A Small Piece of The Pie (Part Three of a Series of Five)

If you find ten "beer" drinkers at random you will find that eight of them drink the same brand of beer on a continual basis. Chances are they drink Budweiser, Bud Light, Miller Lite, or Coors Light. They drink their beer because that is what they have always drank. It may be because that is what their parents drank. It may be because of what their friends drink.
My son in law, The Big Ranch used to only drink Coor's Light. He would not drink anything else. He would "go without" if Silver Bullets were not offered. Then he began to work as a rough neck on a drilling rig. He learned that all of his fellow roughnecks drank Bud Light so all of a sudden he had a new favorite beer. That certainly is his right to do so. Today, he seldom, if ever drinks any beer. That too is his right.
Some people are loyal to their brand. I even knew a guy who had the Lone Star Beer logo tattooed onto his arm. Right underneath the Rebel flag and a German swastika.
You can conduct your own survey. Find someone (at random) and ask them to name three "Craft Beers or breweries" Chance are they will not be able to do so. I submit a list below of the top 50 Craft Breweries. With that same person, have them name three custom motorcycle companies. Most will mention either West Coast Choppers, Paul Junior Designs or Orange County Choppers.

Of the ten people I previously mentioned, one would occasionally drink something other than, his brand. This person might even drink a "craft beer" on occasion, provided that it did not taste too bad. The remaining person would be open to exploring various brands and types of beers. What I essentially am saying however is that the "craft beer" market is limited to 10 percent of the beer consumer market.

It is pretty common knowledge that there are only a select few "major brand" beer companies.

Budweiser claims to be the Great American Lager yet it's produced by a Brazilian owned company. (AB-InBev)

Coor's still claims that it brewed from Rocky Mountain water. The question is where in the Rocky Mountains..Alberta? Coors is owned by Coor's Molson a Canadian company.

Finally we have Miller Brewing Company which is owned by SAB Miller, which is owned by South African Brewing Company hence the initials SAB.

There is a co-op (in America) called Miller-Coors wherein the later two share brewing facilities to produce their respective beers.

I find it amusing that slightly over 90% of all beers sales in America are from the three brewery companies mentioned above, yet they are still aggressively attempting to capture the remaining market by producing multiple brews that appear to be from "Craft Breweries" (i.e. Blue Moon Brewery which is actually Coors Molson, Linnekugel Brewery which is actually SAB Miller, and Widmer Brewery, Live Oak Brewery and Goose Island Brewery which are all actually AB-InBev) There are many more. The Big Three continue to buy out the smaller breweries. Who knows who is next.

Below is a list of the largest "Craft Breweries" in America.

1. Boston Brewing Company, (Sam Adams)MA*
2. Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, CA*
3. New Belgium Brewing Company, (Fat Tire) CO*
4. Spoetzl Brewery,(Shiner) TX*
5. Pyramid Brewries, Inc., WA*
6. Matt Brewing Company, NY
7. Deschutes Brewing Company, OR*
8. Boulevard Brewing Company, MO*
9. Full Sail Brewing Company, OR
10. Harpoon Brewery, MA*
11. Alaskan Brewing and Bottling Company, AK.
12. Magic Hat Brewing Company VT*
13. Anchor Brewing Company, CA*
14. Bell's Brewery, Inc., M*
15. Shipyard Brewing Company, ME
16. Summit Brewing Company, MN*
17. Abita Brewing Company, LA*
18. Gordon Biersch Brewing Company, CA
19. Brooklyn Brewery, NY
20. Stone Brewing Company, CA*
21. Rogue Ales, OR*
22. Long Trail Brewing Company, VT
23. New Glarus Brewing Company, WI
24. Kona Brewing Company, Kahlua- HI
25. Dogfish Head Brewing Company, DE
26. Firestone Walker Brewing Company, CA*
27. Great Lakes Brewing Company, OH
28. The Lagunitas Brewing Company,CA
29. Flying Dog Brewery,CO
30. Sweetwater Brewery, GA
31. Bridgeport Brewing Company, OR*
32. Rock Bottom Brewery, CO
33. Odell Brewing Company, CO*(My favorite)
    
34. BJ's Restaurant and Brewery, CA*
35. Victory Brewing Company, PA
36. Mac and Jack's Brewery, WA
37. Lost Coast Brewery and Cafe, CA
38. Big Sky Brewing Company, MT*
39. Pete's Brewing Company, TX
40. Otter Creek Brewing Company, VT
41. Karl Strauss Brewing Company, CA*
42. Breckenridge Brewing Company, CO
43. Gordon Biersch Brewery, TN
44. Anderson Valley Brewing Company, CA
45. Boulder Beer Company, CO
46. North Coast Brewing Company, CA
47. McMenamins, OR*
48. Utah Brewer's Cooperative, UT
49. Capital Brewing Company, WI
50. Blue Point Brewing Company, NY

* Breweries I have actually visited.

So in summation the potential available market is small and very competitive yet I personally believe there is a huge potential to make a fortune on the "leavings. As much as I think it is wrong for the big companies to swallow up the smaller ones, I agree that it is the "American Way" Trust me, If I ever owned a successful brewery and one of the "big three" made an offer to buy me out, I certainly would listen to what they were offering. After all it all boils down to dollars and cents.

So.......... Even though the market is saturated and I am confident a fortune could still be made.....one way or another.


Stay Tuned


The Third

From "Steam" to "Chili" (Part Two of a Series of Five)

Friday August 1, 1986. The Plaintiff was dating the first of her next four or so husbands. I had a new haircut and a fresh pair of starched "Pro Rodeo cuts". I was wearing a white cowboy shirt with french cuffs that I stole from my Dad and I was sporting a new Bangora hat. I was not sure where I was going but I was starting to look forward to it. For the first time in several weeks I was really feeling good. Actually I felt free. I went to a local eatery and I noticed a sign promoting the sale of Anchor Steam Ale. I had heard that the beer was to be one of the best ever. I worked with a guy named Mike. He was from San Fransisco, Ca. and he had some weird position with our company. He had a Master's degree in oceanography and he was also a huge pot head. He would bring briefcases full of pot which he would show me as we sat in his corner office in downtown Houston. In his earlier life he has once been a drug runner bringing drugs across the Mexican American border. He was actually pursued by Interpol, or at least he said he was. He is the person who recommended that I try Anchor Steam Ale.....

