Drinking with 1/2 Germans

I was planning on going to the Leinie's tasting at O.C. in Ankeny this evening but decided to hit happy hour at O.C. in Ames instead. I don't know what made that decision for me, maybe that I knew Dave had enough on his plate without me asking him to join me, but it turned out to be a great evening.

This was not the first time (even this week) that I met an honest to God German-American. That being a person who has dual citizenship in both countries. Earlier this week I sat at the bar next to a young man that was shipping off to basic training (Army) and his uncle. The conversation was great, as was the beer. It's funny how the two go hand in hand.

Tonight I was sitting at the bar when an attractive lady sat down next to me. We struck up a conversation about hockey and beer. I was a couple in and felt quite nice about having a beautiful lady next to me that could hold her own in the beer/hockey forum. As all the gusto in the beer was getting to my head her husband sat down next to her...

Most guys would end the story here, but really it's just begun. The three of us carried on for a few hours about German Beers, life in Iowa, life in Germany, Octoberfest, and a lot of complete nonsense. Both had fantastic stories to tell about the other, and we all enjoyed some good beer.

I'm always a bit disappointed when my regular drinking buddies don't make it to the bar with me. I always picture myself sitting there staring at ESPN and wondering what the talking head are actually saying. It's like those weird dreams you have about showing up at school in your underwear. They make you wonder, but in the end they never really happen. There always seems to be somebody that will sit next to me and spend an evening spinning yarns about good times had. I guess I'm lucky that way.

I guess what I'm saying is "Go out and have a beer." Even if you have nobody to have one with that evening, there will always be somebody there to share one with you. It's a brotherhood, all for one and one for all.

"May you always get what you need, sometimes get what you want, but God help you if you get what you deserve!"