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.
If you like magical realism with suspense, action and a bit of family sarcasm, you will enjoy these books:
Knuckleheads
The Evil You Choose
When Evil Chooses You
My profile page (and books) on Lulu
All available on Kindle Unlimited!
No Facilities 
Love the fall foliage. What we get here is oak trees shedding dead leaves. That said, some neighbors have some very colorful trees but they haven’t started turning colors just yet. Waiting…
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Trees are just beginning to change color here. We’re waiting to see what effect this summer’s drought will have on the fall color. Regardless, fall’s my favorite season.
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I LOVE the puddle reflection! Great catch. Leaves are changing up here, and we’ve gotten some rain too. Fall is definitely here. Happy weekend!
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I’m glad you like that one, Judy. It’s amazing how much clearer that tree looks in the puddle. I glad you got some rain. Ours wasn’t in the forecast – “chance showers” – but it was welcome. Happy weekend to you guys, too.
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Green stuff….peas was a wise answer!
I reckon Skippy is learning but he’s a way to go to get David on side.
I am always interested to hear of all the different laws and limitations each state sets Dan it must be confusing at times!
I love the photos especially the squirrels and the autumn bedecked trees, my favourite is there tree tops reflected int
the puddle.
Oh! I am so excited to be visiting you all next week!! 💜
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We are all looking forward to your visit, Willow. Cheryl will be behind the bar, so you won’t have to worry about Skippy messing up your order. The poor boy has his fans, so I’ve been trying to make him less of a problem child, but…
It’s starting to look like fall around here, and the squirrels are busy gathering food for winter. Although, some seem to realize that we will be dispensing peanuts throughout the cold season, so they’re munching away.
I was amazed at how good that tree looked in the puddle.
I hope you have a good week, and we’ll see you Saturday.
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I am really looking forward to it thank you 💜
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I’ve actually never tried the cream ale. Is it really that awful?
waves hello to Smokey
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It’s not that bad. The guy kept it on sale all the time. If you didn’t have an ID, you were getting Genny Cream. We had it in the fridge for almost two years. Neither of us turned 21 until part way through our senior year.
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I never liked beer right from my first sip! In high school one of my husband’s friends worked in the local Rheingold Brewery. A bunch of them would go there to hang out with “Bushy”. They would kick a case or two and then buy it for next to nothing because the case(s) we’re dented! Ahhh, the youth of our future!
LOVE the puddle shot and your changing trees. The acorns cracked me up.
You probably did hear the squirrel knock. My friend feeds some extremely friendly feral cats. If dinner isn’t on time, one of those little buggers knocks on her door. If that doesn’t work, he knocks on her window!
Old Glory couldn’t take a bad picture if she tried. This one is very somber but beautiful.
Wishing you a great weekend Dan.
Ginger
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I like the ingenuity of the dented case, Ginger. Not that Rheingold was a great beer, but…
We have had squirrels that knock on the front door. We also had one the dropped the door to the mailbox down so that it hit the railing. We have no idea how he did it, but he did it often, and it always worked. Our mailman’s name was Steve, and we called the squirrel ‘Little Stevie’.
The puddle reflection amazed me. The puddle itself is kind of gross, but that tree looks wonderful in it.
I hope you have a great weekend!
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Oh, Ginger–what a blast from the past! Remember the Sunday papers having you vote for Miss Rheingold?
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“My beer is Rheingold the Dry Beer”. My last two years of high school I worked at the Rheingold plant on the switchboard during the summer. Some very happy people worked there…with terrible beer breath! Lol!
Ginger
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That’s one way to keep your employees happy!
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Is three-two beer still around? In Virginia, that’s all you could buy unless you went to a ‘state store’ to buy ‘real’ beer. I look forward to Willow’s visit to the bar.
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When my brother an I were in Duluth, MN, we had trouble finding beer. Apparently, you can only buy regular beer in a liquor store. The beer you buy in grocery stores is limited to 3.2 – the stores we found had a lot of non-alcoholic beer – including Busch, which makes no sense at all. We’re all looking forward to Willow’s visit.
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Yes, in Virginia the liquor stores were run by the state. The only place to buy liquor or real beer.
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Pennsylvania had State Stores for liquor and wine and Beer Distributors for beer.
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A lot of local beer knowledge might have helped me – but I enjoyed it all the same. Thank you G:)
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There are so many beers available. In the 1970s, it wasn’t nearly as bad as it is today.
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Hey, I remember drinking Genny Cream with you! I thought that was “Premium Beer?”
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We thought so too, at the time. That’s what it said on the box.
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Beer makes the world a better place! (as long as we don’t overindulge)
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I agree, and I usually stop with two.
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Flag seems sad today but the reflective tree puddle is outstanding. Leaves👍🏻❤️
Sent from my iPhone
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It was early. I think the flag was just waking up. It seems happier when there’s a light breeze.
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Aren’t we all?😀
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Sharp image puddle reflections, Skippy, and two things at the back of the fridge. One which really should remain unnamed and one thankfully which shall remain unnamed. kudos Dan.
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Thanks John. Yeah, some things we’re allowed to forget. That little freezer did keep the beer cold, though.
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Skippy admits he’s only in it for the money?! Way to not get a tip, Skippy!!
I had to laugh about his comment regarding you rounding up a tip. Husband and I wandered into a Goodwill store yesterday. I’m just looking around and hear a conversation between the checker and the customer, but I can only hear the checker. He tells the customer the amount due, then asks the customer if they want to round it up. Next thing he says is, “No ma’am, I can only round up.” Did the customer ask him to round down??! In a Goodwill store??! I didn’t know to be amused or aghast! Happy weekend, Dan.