As I have written before, beer selection for people like me was based on what was available and what was socially acceptable. I had ventured many times before in trying other beers. I had heard from my friends and family who spent time in Viet Nam that I should try San Miguel Beer. Lowenbrau Dark was available at the local pizza joint and I had downed many a pitcher. When I was feeling like I was a rich kid I would drink a few "greenies" and when I ate Mexican food I would order a Dos Equis, Tres Equis, Carta Blanca or Coronas. I read somewhere about Shiner Beer and I recall in August of 1974 I purchased two six packs at some roadside liquor store near Cleveland Texas. I tried a Chinese beer once at the Ore House in Houston and of course as a Louisiana boy, I downed many Falstaffs, Jaxs and Dixies. I was a Bud ....then Miller Lite... back to Bud.... and then to Lone Star..... and back to Bud kind of guy.

After riding out Hurricane Rita, I moved to Central Texas in late September, 2005. Before long I began working and traveling with The Power Load . It was only a few weeks before I realized the wonderful opportunity I had to be able to sample new beer selections that I probably never would have be able to. It was in those journeys that The Brew Chronicles was born. I quickly realized that travel was just something we do. It really did not make muck difference where we worked. Most of my fellow employee had seen so much from their windshield that they had become numb to it. I quickly made a mental game of looking forward to where I was going because of the unique beer that would be offered in the area. As I have written I would bring beers back from my travels and on multiple occasions I would bring sampler back for a couple of my local friends and the bar tenders at my local favorite pub.

Upon learning of where our next "job" was, I was be filled with anticipation of being able to find some of my favorites such as # 9, Harpoon IPA, Moose Drool and Black Butte Porter. I no longer work on the road but I can now find each of these beers at my local supermarket. In the past year a large chain liquor store has been opened in town and they have a vast selection of craft beers. Even with the new selections I am still wishing they would have more.

I wish I would have kept better notes regarding all of the different beers I have been able to sample. Looking back I realize I have tasted over a hundred different beers in the last nearly six year. Yes, I write here at times and I post my "Beer of the Day" on my face book from time to time, but my regret remains. In the future I am going to attempt to journal the beers I have tasted over the years. Listed below (way below) are microbreweries and brew pubs I have visited in my life.
Some of those listed are places I visited when I was much younger. Many are found along the . roadways I traveled as a result of my tenure with The Power Load.... I am going to give a real true example of one of my trips.....

This is true story, none of the names or places have been changed to protect the guilty.

I left early Monday morning from Central Texas traveling to Osh Kosh Wi. My plans were to stop somewhere in the middle of Missouri and spend the night. I was traveling with a coworker. Since I left about 3 in the morning I planned to drive till about 6 or 7 in the afternoon. I had a friend who had graduated from the University of Missouri at Rolla. I realized I would be passing through Rolla (on I-44) at about the time I planned to stop so I called the office and had them make a reservation for me. I say this because I did not select the location of my lodging. As we pulled into the parking lot I noticed that we passed a place that said "Public House Brewing Company". It was walking distance (about two blocks) from our motel room. Joe and I checked into our room and I took a shower and off i went. Joe stayed behind (probably smoking a few blunts while I was gone).
The next morning we continued our trip. we arrived in Osh Kosh a day early for our job. We checked into the motel around 2:30 in the afternoon. I read some of the literature left in my room and I learned that there was a brew pub only a few miles from my motel. I called my travel mate Joe (who rarely drank) and I told him I would buy him a late lunch. We drove over to Fox River Brew Pub ( on the banks of Lake Winnebago) and I ordered a sampler with a sandwich. In two days I had already visited two brew pubs. One week later I traveled to Monroe Washington (1,943 miles). We left around noon and as we were crossing through Wisconsin, I passed through Chippewa Falls. I was still driving the company truck (this time alone) and I was to drop it off at the Minneapolis Airport. I was to meet my road room mate and friend, Roger there and we would continue on to our destination in his 2004 Monte Carlo named "Betsy". Since I left about 45 minutes before Bub, I decided to stop at the Linnegukel Brewery (at Chippewa Falls) I drank a small glass (about 4 ounces) of one of their beers, purchased a pint glass and then continued my journey to our rendezvous. I was at the brewery less than 20 minutes. I only drank four ounces of beer yet I had now been to three "beer places" on my trip.
We spent the night in Fargo, North Dakota at a Super Eight Inn ( Roger picked the location). Directly across the street was the Great Northern Restaurant and Brew Pub, (number four).We ate there and I drank a couple of their offerings. I learned that they would be closing for business in less than a month. We left the next morning realizing we had over 1,400 miles to drive to our next destination. Late that afternoon I realized that we would be passing through Missoula Mt while on Interstate 90. I mentioned it to my "Budweiser Only" friend Roger. "Bub, I don't think we will have time to stop....maybe next time." I was disappointed but I understood. Once again the "Beer Gods" were looking over me. As the sun was beginning its decent in the Bitter Creek Mountians, Roger informed me that we were running "on fumes" and that he would be pulling over for "petrol" . I had pretty much had forgotten my earlier request to stop at that Montana Brewery. I was actually catching a few winks when Roger informed me that we would be stopping. As we entered the small Montana town he took an exit indicating a nearby Exxon station. But as he turned underneath the freeway, low and behold I sited Big Sky Brewery, (brewer of Moose Drool Brown Ale) directly on our right. I could barely see the Exxon sign down the street. "Ok I will drop you off to go look inside, but I am going to fill Betsy up and we need to keep going" "Fine, I said". I walked inside their tap room and located a long sleeve tee shirt and a pint glass.....Then I walked up to the bar and ordered a beer (free of course) I paid for my souvenirs and slammed the beer down. Then I ordered another and walked over to look outside to see if Roger was waiting for me. He was not there yet. I quickly downed the beer and walked outside just as he was pulling up. I took a picture of the building, (shown here) got inside his car and we drove away. (I had now been to five places on my trip)"So you did not have time to drink a beer....sorry" he said. "No I did not" I replied. As we continued on I 90 into the mountains and after a long period of silence Roger spoke..."Liar". We both laughed.

