The Bar Chronicles: #23, ‘The Reunion’

Good to his promise when he left us shoveling and shivering in western New York State while he headed to the sunshine and surf of Florida, the ‘snow bunny’ friend among us bought the beers tonight, our 23rd ‘Bar Night’ at our favorite ‘dive’, Caverly’s Irish Pub (South Ave)

It’s Spring, the weather is miserable, but our collective spirits are lifted by the opportunity for five of us to gather again for a good time talking, thinking and doing anything that doesn’t require too much energy.

The bar TV is a distraction, it always is, so we migrated to the back room, leaving the game broadcast and the bar talk behind. However, we still lean in to hear our own conversation, with eyebrows raised, mouths slightly agape and the ears likely cupped, SOP for Seniors.

With bottles held high, we offered thanks that we all made it through winter safely, if not a bit more worn, four of us having borne the burden of winter along Ontario’s shoreline.

I was anxious to describe my very ‘first time’ to a somewhat ‘aghast’ group. With four sets of eyebrows rising even higher, I clarified, no, not that ‘first time’, I’m talking fender benders. I needed a sympathetic ear and tonight provided me with four pair, I assumed.

The delivery truck driver should not have parked his white ‘box’ truck opposite our driveway, I protested. In my younger, more flexible days, I could easily have turned and seen it. But today, older and with several layers of winter clothing, I only looked left and right, leaving my backside exposed.

BANG! CRUNCH!

In a flash, after decades of safe and accident free driving, my perfect record fell to pieces, literally, $3800 worth of pieces to my rear end. My first auto accident and insurance claim!

A tough group, those ‘ears’, I got no sympathy, only warnings, ‘watch my premiums’!

As for risky driving, have you driven the Autobahn? What do insurance premiums look like for the brave souls who drive the Autobahn? A couple of us have, not me. Now that I’m a ‘risk’, I probably would be banned on the ‘bahn’. Furthermore, are Seniors even allowed on that highway?

Have you ever hitched a ride? I picked up a hitchhiker,once, a sailor, on leave. Took him from Albany to Cleveland on my drive west. But, what about hitching aboard a US aircraft carrier?

The former Marine pilot in our group did that, aboard the USS Vinson, a super carrier, on the Pacific Ocean waters from Hawaii to California. That has to be some sort of hitchhiking record. There’s no backing out driveways or driving 120 mph, but better yet, you can jet away and return, if you’re qualified. And the government pays the premiums.

Each time our group meets, we have new adventures to tell, new territory to cover and more beer to drink, one bottle each night. We’re big story tellers, but we’re not big drinkers, not at this stage.

Here’s to everyone who enjoys the pleasure of good friends and conversation.

Steve (April ’19)

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