Dan Antion

Where Is Everybody?

For the love of beer
The perfect place and beverage to share some casual conversation.

If we were having a beer, you’d be amazed that the bar is empty.

“Where is everybody?”

“I’m here. Cheryl’s here. I have a tab open. Who else do you need?”

“Well, I’m glad the tab is open, but the parking lot is full. I had to park on the street. I was expecting a crowd.”

“They’re outside on the patio. This is when I really appreciate you guys hanging at the bar. Here’s your Yuengling, Dan.”

“Aw, thanks Cheryl. We’re not made for the sun.”

“I guess I wasn’t expecting the sun to come out today, it started out pretty gray.”

“We were dead here until about 45 minutes ago. Then we got so busy, they called in an extra waitress.”

“Ouch, does that cut into your tips?”

“It eliminates my tips, unless you guys come through for me…no pressure. You are going to order, aren’t you?”

“I am. I just haven’t decided.”

“If you haven’t ordered by the time I order my second beer, I’m closing the tab.”

“A glass of Meiomi, Cheryl, and keep that tab open, I think we’re ordering some food.”

“Red wine. I guess that rules out mussels.”

“You can have mussels. It’s not like we’re on a date.”

“I’m gonna stick with wings. The last time I had mussels, I think I wore a bunch of the white wine and garlic home.”

“Momma gets it out with A L L?”

“It took several attempts. Almost ruined one of my Pirate shirts.”

“Not much of a loss, there. Do you suppose you jinxed them?”

“Hey hey hey, don’t be disin’ on the Pirates. They’re only five games back, and they’re due for a win streak.”

“Why do you torture yourself? The only reason they’re only five games back is because the NL Central is the worst division in baseball.”

“Last I checked, your precious American League East wasn’t much better. Just because one team isn’t running away with the lead, doesn’t make the division bad.”

“I think this conversation needs more fuel. You guys want another round?”

“Thanks Cheryl. I’m done with this subject, but that still sounds like just what we need.”

“Careful, you might spill that beer on your precious shirt.”

“At least I’m not afraid to represent my team in public.”

“Enough already. You’re the only two in here – you can’t be jackasses.”

“Jacki.”

“What?”

“The plural of jackass is jacki.”

“Really?”

“No, not really. That’s just the made-up word he uses, Cheryl. You were correct.”

“I don’t know, I kind of like it. Jacki. I may start using it.”

“Don’t do that. You’ll encourage him.”

“Wow, did you get up on the wrong side of the bed today?”

“What? No. Why?”

“You’re in a mood, you’re grumpy.”

“I’m just mad about the parking. I don’t like leaving my car on the street.”

“So, go move it. There are spaces in the lower lot.”

“I don’t like the lower lot. People pull in there for take-out and block the cars.”

“For two minutes. What’s your hurry?”

“The spaces are narrow. I don’t want my car to get dinged.”

“I park there all the time. I’ve never gotten dinged.”

“You did get dinged, someone backed into your front fender.”

“You’re right, someone did, but I had that fixed a couple of years ago.”

“I would have sold the car; it’s damaged goods.”

“Damaged goods? From that ding? I had it repaired when I had to have the back bumper replaced. Remember, that guy backed into me?”

“I remember, and then you creamed the front bumper. I’m telling you, you should trade that car.”

“It’s been repaired, no lasting impressions, I want to get at least another year out of this car.”

“Then you should be more careful about where you park.”

“Said the man whose car is parked on the side of a busy road.”

“Stop it. I’m nervous enough as it is.”

“Here’s your beer and your wine. You know, you’re probably better off on the street than in either of these lots.”

“Why do you say that, Cheryl?”

“Cause I’ve been selling a lot of booze today.”

Looking south from the Bulkeley Bridge
Hartford from Great River Park
Hartford from Great River Park
Hartford from Great River Park
Sun burning away the fog at the cemetery
Hartford from the north end of Great River Park on the Bulkeley Bridge
Park sign at the north end – needs a little TLC
Hartford from Great River Park
Cemeteries are special places on foggy mornings
Hartford from the north end of Great River Park on the Bulkeley Bridge
Hartford from the north end of Great River Park on the Bulkeley Bridge
Hartford from the north end of Great River Park on the Bulkeley Bridge
I guess they’re waiting for breaking news to occur
Cemeteries are special places on foggy mornings
Cemeteries are special places on foggy mornings
Cemeteries are special places on foggy mornings
Cemeteries are special places on foggy mornings

71 comments

      • Having just had a week or so of lots of rain, heavy mists over the Downs and general sog – I’m grateful for today’s sun and calm seas! Gloom and mists for winter – but can see it looks an amazing cemetery … lots of interesting graves – people and stones … I’m going back to my coffee now! Cheers H

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  4. Ha! Men bicker more than women! 😜Hubby is the king of parking persnickety-ness. I make us leave thirty minutes early than just because of it. Beautiful photos. I love cemeteries a y time for photography. Nice job.

