Could Have Been Peas – SoCS

Dan Antion

Oct 8

: Two limes, artfully balanced.

Happy Saturday. David and I were pleased to see people still hanging out on the patio, leaving plenty of room at the bar. We're kicking back, talking about a few things and trying to cover Linda G. Hill's Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt.

"Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is 'back of the fridge.' Write the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the phrase 'back of the fridge.' Enjoy!"

If we were having a beer, you'd be wondering about the beer I'm having.

"Well, if it isn't my two old friends."

"Hi Skippy. I assume your use of the word 'old' is in reference to our age, not how long we've endured your inept bartending."

"Yes, David. I'd be kinder, but I don't get a warm fuzzy feeling from you guys."

"It's not you, Skippy. It's just that we're used to Cheryl, and, well, when it comes to bartending, you aren't at the same level as Cheryl."

"Cheryl cares about bartending. I'm just here for the money."

"If you were a better bartender, you might make more money. I mean, most of what you make is from tips, right?"

"That's true, David, but people have been cutting back on the amount they tip as this place has had to raise prices."

"We still tip the same percentage – roughly."

"You tip a percentage. Dan rounds up in a weird way."

"Weird way? What's weird about it?"

"Dan, you always round up to a whole dollar amount, and it's always an even number."

"Is that true, Dan?"

"I'm not fond of odd numbers."

"Well, I'm paying today, Skippy, so be nice, and I'll hit that reliable percentage. But, no offense intended, where is Cheryl today."

"She switched with me so she could be here next week. I guess you're having a guest."

"Are we having a guest, Dan?"

"We are. Willow, from Willowdot21 blog fame, is going to join us next week."

"That's so cool. I love her blog!"

"You guys want the same boring – I'm sorry – would you guys like your usual drinks?"

"I had been drinking the Modelo on tap, but I don't see it, so I'll have a Corona."

"David?"

"A John Howell's Special."

"Ugh. The register computer crashed. I can't find the special drinks Cheryl programmed. What's in that again? I know it's a lot of glassware."

"A glass of John Howell's Bourbon, neat. A snifter of seltzer and a glass of ice."

"OK, no problem."

"Maybe 'syour inept bartending' was a little harsh, David."

"Dan. when has he gotten our drinks right? Damn, I forgot to remind him about the cherries."

"He usually gets my beer right."

"You've probably been drinking Corona since you turned twenty-one."

"They only started importing Corona to the US in nineteen eighty-one. I was almost thirty."

"What did you drink before Corona?"

"Sam Adams, Michelob and a brief stint with Miller Genuine Draft."

"What did you drink when you were in college?"

"Well, if I was in Pittsburgh, I drank Iron City because the bartenders never carded you if you ordered an Iron."

"What about in West Virginia?"

"That depended on where we were."

"Here you go Dan. Cold Corona with two lime slices artfully balanced. And for David, a curious collection of glasses, and a few cherries. I put them in the ice to keep the cold."

"Nicely done, Skippy. Thank you."

"No problem, David."

"Ugh, so Dan, what did you drink wherever you were drinking in West Virginia."

"Well, West Virginia's drinking age was eighteen, but they only sold three-two beer. So, if we were out at a bar, we usually had a pitcher of whatever was cheap – most likely Iron City."

"And if you weren't out?"

"Genesee Cream Ale."

"Oh, that's horrible. Why on earth would you drink that?"

"My roommate and I would drive to Pennsylvania. The beer had a normal alcohol content, but the drinking age was twenty-one. The closest beer distributor…"

"Beer distributor? You make it sound like a wholesale operation."

"It was, sorta. You could only buy beer from a beer distributor or a bar. You know, a 'six pack to go' kind of thing."

"That's weird. But still, why Genesee Cream Ale?"

"We had heard that this one distributor didn't card people. We pulled in and asked for two cases of Michelob."

"Ritzy taste for a couple of college kids."

"Yeah, well, it didn't happen. The guy asked for ID."

"Did you try somewhere else?"

"No. My roommate, Tony noticed that the guy had signs all over the place saying Genesee Cream Ale was on sale. So, we drove back and asked for two cases of Genny Cream."

"Did he card you?"

"Nope. He smiled and said, 'I knew two college boys would figure it out eventually.' Then he brought us two cases of Cream Ale, in cans."

"I know you prefer bottles now, but what did you know back then?"

"Actually, it was great. We had one of those old-fashioned refrigerators, with the freezer in the middle at the top. A twelve-pack fit perfectly on each side."

"How handy."

"One night, we had some girls over for dinner. One girl opened the fridge and asked, 'What's the green stuff in the back?' We thought she meant the beer; the cans and packaging were green."

"Tony told her it was the beer, but she said she meant the green stuff in the freezer behind a heavy layer of frost."

"Ugh, I can hardly wait."

"Without missing a beat, Tony said, 'that's a bag of peas.' That seemed to make her happy. You know, like we ate healthy or something."

"What was really in the back of the freezer?"

"We don't speak of that."

I am happy to mention that Teagan Geneviene has mentioned the second novel in my Dreamer's Alliance series in her Saturday short story. Teagan's stories are always fascinating, and I am always grateful for support.