You know how sometimes you remember something and you aren’t
really sure why it sticks in your mind… it just does?
A long time ago in a far away land, no wait… Anyway when I
was a teenager I worked in a small grocery store near my house.
Every evening, without fail, this same man would come in red
nosed buying the same thing, a six-pack of beer (I don’t recall the brand), two
more beers and a pack of cigarettes.
He was a nice man, didn’t flirt like some of the older guys
that came in, he just smiled, didn’t say much, bought his purchases and left.
The other cashiers and sackers would make comments about why
eight beers? Was that what it took to get his buzz each evening? And why not
buy a case or carton of cigarettes instead of stopping by the store each and
every evening?
I’ve thought about that over the years and decided he was
probably the type person that would drink however much he had and by only
purchasing eight beers at a time he kept himself from drinking too much even
though drinking eight beers every night isn’t at all healthy.
I should mention that here in Oklahoma we have liquor laws
so this beer couldn’t be over 3.2 in liquor content to be sold in a grocery
store.
Maybe it was the same thing with the cigarettes, if he only
bought a pack he would stop at the end and if he had more he would smoke them.
I’m not sure how old he was, being a teenager anyone over
the age of 25 looked about the same to me until they reached really old, you
know, like 50. I’m guessing he was probably in his 30’s. I don’t know if he was
married, I don’t remember a wedding ring but that doesn’t really tell much
since not all married men wore rings back then. Heck, not all of them wear them
now.
I’m assuming he had a wife since he never bought food, but
then again it’s possible he bought his groceries somewhere else. Maybe he kept
his food purchasing separate from his partying stash when he shopped.
And if he had a wife, what did she think about Mr. Eight
Beers and a Pack? Was she okay with it? Did she overlook his addictions since
he came home every night and kept a job? Not being a womanizer prowling around
at night can be a plus in many women’s books. And then again maybe she was a
nag and those beers were how he put up with her every evening.
I don’t expect he lived to be very old with that way of life
but then I might be surprised, some people seem to have a cast iron liver while
others don’t last very long on that diet.
By the way, he was my favorite customer.