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  5. I thought you said the fog was lifting. Cheryl just contradicted you. You know selling a lot of booze today. If we were debating and rambling ( a synonym for having a drink ) we could have another round and discus that point. As for the pirate shirt – there is a pirate hat which says ‘scars are tatoos with better stories. Which leads directly to the next quote ‘arrrrr you drinkin or tryin to make a fashion statement ! ? ! ‘ Now I think I will have a mug of that fog lifter… and wander out into the garden.

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  6. Wonderful photographs! I’m a fan of cemeteries, me. Cave Hill in Louisville is practically a theme park among cemeteries, full of gorgeous monuments and Famous Dead People. Your pictures are filled with the beauty and peace I find in such places.

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  9. Your gallery really grabbed me this morning, Dan. And as for those dings, you sound like hubby who has me programmed to park in the furthest parking spot from where the majority are parking so I do not get dinged. So far I’ve not got dinged. And neither has he. Parking on the street? *shudder* 😘

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    • I’m glad yo liked the photos, Amy. I don’t like parking on the street, but I will take a convenient spot, unless it’s cramped or next to a car with 50 scratches and dents. I have been dinged, but the car survived.

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    • Thanks Joanne. Our week was filled with gray skies and foggy starts. Cheryl is pretty good about not letting folks get into trouble. But, if you’re nervous about where you park your car, maybe you shouldn’t visit a bar.

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      • Actually I’ve learned from experience that parking lots in shopping malls aren’t great places either :/
        I see that part of the problem is trying to cramp too many cars in. The road way and the parking spots are getting tighter and tighter … kind of like airplane seats :/

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  12. Sorry I’m late to the bar. I was at the gym, then had to eat and sit out on the patio with coffee. Where’s my beer? I would like a nice chocolate porter, please. I’ll pass on the food, trying to keep my girlish figure. You shouldn’t whine about parking in the street. As long as your car is safe. Actually, you should have parked it further away and got some walking in this morning while you were trying to think. Just sayin…

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    • You’re welcome any time, Mary. Cheryl will keep a light on behind the bar. It’s funny that you mention “a nice chocolate porter” – the guy next to me one day last week was asking what the darkest beer they had was. It was an IPA. They poured him a sample. He looked at me, and I said “nope, that ain’t dark.” The manager says dark beers don’t sell well. That’s fine for me, but you might be sad. Maybe I’ll have to have you stop by some Saturday.

      Although the post launches at 6:04 am, I’m not at the bar until after completing a good day’s worth of work. I have also ridden my bike past the bar way before it opens. I should walk farther, but I’m taking those wings to-go, and a little something for the editor, so…

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      • I do have to say that I see more people drinking light ales than anything else. It’s too bad, they are missing out. I had the most delicious decadent dark chocolate ale by Atwater last night. Phenomenal. I wonder if Cheryl has that one at the bar. Hmmmm…

        It’s a good thing you ride the bike and walk Maddie in order to wear off those wings. 😀

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  13. Terrific Saturday post, Dan. Loved Cheryl’s comment at the end. Your foggy cemetery photos could get me inspired to work on the second book of “Atonement, TN” again… If work didn’t keep me drained. Speaking of which — the “plural of jackass” part cracked me up. What would you call a whole herd of them? I mean there’s a pod of whales, a murder of crows,… wouldn’t jackasses have a name for a group of them? I guess this was my own SOC. Happy Caturday to MiMi and MuMu. Hugs on the wing.

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    • Thanks Teagan. I have some wonderfully foggy photos from that cemetery. If you’re ever in need. Thankfully, I haven’t had the need to refer to more than a few jacki at a time. I’ll have to give that some though, it would be better to be prepared.

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  19. Wow, misty, foggy photos so pretty :)
    Our van is dinged-up real good. Dents and scratches galore. Sassy will drive it about a year from now, and I like how it’s done been broke-in for her. I wouldn’t consider selling a vehicle on account of some dings. I don’t mind parking on the street, but I think half of our dings are from grocery carts in parking lots :/

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    • Sounds like a perfect car to start Sassy with. Shopping carts (I grew up calling them buggies) are nasty. The people who let them roam free are jacki. I’m not going to worry about a few dings and scratches.

      I’m glad you liked the foggy photos.

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  23. Your photos of the fog in the background of a cemetery were great, Dan. The sunlight just awakening, shining on a tow of graves was such a wonderful shot.
    I love cemeteries and wish I could do another series of them. I found those hoary frost crystals on a hoary, foggy morning awhile back. . .
    Your water photographs with Hartford, from the park and off the bridge were fantastic!

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      • Fog softens my mood, makes me feel like nostalgia. When we were growing up near Sandusky Bay, (Lake Erie for readers afar) we never had “fog delays.” So, we would wait at our babysitter’s house with her children. The yellow bus coming bit by bit out of the fog was such a strong memory. When I taught school, we always had “fog delays.” I liked to drive on down the country roads to my school in Wood County and my final years, in Morrow County. The sense of mystery was prevalent on those drives and I liked listening to the radio turned down to low background noise. 😊

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