As we crossed into Idaho we saw literally hundreds of small fires in the mountains. Although it had a certain eeriness about it. It was pretty cool looking. We arrived at the Holiday Inn Motel in Monroe Washington a few minutes before midnight. Directly next door to the Motel was the Sail Fish Bar and Grill. We were both starving to death and although we were both exhausted, we were too "hyped up" from driving. Neither of us had eaten anything since breakfast back in North Dakota. My cell phone began ringing. It was our coworker "Trol" . Hey guys I saw you two drive up. I am over in the bar next door, come on over. Before we even checked into our room we walked over to the grill. It was there that i saw a sign saying Sailfish Bar and Grill & Twin Rivers Brewing Company. .... Once again the "Beer Gods" were looking after me. I visited my (6th beer place)
After less than 5 hours sleep we were drinking coffee in the lobby of the Holiday Inn. We were getting ready to go to work when nine of us received phone calls and were informed that we would be flying to Denver and then driving to nearby Castle Rock, Colorado. It was nearly six o clock in the afternoon when we walk on to the job site in Colorado. We were there only a few minutes when it was decided that we would commence the next day. As we were leaving the location we passed Rockyard Grill and Brewery located on Interstate 25, We went inside for a beer and then finally to our motel to rest for the next day. We visited that Brewpub (number seven) several times during the next week. A week later we flew from Denver to Phoenix where we worked in nearby Carefree Az. We were staying a very nice "resort" and were required to drive about 6 miles each day to the job site. Along our route we passed through Cave Creek, Az and the many eateries and night clubs. One such place was Black Mountain Brewery (Number eight). We visited that location several time throughout the week. This brewery is famous or infamous (depending as to how you look at it) for brewing "Chili Beer". http://www.chilibeer.com. At the time, they actually brewed Chili Beer there but they now brew the beer in Mexico.

Instead of flying back to Seattle with Roger and then driving to the San Fransisco Bay area for our new project, I was given the keys to another company vehicle and asked to drive it and two passengers to Dublin, California. As I was driving into Dublin I passed the town of Pleasonton (about 5 miles) away. There was a huge billboard advertising "Main Street Brewery". Over the next seven days, I visited the Brew Pub three separate times. The beer was pretty good, but the food was amazing. Many of my coworkers enjoyed the food. I was easy for me to convince at least one of them to drive me over to the brew pub, my ninth "beer place" on my trip.

Our final job was located in Port Orchard, Washington (near Seattle) Our motel room was facing and was only about 100 feet from Puget Sound. The seals barked each night. The trek from our motel to our job site, passed through old downtown Port Orchard. On about the third or fourth day I noticed the Bay Street Ale House. It was a small place and looked like a pub only. One of of coworkers pointed out that they had a brewery inside. He, Joe drove me over to the brew pub (number ten). The beer was amazing.

Within a few days my six week trip was winding to an end. I left the company truck with another coworker who lived in the area. She was to drive it to Texas a week later. She also took me to Seatac (the airport) and I flew home to Texas. While I was at the airport I stepped inside what I thought was just a bar. It actually was a brew pub (Hale's Ales).

This trip allowed me to visit eleven different brew pubs. It was fun.

I admit that most trips I took while working for the Power Load were not always six weeks in duration. Most "places" were not across the street or 'walking distance" from where I was staying. Most required that I drive or ride to them. Most of my travels only afforded me one or possibly two occasions, if any, to visit Brew Pubs and or Breweries. There were several instances where I found local breweries or brewpubs but I could not get a ride or find someone to go to them. In fact, most of my job travels, did not include any visits to Brew Pubs and or Breweries. I realize that my former bosses may read this blog (although I truly doubt it). For that reason, I want to put some issues to rest at this time. Other than the 4 ounces of beer I drank at Leinenkukel in Chippewa Falls, I never, got behind the wheel of a company vehicle after drinking beer. During the course of my employment, if I stopped at a new brew pub, brewery or bar and drank a beer,( and I did on a few occasions) I always had a fellow employee (who did not drink) with me who would drive. I never would travel "out of the way" (further than five miles) in order to visit a brew pub. Each place I visited were usually off of the freeway or down the street from lodging. I never visited a brew pub or brewery while with co workers before I made sure I that it was ok with them. On more than one occasion, I actually paid for their meals as well. I never stayed very long at any place, Usually I would do as I did at Big Sky Brewery, drink a beer or two, purchase a pint glass and possibly a tee shirt and or cap. Visiting breweries and brew pubs became my hobby. I never abused the good nature of those where were with me and I never betrayed the "confidence" (I say that tongue in cheek) of my employers. I worked for a "construction" company with construction workers. Many of them drank and drank a lot. Many of the used various drugs as well. Many of them, including our supervisors would drink so much that they would arrive to work the following day still under the effects of what they had drank the night before. That was something that I can honestly say I never was guilty of. I was usually asleep by 10PM. In nearly five years of employment I was never late to work nor did I miss a single day because of some sort of ailment or because I did not hear my alarm clock etc. Although I logged thousands of miles in multiple company vehicles, I never had a single accident, locked the keys in the vehicle or received a single ticket or citation. Although several employees witnessed me bring several six packs to my room several times a week, they did not realize or consider that I would transport the vast portion of that beer back home so I could share with my friends and family. I am sure they still contacted my employers and inform them that I was a drunken lush. I am sure my employers believed them as well. Change that, my employers always believed them even when I denied such accusations. Because I brought so much beer back home , on occasion I would strategically place several bottles inside my luggage for air travel and on more than one occasion, I transported several six packs of beer in the locked rear portion of the company vehicles I drove. I investigated various state laws and I learned that I was not breaking any applicable laws regarding such transport. I asked my brother in law, co owner of the company, on more than one occasion and he asked that if I wanted to transport beer that I place the beer in the "locked" bed of the truck. I never carried any beer inside the cab of any company vehicle. As I said, my former employer never believed me. Why should I ever think they would start now. But for the rest of my readership, hopefully you WILL believe me.

Below is the list I mentioned earlier. I am placing an asteric (*) after the ones I visited while with the Powerload

Texas:
Southern Star - Conroe
St. Arnold's - Houston
Two Rows* - Dallas
Humberdinks* - Dallas
Fredericksberg Brewing - Fredericksberg
Real Ale Brewery - Blanco
Rohr's Brewery - Fort Worth
Draught House - Austin
North by Northwest Brewpub - Austin
Uncle Billy's Brew and Cue - Austin
Lone Star Brewery - San Antonio
Pearl Brewery - San Antonio
Jaxon's Brewing* - El Paso
Spoetzl Brewing - Shiner

New Hampshire:
Stone Coast Brewery* - Laconia
Smuttynose* - Portsmouth

Vermont:
Vermont Brew and Pub* - Burlington
Switchback Brewery* - Burlington
Magic Hat Brewery* - South Burlington

Massachusetts:
Harpoon Brewery* - Boston

Pennsylvania:
Bethlehem Brew Works* - Bethlehem
The Church Brew Works* - Pittsburgh

New York:
Custom Brewcrafters* - Honeoye Falls

Missouri:
Public House Brewery - Rolla
Schafly Beer - St. Louis
Boulevard Brewery - Kansas City
Trailhead Brewery - St. Charles
O'Fallon Brewery - O'Fallon
Weston Brewery -Weston

Illinois:
Fulton Street Brewery (Goose Island)* - Chicago
Destihl Brew Pub* - Normal

