubiquitous micro breweries now flowering up in almost ever town in the land are constantly brewing very tasty “craft” BEERS. So, take heart young citizens, good tasting BEER is forecast to be in ample supply for the foreseeable future, and when our brand new prez-elect brings back all those good paying jobs, we may even be able to afford the “enhanced” prices of these new brews! Couldn’t help myself.

Y’all take good care now, hear, Bus and pap.

PS: Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond our control, politics will be back in this blog space as early as next week.