Bourbon - a travel story

[Da Klugs]

So last week I'm down in Evansville, IN with my (business) partner playing golf at Victoria National. Wednesday 97 degrees 90% humidity, Thursday 98 degrees 91% Humidity. (I made up the humidity numbers but it shure seemed like it). If you took inmates from the Indiana state pen and made them do what we did... their lawyers would have filed and won on the grounds of cruel and unusual punishment. Drank 8 bottles of water on the course Wednesday, old guy me... no pee. We had fun, I got a couple of surprise pars and we did a bit of night life at the casino, etc.

Had to be home for a meeting at the island by 5 on Friday. Got up at 4 am for my 6 am flight. Got there and it was delayed until 7:30. Asked the gate agent why they ask for contact phone and email if they don't ever use them? She seem to want to comment on my parental lineage but refrained.

Around 7:30 they announce that the plane will not be ready till 9:30 and that .. for me all connections are booked - might not get home till earliest 11pm.

Commented that I should have driven. A nice couple standing in line with me starts to fret about missing their retreat in Cleveland. This hits me on two levels, sorry for them and amazed that someone would come to Cleveland on a retreat. (Still have a bad attitude about Lebron leaving).

The wife asks that if I was going to drive that They would come along. We end up heading to the carousel and I rent a car. Ask them .. you guys aren't ax murderers or anything are you. He says not for many years that the blood lust was replaced with the desire to cause non lethal pain for extended periods. I knew we were going to have a nice trip.

Long long drive, but folks of similar political, social and child rearing views so conversation made the time pass quickly. 7 hours later dropped them off at their hotel in downtown Cleveland. Told them I was on expense account and didn't take any money and that hoped they would have a great weekend getting away from the kids together.

Package came today. He is plant manager of a not to be named KY bourbon distillery. 25 years old from three different barrels. He proofed it at 94 and bottled it himself. Unfiltered un anything, right form the barrel.

Pay it forward = taste test at the shack. Which of the 3 barrels is best.

One of those little vignettes of life that, for me at least, show the true rewards of being a "good neighbor" in all contexts. Made some lifelong Friends.