Minnesota:
Summit Brewing* - St. Paul
Flat Earth Brewing* - Minneapolis
August Schell Brewing* - New Ulm

Ontario:
Creemore Springs Brewery (Tap Room)* - New Market

Michigan:
Bell's Brewing* - Galesburg
Marquette Harbor Brewing* - Marquette
Jasper Ridge Brewery* - Ishpeming

New Mexico:
Sierra Blanco*- Moriatiy
Charma River*- Albuquerque
Tractor* - Los Lunas
Turtle Mountain* - Rio Rancho

Connecticut:
Hops Brewpub* -Wallingford Center

Kansas:
Flying Monkey* - Olathe

Wyoming:
Bitter Creek Brewery* -Rock Springs

Colorado:
Left Hand Brewery* - Longmont
Fort Collins Brewery* - Fort Collins
New Belgium Brewing*- Fort Collins
Odell Brewing* - Fort Collins
Coors Brewing - Golden
Trinidad Brewing* - Trinidad
Wynkoop Brewpub* - Denver
Coopersmiths Brewpub* - Fort Collins
Oskur Blues Brewing*- Lyons
Dry Dock Brewing* - Aurora
Rockyard Brewing* - Castle Rock

Utah:
Rooster's Brewpub* - Ogden
Wasatch Brewpub and Brewery* - Park City

North Dakota:
Great Northern Restaurant and Brew Pub

California:
Okie Girl Brewery - Lebec
Seirra Nevada* - Chico
Karl Strauss Brewery* - San Diego
Stone Brewery* - Escondito
Main Street Brewery* - Pleasonton
Indian Wells Brewery -Inyokern
Firestone Walker Brewery* - Paso Robles
Lockdown Brewery* - Folsom

Montana:
Big Sky Brewing* - Missoula

Washington:
Hale's Ale* - Seattle
Bay Street Ale House - Port Orchard
Salmon Creek Brewpub - Vancouver

Oregon:
Pyramid* - Portland
Widmer Brothers* - Portland
DeSchutes Brewing* - Bend
Lucky Lab Brewing* - Portland
HUB Brewing* - Portland
Bridgeport Brewery* - Portland
Roots Organic Brewery*- Portland
Rogue* - Newport
Green Dragon* - Portland
McTarnahans Tap Room* - Portland
Hair of the Dog* - Portland
McMininimans (various locations)*- Portland

Louisiana:
Abita - Abita Springs
Dixie - New Orleans
Falstaff - New Orleans
Jax - New Orleans

Nebraska:
Emporium* - Lincoln

Maryland:
Wild Goose Brewery* - Frederick

Arizona:
Black Mountain Brewing Company - Cave Creek

Looking at the list I realize I have been very fortunate to have been able to visit as many brewpubs. I look forward to visiting many more in the future.

My next blog will discuss my amended plans/dream

Until Then......



The Third

School House Rock (Part One of a Series of Five)

"I'm just a bill.
Yes, I'm only a bill.
And I'm sitting here on Capitol Hill.
Well, it's a long, long journey
To the capital city.
It's a long, long wait
While I'm sitting in committee,
But I know I'll be a law someday
At least I hope and pray that I will,
But today I am still just a bill."

The State of Texas has more counties, more than any other state in the US. (Georgia ranks second with 159) Louisiana has 64 (called parishes). When I was in the eighth grade at Midway Junior High School, I was required to learn how to spell each one of them as well as the names of the Parish seats of each.

Ok, do not worry. This blog is not a geography rant.

By definition, the State of Texas is "dry". Out of 264 total counties only 44 allow all sales of alcoholic beverage anywhere "in the county". Harris County (Houston); Dallas County (Dallas); Tarrant County (Fort Worth) and Travis County (Austin) are not among the 44.

There are 26 counties that prohibit the sale of any alcoholic beverages anywhere "in the county".

The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) has full and complete control over all aspects of the sale and handling of all forms of alcoholic beverages in the State of Texas.

I am a firm advocate of responsible actions regarding alcohol however The Czar like Machiavellian control of the TABC boggles the mind.

........more on that later

_________________________________________________________

I have had a dream the last few years of starting up a micro brewery. The more I look into the idea, the more I realize that I simply do not have the financial backing or "mojo". But I still dream. My dream continues for 2 Brewing Company. I, like a lot of other people have uttered the words "I think I will open a bar". I am pretty confident that opening and keeping open a bar is a lot more difficult that meets the eye.

In Texas if one has a bar, he has to have a license issued by the TABC to sell and serve beer and wine and also an additional license to sell and serve "liquor". Obtaining such licenses is difficult and expensive. As an owner of a bar, one can purchase liquor and wine at local liquor stores. Theoretically the owner can probably purchase such spirits less than someone could who simply walked in from the street. But.....the bar owner must pay a tax on each bottle thus raising the his costs. For each bottle purchased a special sticker or tag in affixed to it. This is strictly enforced by the TABC. Violations are severe and expensive. With regards to beer, all beer sold and distributed at a "bar" must be purchased through a wholesaler. Wholesalers are assigned by the TABC for various regions. Wholesalers essentially have an exclusive on all of the beers sold and consumed in their specific region. It is the closest thing to a legalized monopoly. The bar owner can only sell to the public what beer the local wholesaler has available.

Large "beer" companies such as AB InBev SAB-Miller and Molson-Coors have local beer distributors who all provide beer but they do so "through" the local selected wholesaler. Craft Breweries must sell and provide their beer and ales to the wholesaler directly and hope and pray that such beers are marketed with the same vigor as the big three are. If I were to open a brewery, I could sell my products to wholesalers and liquor stores. In Texas it is illegal for a brewer to sell directly to the consumer unless such brewer operates a Brew Pub. Here lies a technicality. You either own a micro brewery or a brew pub, not both. If a person owns a brew pub, he can produce beer "on site". He can sell his beer directly to the consumer (by draft). He can even sell limited quantities of his produced beer in "approved" containers (sometimes called growlers) and the customer can actually take the beer "home" for consumption. He can not sell any beer he produces in his brew pub to wholesalers or anyone else. Brewers of "Micro Breweries" can have "tasting" or tap rooms but they are prohibited to sell any of their beer to the consumer. They can charge a nominal charge for a brewery tour etc. So with all of this said, if a person was to opens a brew pub in Texas he or she can began making beer to sell in his or her bar only. He is prohibited by law to sell it anywhere else. If a person opens a Brew Pub in any other state, he or she can sell their beer directly to Texas liquor stores or wholesalers. Out of state beer producers have a clear advantage over those in Texas.

