The PUB light's ON! :D

[Bobby of Tulsa]

Beer for JOP. I dont have alot of brain cells left, but I know some folks that do.

[Bobby of Tulsa]

Thanks Gareth..... Now I have a mental image of a naked Paul dancing in the rain... I think I'm gonna go puke....
Bobby sleet storm.....Can I get you a Patron Anejo?

Yes sir. Tell me life is turning around for you.

[Mrleft8]

Around and around like a Ferris wheel Bobby.... Some days up, most days down.
But I'm getting better at it each time!
I could continue the story if you'd like.... It gets better.

[Bobby of Tulsa]

Around and around like a Ferris wheel Bobby.... Some days up, most days down.
But I'm getting better at it each time!
I could continue the story if you'd like.... It gets better.

Lets hear it.

[Hwyl]

And pull out the Hurdy gurdy while you are at it.

[Mrleft8]

... A phone booth in Boonville is called a Bucky Miller because a guy named Miller had the first phone in the area, and he charged a "Bucky" or buffalo nickle to use it. Boonville is a curious place that used to have it's own language, called "Boontling" Or "Boont" for short. It's just about extinct now, but it was a whole language, not just a regional dialect.
After I was done with the Bucky Miller, I sat down for a beer and a plate of fries. I was expected in SF at some point that day, by an old girlfriend. I had her address, and phone number, but no one answered when I called before. (Remember, this is before the days of cell phones, and just at the dawn of answering machine era...)
I slurped down my beer and fries and hit the road again.
The landscape here was as different from Mendocino as day and night. This was dry, grasslands with steep rounded hills and stony river beds. Vineyards and cattle ranches, apple orchards, and llama farms.
HWY 128 turned out to be just as twisty as HWY 20, but without the towering Redwoods, which were replaced my Manzanita, Live Oak, and scruffy looking parched pines.
I hit the 101 at Cloverdale and pulled into a dusty truck stop cafe to use the facillities and give my poor bruised butt a rest...

[Canoez]

Hurdy-gurdy? Think we'd need a trained monkey to crank that - and no, I'm not available for the position.Hopefully something will break on the Ferris wheel and Lefty's car gets stuck at the top for a while to enjoy the view.What's pouring from the draft taps? I've gotta go clean out the bilge rats' cage and wil be spittin' feathers when I return...

[Mrleft8]

I drove south through all the same places that I'd passed on the way up, but with a new, not so good, insight as to the amount of space between point A, and point B. Just because Connecticut and Massachusetts take up one page in the road atlas, and northern California takes up one page in the road atlas, don't make 'em the same size.
I crawled across the Golden Gate Bridge mid- late afternoon, and found the neighborhood I was looking for quite quickly. I climbed the steps to the front door of the apt building and stared at the 6 door buzzer buttons with 6 different names, and not one of them was my old GF's name. I knew she had a room mate named Judy, or something like that, but I had no clue as to what her last name was. I picked a button at random and pressed. Nothing. I pressed another button. Nothing. I pressed another button. A window opened above me and a voice called down "Who is it? What do you want?" I yelled up that I was looking for A friend... Lori... The voice told me to go away. and the window slammed shut. So much for brotherly love... I walked around the block, and found myself in hippy heaven. The corner of Haight and Ashbury streets... I found a bar/night club called "THE I-BEAM" and went in for a beer. It was dark, and cool. I left after one beer, and tried door buzzers again. Same result, minus the slammed window part.
I walked back up the street, and found another bar (Imagine THAT!). This one was a retro-rock kinda place called "Rockin' Robin's". I had a couple of beers and tried the door buzzers again. It was starting to get darkish, and I had no idea what I'd do if Lori didn't show up.... No answer at the door buzzers.
I went back to Rockin Robin's and had another beer. I tried calling again from the house phone. No answer. I finished my beer and went to sit on the apt. building steps to wait.