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I have heard customers ask the cashier if they can just pay the whole dollar amount. One cashier at the grocery store said, “No because I have to make up the difference in my drawer.” Asking for a break in a Goodwill store does seem a bit much.
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Puddles and leaves and peas, oh my! First of all thanks for letting me pull a shift for your guest next week. Can’t wait to meet Willow. Pitt sounds like a jammin’ place for underage drinking. Selling local brews… priorities eh? In Baton Rouge all you needed was the fake ID that seemed a part of the enrollment package. 🤦♀️ Cream Ale sounds like a tummy twister though. How long did it take you guys to knock those out? Peas huh? I shudder to think what went bad BEHIND the freezer. I love autumn leaves and that puddle shot is my favorite. Happy Saturday Dan. 🙂
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We won’t speak about what really was living in that freezer, Cheryl. I’m glad you’ll be on hand for Willow. I told her you can mix or pour anything. The two states close to our corner of PA had lower drinking ages than we did. The 3.2 thing in WV was a pain, but we were young, so we just drank more. The “Cream Ale” is a marketing ploy. The beer is actually a lager, and there’s no cream anywhere in the mix. The puddle shot seems to be a favorite today. I know I love it.
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Marketing. Gotta loathe it. 😏That puddle shot is a winner! And Smokey is darned cute too… for a fancy rat. 😂
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I won’t tell Smokey what you said. We’ll just leave at “cute.”
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Deal. 😀
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Dan, you outdid yourself with the gallery today — it’s gorgeous! There’s finally a small patch of yellow leaves in my mulberry tree, and in a tree across the street. There are hardly any red or orange leaves in NM.
“Back of the freezer?” My immediate thought was “Attack of the Giant Dust Bunnies!” Crystal was stalking one that was under the fridge. No wonder she thought it was alive…
Thanks for letting me use your photos at my place today — and for this shout out. Wishing you continued success with “The Evil You Choose.” Hugs on the wing.
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I had just told the freezer story to Faith last week, so it was fresh in my mind (unlike those “peas”). Our leaves are just starting to turn, but there are always a couple early birds.
You know your always welcome to my photos. I love seeing them get a second shot at fame.
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I too had things in the back of my freezer that will never be spoken of. They still give me nightmares. I love to see the fall colours but I’m sad too. Beautiful pictures.
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No need to talk about those things, Pam. They came, they froze, we threw them out. Fall is picking up steam here.
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Nothing like a bag of frozen peas that’s been in the freezer for a while. Yum!
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That was our story! It worked that night.
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Loved the story, Dan. The photos were good too.
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I’m glad, John. (Some of) The stuff we did in college makes for good stories.
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Yes, some.
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Passing out in the dumpster not so much. 😁
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😂
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Love the fall foliage, wish we had some of that here.
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The leaf bag gets picked up on Monday. You want I should send it south?
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Ha! If only. I’ll have to do with your beautiful photography. The best!
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Beautiful photos and a fun story! I miss the fall colors of the Northeast, but I love the sunrises/sunsets in this area. 🎃🍂🍁
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Every place has its benefits, Gwen. I’m glad you like where you are.
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Oh, the things we used to do underage. I like the dandelion and the down rabbit leaf. The puddle filter works well, too.
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The challenges of youth ;-) I’m glad you liked those photos. Thanks.
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To me, the flag looks tired. Understandable. The squirrel, on the other hand, looks ready for anything, probably thinking of a peanut and hoping you are too. Bunny yoga got me! Good one!
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It was early. I like to think the flag was just waking up. The squirrels are getting active. They might be waking up to the fact that winter is coming. We have been handing out peanuts as requested. I’m glad you liked the bunny yoga shadow.
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Ah, such clever tricks of the beer acquisition trade. My husband and I were talking about 3-2 beers this morning. In Minnesota, (where he went to school and my family lived there when I was growing up) you couldn’t buy any beer on Sundays unless it was 3-2. It was hard for my dad and uncle to imagine watching the Viking vs Packer games without a buzz. LOL. I love the photos of your trees and their fall vibrant colors and the puddle reflection. And, of course, the flag too. I’ll be back next week to read about the visit from Willow!
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When my brother and I visited Duluth last year, we still couldn’t buy anything but 3.2 beer outside of a liquor store. I didn’t figure that out until we had finished a 6-pack.
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LOL…just a 6-pack? 🤣😂🤣
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LOL! Great story! And that picture of the autumn leaves reflected in the puddle is frameable.
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He-Man always went to the local bar to buy a six-pack of Rolling Rock when we would visit his parents, and sister.
Fall looks beautiful there!
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Another favorite local brew. My sister-in-law liked that, but she bought the Pony bottles (7 oz).
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I haven’t thought about 3.2 beer forever…..cracked me up!! My early beer was Coors!! Moved to Denver and of course I had to do Coors since it was produced there…..cracks me up!!
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I hadn’t thought about it until my brother and I visited Duluth last year. Apparently, that’s the best you can buy in a grocery store.
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Love the fall colors.
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They are starting to fill the view.
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Hi Dan, another great visit to the bar. I wasn’t sure what carding mean, but I soon worked it out. It’s fun to read about your pre-official ID days. Bartenders never used to ask the girls for ID when I was going out and about.
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The ID laws were easy to get around, but you had to know where to go and, as we learned, what to buy. I remember getting carded when on a date and the girl did not.
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I think it is quite common to ‘card’ males and not females. I always noticed it and thought it unfair.
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Great beer background, Dan. Huntington was on the Ohio river, so we drove across to get 6 point beer, not 3 point 2. Peas was a good answer. I love the color these past few weeks, you captured it well.
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Thanks Jennie. Knowing the best place to cross the border. It makes us sound way worse than people trying to get good beer 😊
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