House Bill 660 was proposed to change things. The law, if passed, would have allowed Texas Brew Pub owners to have the same opportunity to sell their product as out of state Brew Pub Owners. In addition the bill would have provided a easy path for additional legislation that would allow Craft Brewers to have Brew Pubs to sale their product to the general public. Supporters of the bill showed where passage of the bill would cause the creation of hundreds of additional jobs for Texans. In addition they showed where a substantial amount of tax money would be generated on the production of more craft beer in Texas. Passage of the bill would have allowed Texas to enter a market that states such as California, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington have dominated. Passage of this bill was truly a "no brainier". But this is Texas. The poor wholesalers argued that if the bill passed, backyard bootlegger beer pirates would start selling untaxed and unregulated beer to bars and liquor stores. Yes, bars owners would still pay a bottle tax in fear of fines yet they may be tempted to buy a couple of kegs from some home brewer and try to pass it off as Budweiser or something. (that was sarcasm) I may not be real smart but TABC could easily require that all kegs have the necessary tags reflecting that all applicable taxes were paid. This should quell the wholesalers fears.

In summary the greedy wholesalers sold out their fellow Texans. House Bill 660 never got out of committee. Personally I am insulted. You should be as well.

I'm Thirsty



The Third

Miss Nellies Pretty Place

Amos an Allie were married over sixty years. Amos and I became great friends from the moment we first met. Amos taught me how to play "42". His sister was married to Allie's brother and another of her brothers was married to to another of Amos' sisters. The children of each of the three marriages were cousins to each other but had more "blood relationship" than a "normal cousin" They all looked like brothers and sisters and referred to themselves as double first cousins.

In the mid 1930's the three couples, their parents and children began meeting for an annual family gathering near the small hamlet of Abbot, Texas, home of Willie Nelson. (my father in law, George, attended elementary school with Willie). Within a few years, the gathering became so large that they relocated to a small campground/picnic area near Navarro Mills, Texas. The children of the three families were growing older and starting families of their own. They would invite others to attend the gathering and within a few more years, Navarro Mills could no longer accommodate the crowd. The new location for the annual reunion was at Cameron Park in nearby Waco. At 470 acres it is one of the largest city parks in the State of Texas.

Through the years the attendance steadily increased. Eventually more than a thousand people would attend the Cottongame/Sellers reunion at Cameron Park on the first Sunday after Mother's Day. People would drive to Waco from all directions. They would brings cakes, pies, cookies, covered dishes, fried chicken, ham, salads, tea, sodas, chips and dips and many more wonderful delicacies. There were several generations of people. Of course the big event was the arrival of new members of the family. Each child, grandchild, great grandchild would be paraded and passed around by their parents and proud grandparents. Volley ball nets were set up for heated contests. Holes were dug for games of washers held along side several games of horseshoes. The sounds of children playing, old women cackling, dominoes rattling as they were being "washed" and hearty laughter and Texas "Bullshit Tales" from old men flowed in the breeze blowing through the pecan and oak trees as well as the rooms of the clubhouse that was perched on top of a hill overlooking the mighty Brazos River (which was accessible from a stepped walkway known as Jacobs Ladder). After an hour or so after "lunch" the "game" was played. The game was a softball game held in an adjacent field between members of the two original families. Most participants were not too sure as to which family they belonged to. In the end it really did not make a difference. The game was the culmination of the reunion. Around 3 or 4 in the afternoon the game was over and most people had "headed" back to Cleburne, Gatesville, Everman, Kennedale, Corsicana, Fort Worth and other places left, thinking about returning the following year.

My first trip to the reunion was in 1973 with my girlfriend, her brother and her parents. We left their home in Cedar Grove early on Sunday morning. We arrived in Waco around 10 or so. As we were exiting their dark green LTD The Plaintiff's aunt Georgie Mae quickly moved to our car with a hand made wedding dress in her arms. To be honest, I had never thought about the possibility that I would one day be married to The Plaintiff. We had been dating only a few weeks. The wedding dress was a shock but for some strange reason, I was truly "drawn" to this strange family because of it's reunion...

For the reunion of 1977 we drove our new metallic red Monte Carlo up Highway 6 from Houston to Waco. In the back seat rode our eight month old red headed daughter, The Prodigy. As we drove up the hill and was approaching the clubhouse at Cameron Park, I witnessed a sight I shall always remember. My father in law was literally running across the spacious lawn towards our car. I stopped and rolled the window down to say hello and ask him where a good parking spot was located. He gave no reply. He simply opened the passenger door of my car and extracted my infant child. I parked in front of the adjacent baseball field.. No "hello daughter or son in law". Then he gleefully shouted as he held the red headed infant up and said "see" Junior she has the Sellers/Cottongame hair". He was smiling from ear to ear but there were tears of joy in his eyes. There was an old woman who would attend each year named Aunt Mena. She would always bring two pies. One for the reunion and one for her two favorite nephews. George and Junior. One year I along with George's son Dennis and Junior's son Randy hid and later ate both pies. George and Junior did not think our prank was funny.

In May 1984, the day before the annual family reunion at Cameron Park, "Cousin Randy" was involved in a freak accident and he died. It put a real damper on the reunion and as a result only a handful attended the event. We attended the following year and The Prodigy actually invited one of her school friends to attend the event. I would be my last Waco Reunion. A year later I was separated from The Plaintiff and we eventually divorced. After Junior's son died, as well as most of the original "brothers and sisters", the annual event had fewer and fewer people attending and once again the event was held a Navarro Mills and finally not at all...

A tradition had died. But it shall forever remain in my heart as a fond memory.

Last year I had the good fortune to be invited to attend a college football game between Texas A&M and Baylor Universities. Once again I was in Waco with my oldest daughter. It had been over 25 years.

We had plenty of time so I drove into Cameron Park and revisited many familiar places. As we drove up on the hill we saw the refurbished "club house". We marveled at the spacious lawn where we once played many heated games of volleyball, washers and horseshoes. I stopped the car in the exact same place I had done that day my father in law kidnapped his granddaughter. Tear filled my eyes as I recounted the story to her and her husband. "Dad I do not remember it, I was only 8 months old. The field were "the game" was held was now a garden of Texas wild flower and fauna. At a location close to where the pitchers mound was stands a expansive pool of water with water fountains. The old "backstop" has been replaced with large cement columns resembling Roman or Greek architecture. Engrave on a cement wall is the new name of the field Miss Nellies Pretty Place. I do not know who Miss Nellies is or was. Perhaps she was one of those wonderful people who would gather once a year for the reunion.

I realize that as time passes thing obviously change. Many of those people who gathered for that reunion have gone on to "Gloryland" I am no longer a member of that family and other than my daughter Jennifer I probably shall never any of those people again. I also realize one can never truly go back to what once was. Forums such as this blog at least gives me the time to reflect on those wonderful times.