[Mrleft8]

I waited and waited until I thought my bladder would pop. I waddled back up to RR's and used the facilities. Beer and no bathroom were not a good combo...
I walked back towards the Apt building, and was about a half block away when a greasy looking guy in surplus clothes slid out of a doorway and grabbed my arm. "Buddy.... Got some change? Got a smoke? I'm hungry, see? I won't buy booze, see? I swear! See? I already got a bottle! See?" and he showed me a crumpled brown paper sack with a bottle of some foul looking brandy substance in it. I gave the guy a Lucky, and lit one up myself. I was tired, a little buzzed, and kind of lost. I sat down on the stoop next to the wino, and he told me his spiel... he offered me a pull on the bottle and I declined. He looked hurt, so I accepted. It was as foul as it looked. After a half hour or so I bid him a farewell and went back to pushing buzzers. The second buzzer was golden! My OGF looked out the window and called down "Hey you! waddayoo doing here? I thought you were coming tomorrow!" She came bounding down the stairs and leapt on me like a tree frog. Arms and legs wrapped aound me and lips on mine before I had a chance to say hello.... "ewwww! What have you been drinking?!" I told her, and she wiped her lips like they were covered in snail slime.
She led me up the stairs and into a tiny, over heated apartment. Her room mate was sprawled on the sofa with headphones strapped over her greased back hair. She nodded sullenly at me and pulled the 'phone jack out of the stereo. The "Cranberries" blasted out "All My Dreams" at some insane volume....Like 11 on a scale of 10.

[Mrleft8]

We had spaghetti with vegetarian meatballs, and red wine. Good red wine from Napa valley..... All the rage apparently. After dinner they took me to Polk street to "See the gay cruiser bars". Quite a scene, really. Guys hit on me like flies at a hog farm the second we walked in the door. Most of them were polite and amused when I told them I was straight, and with my Girl Friend and her room mate. One guy in black leather bottomless chaps and a peaked SS cap took offence, and tried to punch me in the face. Somehow Judy, or whatever her name was, caught the guy's arm in mid swing and had it up by his left ear from behind his back so fast it was amazing. The guy got thrown out, and Judy got a standing ovation. I got more leers. We left after a few beers to pick up a friend of theirs down in the financial district. This woman was high powered stuff! She had this big black briefcase that she kept looking in and fiddling with. Finally she said "It won't work down here, can we drive up to the top of telegraph hill?" Only about as far from where we were as you could get and still be in SF. Turns out the briefcase was a cell phone. Turns out she had no service anywhere we drove. Some things never change...
We got back to the apt sometime after 2AM.... I fell asleep instantly on Lori's bed.

[Bobby of Tulsa]

Fell asleep, how old did you say you are?

[Glen Longino]

piña colada ipr's?

Yep!
A request from my wife.
I took a sip but it's much too sweet for my taste.

[Mrleft8]

I woke up the next morning with my head pounding, and my bladder screaming. The aroma of bacon and coffee did me no big favors.
Judy had gone off to work, and Lori wanted to talk.... Oh boy..... "talk".... And me with the first hangover in months.... So Lori talked, and I pretended to listen. After about 72 hours Lori said "And so that's what I've been doing, and where I am right now in my life, and... You know! So what've you been up to?" So I told her about my life over the past 16 months, and about the possibility of going to school in Mendocino, and how maybe we could see eachother occasionally if I got accepted to the program, and.... Lori looked at me like I had 3 heads. "You haven't been listening to me at all, have you?" she said slightly amused....Or slightly amazed.... One or the other. "I'm Gay now Doug... Judy and I are a couple... That's why she doesn't like you. She feels threatened by you, and most men in general..."

Gay?.....

You? The libido queen?
That's when I got the lecture about a woman's needs and how only another woman can understand blah blah blah....
About an hour later she was putting on her socks and saying that she was sooooo confused, and Judy was gonna kill us both, and I needed to make myself scarce for an hour or so when she got home...
I took a walk in panhandle park, and watched cops roust homeless people. I watched a young guy about my age with a shaved head and tattoos everywhere walking a rottweiler on a short stout leash threaten a gay couple making out on a park bench. I went back to Rockin' Robbins.

[Bobby of Tulsa]

Yep!
A request from my wife.
I took a sip but it's much too sweet for my taste.

My wife and daughter are waiting for their drink.

[Mrleft8]

Fell asleep, how old did you say you are?

I was 24... Almost 25 at the time... Young and full of energy.

[Glen Longino]

My wife and daughter are waiting for their drink.

Wish I had a pipeline to you, Bobby!
PS...The rest of that Sharyland story is going to be pretty boring after Lefty's story!

[Mrleft8]

[Bobby of Tulsa]

Wish I had a pipeline to you, Bobby!
PS...The rest of that Sharyland story is going to be pretty boring after Lefty's story!