Those pies were good...



Cousin The Third

My Season Ten Predictions

Yes, I realize this is a Beer Blog but I can not help myself and once again I want to post something about American Idol.

Ok....... I know I swore off American Idol. But I backslid. I admit it. I watched all of the crazy auditions and I was impressed at the total number of people from Louisiana that tended to rise to the top. Sadly I think all of them will be gone soon, if they are not already gone. Thus far I find the addition of Steven Tyler and J Lo to be a good and positive change. But enough of that. I want to state after watching the the first two live episodes, who I predict will be chosen by America as the Top Ten, and who the two wild card picks of the judges will be. In addition I will predict who I believe will be in the Final Five as well as the final two positions and the eventual winner.

I realize everyone seems to want a female to win for a change but honestly, I do not think it will happen this year. Although there are a couple of female contestants who are actually pretty good, I find that none of them distinguish themselves enough to win it all. My prediction of the top five of the women are:
Pia, Haley, Karen, Thia and Ashton. The judges will choose either Lauren Turner (a Louisiana girl) or Naima as their wild card choice. I feel Naima holds a slight edge with the judges. Based on last night's singing Lauren should win out but the judges will not save her. Of the "six" only Pia and Karen have a realistic chance to make it to the Final Five.

Of the "boys": I like the stand up bass playing Casey and I like the Nudie Suit wearing Paul. I feel their quirkiness will carry them both near to the end. The Durbin fellow (with the tail and Asberger's Syndrome ) is a damn good talent but I think he will fail eventually. I think his personality will not garner the support for the "voters". Yes he is a "rocker" . So was Chris
Daughtry. Did he win? Scott from NC has a good county voice but then again so do a lot of people. I agree the two of the biggest alumni winners from AI are "country stars" but I do not think the producers are aiming to produce any future Country stars. Hell, Kenny Chesney has a great voice but out of 1.387 songs on my music player, it still remains Chesney free. Jacob Lusk rounds out my list of the Top Five Males. My prediction for the Wild Card choice will be either Brett or Clint Jun. (I give a slight edge to Brett)

So who will be the Final?. I predict the Final Five will be Pia, Casey Jacob, Karen and Paul. The last three standing are predicted to be Casey, Pia and Jacob. I think Casey Abram's loyal following and eclectic performances will carry him to the finals. But as far as who I think is going to win ( or should I say who I think should win)....Jacob Lusk. I admit there is a long way to go and I admit that public opinion changes. I watched him give a performance of a lifetime during one of his try outs. It brought tears to my eyes and I watched as he giggled with glee with all of the praise bestowed upon him but I also watched as he went out side to greet his family and saw him collapse in sobs. In my book that is the true definition of soul

Each year we hear the hype that this year's talent is the best ever. My first year to watch American Idol was Season Five. I correctly picked the eventual winner, Taylor Hicks from the very first time I saw him. People tend to look at the Season Five winner "Soul Patrol" and laugh but the fact is that Season Five's contestants have by far done the "best" . Do the names Bucky Covington, Ace Young and Elliot Yammin, Chris Daughtry, Kellie Pickler sound familiar.I predict this year will produce an equal crop of future stars as well.

Yo Dawg


The Third

The Chair

Nearly two years ago I posted on my blog ( Cosc ar bheoir ghlas) about my great great Grandfather Michael Tomas O'Sullivan. The picture shown on the left is one taken of him. He was born in 1835. He immigrated to America from County Cork, Ireland in 1851 and eventually settled in Memphis Tennessee and worked as a member of the city's fire department. In 1861 He enlisted in the Confederate army. He was a Private in Company 7, 10th Regiment of the Tennessee Infantry, CSA. He was captured at the Battle of Shiloh and spent time in a "Union" POW Prison (Camp Douglas).He eventually was involved in a prisoner exchange. He was sent to Vicksburg, Mississippi. After the war he married the sister of a fellow soldier whom he met in the war and settled in the Northern part of Mississippi. In January of 1883 he arranged for his father, and mother , his brother John and his wife Kate and his sister Ellen and her husband W.P. Condon, to sail from Ireland to New Orleans, Louisiana. From there they traveled via a river boat up the Mississippi River and then the Yazoo River to Yazoo City, Mississippi. Mike met his family in Yazoo City and then traveled with them on his wagon for nearly two days back to Coila, Mississippi where he and his young family lived. He had not seen his parents for over 34 years and both his brother John (Little John and Ellen ) were born after he had left Ireland. His parents lived less than a year before both of them passed away. He died Carroll County, Mississippi in 1891 at the age of 56. Most feel an injury incurred in the war contributed to his early death. He was a contractor most of his life. He dug wells and ditches. He was a brick mason and a carpenter. He built houses. He had seven children, five sons and two daughters. Tomas Ulliam (my great grandfather); John Walsh; William Maurice, ; Ellen Katreen; Patrick "Pad" Owen; Mary Elizabeth; and Francis Donal. His sons continued as contractors and builders. In 1899 , the sons of Mike Sullivan, John L, Sullivan and W.P. Condon using lumber from the land of John L. Sullivan, built the first Catholic Church (Sacred Heart Parish) in Northern Mississippi (Coila). The original structure stands to this day.
According to the story told to me by my father, the "boys" built the church as well as the altar and pews all within one month. From some of the left over materials William Maurice (Uncle Morris) crafted a rocking chair for his older brother Tom's second born son Thomas William (Dit).
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My grandfather began working for Humble Oil and quickly was promoted to Pipeline Superintendent. He worked in Sabine Parish near Zwolle, Louisiana for most of his tenure with The Company. In the early 1950's he transferred to the small town of Oil City. He purchased a five acre track of land which had a large Humble Oil "Superintendent's company house" located on it. The house had two screened porches. One was at the "front" of the house. I spent hours swinging on the swing on that porch and watching as trains would speed along the nearby Kansas City Southern railroad tracks. The side porch , which led into the kitchen area, was much smaller. On it was a light gray painted rocking chair. I remember playing in it. I also recall my grandfather telling me how he, his brother and sisters. my father,my aunt and even I were rocked to sleep in that very chair. It was the chair my grandmother (Bessie) would set in as she shelled peas or snapped beans. In 1970 my grandparents moved from that house and moved to a brick house near our house in Shreveport. My grandfather died a few months later.
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The gray rocking chair occupied one of the three bedrooms at my grandmother's house. In the same room was a roll top desk which I also recall playing on back in the "company house". Over the years I pretty much forgot about that old rocking chair.

In 1974 my father purchased a four bed room house in the Memorial Area of Houston, Texas. On my first visit to their new home, my father pointed out their "antique room" Inside was an old wrought iron bed and frame, an old "dresser drawer" my mother had found at a garage sale and a rocking chair. "Is that the same one that was grand daddy's?" I asked. "It sure is" my father replied. It looked so old and dirty. I told him that I remembered it as being painted gray yet it was an awful shade of green. "I painted it" he told me. "Tommy that is the same chair that rocked my father to sleep when he was a baby" he said beaming with pride.

Two years later, The Prodigy was born. Soon after, a fourth generation was rocked in that chair. My father had repainted it again. This time it was a light grey and the seat had been re padded and reupholstered. Dad had the seat covered with a nearly pure white "unborn calf hide". It really looked nice.
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My father eventually sold his house in Houston and after several years he moved near Toledo Bend Reservoir. The rocking chair once again went with him and this time it found it self outside on the covered patio adjacent to his lake house. The weather was not kind to the chair. The paint eventually chipped and discolored and the calf hide seat cover was worn and had holes in it. But...the chair still rocked. My youngest daughter was nearly two years old when my father held her and rocked her to sleep in that old chair.
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Once again my father moved, this time to New Mexico. On his last visit to my home, he told me that he had something for his granddaughter. He seemed pretty excited and he asked that I help him bring it inside my house. I walked with him to his truck and there to my surprise was that rocking chair. It had a fresh coat of white paint and the seat was covered with light gray leather. He told me that he had the chair completely restored and repainted. I took it inside our home. My Dad then told us that the chair was not ours but rather Sarah's. She was six or seven at the time. He then told us the story of the chair. I don't think my daughter paid attention. The chair sat in our living room for nearly five years. For a long time no one was allowed to even set in it. The Rock Star Mentality made sure of that. The chair served at a coat rack and a place for The Mrs The Third to hang drying clothes on.

When we moved to Central Texas, we brought the chair with us. It spent nearly five years in storage and finally when we moved into the house we are in now, we brought the chair to our living room. Mostly the chair just sat there. It once again found itself being used for the same thing it was back when we were in Tomball.
My daughter, Jan Brady would come down from far North Texas and visit us. Her daughter, Little Cat seemed to always be fussy, She wanted little or nothing to do with me. She was constantly having problems with her ears. One night she was fussy and I picked her up and I sat in the rocking chair and began to rock her. Before long she was fast asleep. The chair did it's magic.
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Several months ago, I wrote about my grandson. I wrote how he was born premature. He only weighed one pound seven ounces when he was born. He was so tiny. The picture on the left is his footprint on an infant tongue depressor. There were countless things that could have been "wrong" with him. The odds of his survival were not very good, yet as I stated in that posting, He has the heart of a Tiger. He spent nearly month at Austin Texas' Dell Children's Hospital. His mother and father would travel to see him multiple times. I along with his grandmother visited many times as well. He had all sorts of tubes attached to him and in him, yet he continued to progress each day. Eventually he was returned to the hospital where he was born. He was still very frail and very small. We would go to the hospital and visit him. The small child was inside a plastic encased device. We could barely see him and we could not touch him. He seemed to never cry but only squeak. As time progressed he was moved to an open bed and we could actually touch him. Later we could even pick him up and hold him and even feed him. He continued to grow. He would open his eyes and gaze at me. His even cried too. But he was still in the hospital. Months passed he still remained. All of the things that could have been wrong...were not. He was growing into a healthy baby. He approached seven p0unds and we learned that it should not be too long and the boy could finally go home to his mother and father.

Please forgive me if I sound sappy or sentimental.
I realize that I am a lot like my father. I realize that sometimes I am misunderstood. Although I mean one thing, sometimes people tend to interpret what I say as something other than what I mean. It is more frustrating than most people believe. I suppose it is my cross to bear. I have spent the best part of my life trying to be the very best parent I can be. I make no boasts or excuses as to how well or how poorly I did. I have witnessed my four children as adults and I am confident that each of them carries a substantial amount of my "influence" whether they admit it and or like it or not. I do not always agree with the choices and decisions my children make, but I truly try to support their decisions regardless. I like to say that I have never intentionally given any of them bad advise. I could never hurt them. Which reminds me of a true incident with my own father.....We were driving together one afternoon when we stopped at a "roadside" BBQ stand. Both of us got a BBQ sandwich, a jalapeno pepper and a soft drink. We got back in the truck and continue our trip. My dad began eating first and at some point I asked him how hot the pepper was. He looked at me and said "Not too bad." He then took another bite of the pepper for me to see. Since my father told me the pepper was not "hot" and since I witnessed him taking a second bite from his pepper, I sunk my teeth into the pickled pepper. Almost immediately my mouth exploded from the intense heat I felt. "Holy Shit!!! Holy Shit !!! I screamed. "That is the hottest pepper I have ever tasted" "I know" my Dad said while he laughed. "And I had to take a second bite just to see you burn". "It was worth it." He was laughing so hard he actually cried. I cried too...mostly because of the hot pepper. ... but I laughed too. I tell that story because that is how much my father loved me and that is how I know that he did.

That is how much I love my children too. Hopefully one day they will realize the same thing I realized about my Dad.
Perhaps they already do.
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My father in law, George was absolutely obsessed with his first grandchild. The love he had for The Prodigy was so intense that those around him could actually feel it. Although he would have other grandchildren, there was something truly special about his feelings for his "Little Sister". My own mother was pretty much the same. I never believed that I could love anyone as strongly and intensely as they did. Looking back I think maybe I always have but I assure you that the mere thought of my grandson (previously referred to as Number 18 but now and in the future, to be known as "Hayseed") stirs a feeling inside of me that I cannot truly describe. He is still a small infant but to me he is my hero. He gives me inspiration and hope. I hope one day he and I can share a pepper one day too.
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So RSM has moved to an apartment with The New Mexican, an American Hero. Yesterday, after over three and a half months in hospitals, my grandson has finally gone to his own home. No strings and no tubes attached. He is a healthy baby boy. The Mrs The Third, Jan Brady, Little Cat and I went to visit him and his parents. Upon entering their apartment, I noticed the rocking chair setting in the corner. Once again it seemed to be a coat rack. I even placed my coat on it. I eventually got my "turn" to hold the baby. I held him and went over to the corner and sat down. There was a lot of commotion and no one noticed the tears in my eyes. I felt the love that George and Odessa felt. I am sure those tears were partially for those who came before me but also tears of joy of those who will follow. A fifth generation was experiencing what his great great great Uncle Morris built over one hundred and ten years ago. My grandfather was the "first" and now his grandson was holding his grandson. It was The Big Cat and Hayseed as it has always been destined to be....rocking in The Chair.