Only if you never been there.

[TerryLL]

I know it's late, but any way I can get a ice cold Rocket Dog.
Been one of those days.

[Mrleft8]

Certainly Terry..... Would you like some Stoned Wheat Thins with a nice Danish slicing cheese?

[TerryLL]

Hold the Wheat Thins, yes on the cheese, Much obliged.

[TerryLL]

And thanks for Elton. Such a monstrous talent. I'm so glad he's a Brit.
I'll take a second Dog if you have one.

[David G]

Too late for a beer, eh? I've been stopping by lately, but it seems as if I always get here too late <sigh> Well... I'll just have to rustle myself up something and pull my own beer. Whatdda we got here. Good caraway rye. Good start. Some ham and turkey. Shaping up fine. Lettuce, avacodo, and tomatoe. Some rugged looking mustard. Check. Ohhh... some fresh ground horseradish. Alright... I'm in business. Now for some beer. Lessee... no, nope, no way, too light, too dark, too.... oh wait. There a cold bottle of Deschutes MirrorMirror. I'm set. Maybe someone will drift in.

[TerryLL]

I suspect bobbys is about to arrive.

[Glen Longino]

I suspect bobbys is about to arrive.

Somebody get a rope!

[Glen Longino]

Certainly Terry..... Would you like some Stoned Wheat Thins with a nice Danish slicing cheese?

My favorite all time Elton song!
Thanks!

[David G]

I suspect bobbys is about to arrive.

I think bs has toddled off to bed - to cover his head and try and forget about coffee.

[Mrleft8]

Isn't that Deschutes Mirror mirror kinda... Yuppie?Not that that matters.... We have lots of clueless arrogant pricks come in here looking for oddball stuff..

[TerryLL]

I think bs has toddled off to bed - to cover his head and try and forget about coffee.

Poor bobbys. If you happen to see him anytime soon, please let him know that I think of him every morning, as I tuck into my second cup of espresso, and my third, and often my fourth. And again he always comes to mind just after lunch with my noon-day cuppa.

I seldom have coffee later in the afternoon, except when on a road trip, when I usually enjoy a quad latte about 3. And sipping that bitter brown elixir, I often recall the sad condition of my friend bobbys, and usually order a second quad latte in his honor. I do what I can.

[Mrleft8]

Well... I'm toast for the night...
I's clambe into my flannel jammies, and see if the snofaloughagus is still in te room....


...

[TerryLL]

We have lots of clueless arrogant pricks come in here looking for oddball stuff..

Not the sort of talk I'd expect from the corner tav barkeep.

[David G]

Isn't that Deschutes Mirror mirror kinda... Yuppie?Not that that matters.... We have lots of clueless arrogant pricks come in here looking for oddball stuff..

Not the sort of talk I'd expect from the corner tav barkeep.

A Yuppie quaff, eh? No, not in my experience. If the yuppies are drinking Deschutes (instead of Corona or Dos Equis), it's likely the lighter version of this same beer - Mirror Pond Ale. It's fine. Nothing wrong with it. But the yuppies aren't likely to be drinking the cask-aged, barley-wine version.

Clueless arrogant prick, eh? You mean like someone who's never tried a beer, but offers gratuitous insults to someone who enjoys it?

What's with the attack? Did I piss in your cornflakes somehow? Sleep with your girlfriend? If you don't want my trade, just say so... don't offer up some sideways passive-aggressive cowflop.

Now... you wanna try again, or should I take my custom elsewhere?

[TerryLL]

A Yuppie quaff, eh?
Clueless arrogant prick, eh?
What's with the attack?
Did I piss in your cornflakes somehow?
Sleep with your girlfriend?
If you don't want my trade, just say so.
Now... you wanna try again, or should I take my custom elsewhere?

David, chill the heck out.

Lefty's on drugs for that bad tooth. He's not himself. Give the bloke a break for crissake.
But if he carries on for long this way I say we both find a better watering hole.

[Spin_Drift]

Hey Spinner, care to join me in a glass of homemade "Dago Red".It's got quite the kick!

You bet...

[David G]

Terry,

I'm kinda new around this dive, so I don't know what to expect... but it wasn't that.

I'm perfectly happy to start off on a new tack. Let's see if the proprietor agrees.

[Glen Longino]

Terry,

I'm kinda new around this dive, so I don't know what to expect... but it wasn't that.

I'm perfectly happy to start off on a new tack. Let's see if the proprietor agrees.

Good thinking!
Give Lefty some slack if you can.
He's had more than his share of Life's Piss down his back lately.
No excuse for him being rude though!
If he does it again, slap him upside the head and go behind the bar and help yourself to all his drink and food.
That's what I do...and Tulsa Bobby.
In fact, everybody who comes in here pretty much ignores Lefty and helps themselves to whatever they want and if Lefty don't like it he can go F...Himself! Don't tell Lefty that I told you this...okay?

[Figment]

Coolest rocket man..... EVER

[skuthorp]

I'm up making meringues tonight. About 200. I got an order for a kids party.
Expecting 40 for a BBQ on sunday as well. Why does everything happen at once?

[Figment]

Because otherwise it simply wouldn't happen at all.

[skuthorp]

In fact, everybody who comes in here pretty much ignores Lefty and helps themselves to whatever they want .................

There was a pub like that in a place called Strath Creek, Hughey the publican was more often outside the bar drinking with his mates. You just went and pulled your own beer, and a dozen or so more while you were there. Oddly most people were honest and kept their own tally on the slate, and Hughey actually died of old age.

[Mrleft8]

Ah yes.... My apologies Davey G. and to everyone. The comment was meant as a joke at the cask aged barley wine. Apparently It didn't go over too well...
Around here, the yuppie set will order the best, or most extravagantly advertised item on the menu, when they're out in public. But go over to their house, and they offer you a Piels, or Coors...
I have had the cask conditioned barley wine, and found it... To be frankly honest, pretty awful.
But enough of all that...
It's a hazy mild morning, and the forecast is for rain and thunderstorms this afternoon through saturday...
Today we have a short specials board. I have to get down to my father's place and try to get it all buttoned up. Somehow the market date has been pushed back from this past tuesday to.....Today.
Veal parmigiana with steamed broccoli and white and wild rice pilaf.
Rare roast beef grinder, on a half loaf of Italian bread, with lettuce, tomato, sweet onion, sweet roasted red peppers, mayonnaise, horse radish, salt and pepper. Served with chips and a pickle.
Chicken quesadillas with red beans and rice, and guacamole. Triple chocolate ice cream for desert.
Clam chowder. The way it should be. Served with crusty Italian bread and strong provolone cheese.
Special on tap: Orval Trappist ale.

[TerryLL]

Is that clam chowder the watery wretched red stuff, or the honest white creamy goodness that chowder was meant to be?

[Mrleft8]

I don't even say the word tomato in the kitchen when I'm making clam chowder.
I use heavy cream, butter, broth, pepper, potatoes, onion, and clams. Mostly chopped clams, but a good scoop of whole belly counts as well. The chowder clams are a bit big to leave whole, but they have masses of flavor.
I'm off to put out fires at my father's house.... I'll be back for more abuse later on!

[TerryLL]

I don't even say the word tomato in the kitchen when I'm making clam chowder.

In that case, dish me up.

[Paul Pless]

I use heavy cream, butter, broth, pepper, potatoes, onion, and clams.

No bacon?WTH???

[TerryLL]

.... I'll be back for more abuse later on!

Feeling a bit Jamie-esque this morning?

[Mrleft8]

I never feel that bad Terry!
Bacon in chowder? That's like the salad dressing my murder in law made to go on a perfectly good salad I made..... Wesson oil, red wine vinegar (I didn't have any white vinegar that day), sugar, salt, pepper, and bacon grease..... So much for healthy salad... Must be a suthrin thang...

[Bobby of Tulsa]

Food is not supposed to be healthy, just good. Just like beer and Tequila. O'ya and if you come to my house we will drink what ever you like. As long as its not over $1.99 a quart.

[Mrleft8]

Food can be healthy and good. Like a nice salad with spinach, arugula, mustard greens, frisee, lettuce, sliced radish, cucumber, tomato, shredded carrots, and jicama... A little balsamic vinaigrette, or thousand islands dressing.... Some grilled chicken if you'd like...

[TerryLL]

I'll have a plate of that by golly, but sub a big grilled steak for the chicken, and hold all that green glop, and I'll take a Devil Dog on the side.