Geaux Haise !! Rock On !!!!



The Third

I would do it for You

I have been posting to this blog for over two years now. In many ways it certainly is not what I thought it would be ......and on the other hand it is. I have tried to take a lighthearted look at many things and have muddled my way through never really thinking too much as to how it played out. In a strange way, I feel that it is becoming a quasi autobiographical introspect. From the very beginning I have attempted to avoid using actual names of people I write about. I have assigned nicknames to many of them. Most people who know me, can readily identify to whom I am writing.

This is my blog and no one else contributes to it, I have never intentionally written anything that I felt would truly be harmful to anyone, living or dead. From time to time, I express my opinion and I sprinkle in some wry sarcasm. What I write I do so with tongue in cheek. I would never lie on purpose. If someone believes anything I have written is a lie, I guess there is nothing I could write here that would undo that opinion. If one does not care to believe what I write.... that is his or her prerogative. Although I sometimes use a bit of hyperbole, everything I have written is truthful. Sometimes you have to read what is written "between the lines". If you feel offended, betrayed or insulted..... then read it over again. Perhaps you did not truly understand what I was trying to say. Or perhaps, your cerebral limitations (or mine) or your predetermined beliefs, interfere with your ability to truly understand what I am attempting to say.

I have always striven to give each of my postings a positive and affirming spin. I would never want anything I write here to be construed as spiteful, malicious or vengeful. In a bizarre way I write my postings with a positive light.

With all of the above said, I am one who is not with out sin. I do not live in a glass house therefore I tend to not throw stones. Those who know me know I am talk way too much and that if you give me enough time I will eventually put my foot in my mouth. Although I usually try to keep a watchful eye on what other think, I also admit that other peoples "petty feeling" matter very little to me. I am confounded that they "simply do not get it."

I think most people consider me a "good guy". I feel that my good nature does not garner me the respect of others. I feel I am perceived as one who sort of goes with the flow. I do not like to be confrontational but trust me I can and will take a "stand" when I need to. I am capable to admit I am wrong and I will constantly remind you when I am right.

As I have written before, I played baseball for the Mighty Lakeshore Baptist Bees. One of the teams we would play twice a year was the team sponsored by one of the local Catholic churches, St. John's. At each of our contests, the announcers would state who was at bat as well as who was"on deck". As a small boy child, it was sort of special to hear your name announced. One of players on St. John's had the same last name as me. Of all of the teams that we played each year, St. John's actually had a person who I was actually related to. The two were not the same person. My mother's cousin had a son who played for St. John's. After each game with the cheating bastards , my mother would drag me over to introduce me to her cousin and her son Bucky Boone, my third cousin. It was on one of those occasions that Bucky introduced me to his friend and teammate Bill Sullivan. I think we were either nine or ten at the time.

Several years later while attending Louisiana State University, I was assigned a new roommate. His name was Steve. Steve was from the same home town as I was and had graduated from the local Catholic High School (Jesuit). Steve and I became fast friends. He knew many of the guys I used to play football against back in high school and yes he was friends with both the aforementioned Bucky and Bill. Bucky ended up joining the Army and died in Viet Nam. Bill began attending LSU and he ad I hung out a lot. He was the second youngest out of 11 children. He did not have a car and I found myself driving him around in Baton Rouge. He would show up at my room and ask me to take him somewhere. Usually I would tell him I did not want to go or I did not have time or some other excuse. He would say " Ahhh Come On Man, I'd do it for you." Most of the time I relented. Back in Shreveport we actually had several people convinced we were actual brothers. We even won a trophy as the best Foos Ball team in town. It seemed that no matter where I went, I tended to cross paths with Bill. Eventually I began to see less and less of Bill . In 1974, The Plaintiff and I were married on August 17 at 4:00 PM in the afternoon. I learned the next day that my friend Bill Sullivan had been married at 7:00 PM later that night at the same church......St John's Catholic. On a week day in 1981 I along with my Aunt Mary Nell were have a winning day at the local race track. I was standing in line to redeem a winning ticket when someone directly behind me spoke into my ear. "Come on Man..I'd do it for you.". It was my friend Bill. He was drunk as a skunk and he proceeded to tell me how much money he had lost that day. I bought him a beer and we spoke for about five minutes and made plans to get together soon. I had not seen or heard from him up until this past year. It seems he works at an accounting firm of which I have conducted some personal business recently.

I do not recall Bill doing one single favor for me. But I truly believe it is because I never asked him. I am confident that he would have. He taught me that if you are truly willing to do a favor for someone, you can truly ask them to do a favor for you.

Recently I submitted a posting concerning my son in law bringing some beer back to me. I wrote it to point out the various beers I was hoping that he would retrieve for me. (which he did by the way) I detailed how I took the steps that I took to make his "favor" for me to be as painless as possible. Upon his return home he informed me that the whole process took less than ten minutes of his time; that he only drove a mile or so out of his way; and the the sales rep even carried the seven six packs outside and placed them in his truck.

In the same posting I referred to an instance a year earlier wherein I had requested a former coworker to retrieve some beer from me. I implied that he "owed me". I pointed out that he was "too tired" to "hook me up" even though I believed it would have been very easy and convenient. I supposed it could be construed that I betrayed my "friend" as someone who was a loaf or someone who would not honor a debt and even steal money from me. I mentioned a vehicle I sold to him and I inadvertently misrepresented the actual selling price. The fact is that he did indeed pay for the vehicle (over the course of several months). I even provided him a written affidavit to attest that he had paid me in full. I did not directly give to him forty dollars. I had actually given the money to another employee with instructions to give the forty dollars to him along with directions to the local beer store. I never consulted with my friend and coworker concerning his willingness to acquire the beers for me. I suppose my history with the aforementioned Bill Sullivan led me to believe that my "friend" and former coworker would "hook me up". The beer he was supposed to have acquired for me was actually going to be a present to one of my new local friends. Finally I want to state that the person to whom I actually gave the forty dollars, informed me , after the fact, that he, not the "proposed beer mule" had my money. It was he that never gave my money back to me.

The mention in my posting was never intended to disrespect my former coworker. It was written as filler and in passing. I have since edited the posting to insure that little or any reference is made to him.

I realize that very few people actually read my blogs. One of the few that do (or did), is the person who I had hoped would bring the beers back to me back in 2009. He now feels as if I insulted him or as he states "I placed a shank in his back". he purports that I use my blog to lie. I differ with him that I lied. He in entitled to his misguided opinion. Regardless, I hereby apologize to him for anything I said either expressed or implied that would have caused him such consternation.

I sincerely hope that I have sufficiently addressed that matter. I do not intend to concern myself with it further.


On with the show



The Third