The memories I have from those small-town college days, with the lone Irish bar, are as fondly considered as they are barely present.
I only made it for opening once or twice. It opened at 6 AM on St. Patrick's Day and on graduation day for Poly. Being the only Irish bar in town, a line would form starting around 3, and if you wanted to make it inside the cramped bar in the first round, you needed to be in line by at least 3:30.
(Tony and Jimmy waiting:)
Waiting in line in a daze, in the cold darkness, having forgone sleep, enjoying the camaraderie, the drunken conversations fueled by cigarettes...once daybreak would start to gray up the sky, we knew the time drew near. By then the line would usually be stretched around the corner and down Higuera St, in front of the old Moe's location, even past Louisa's.
(Getting close:)
One year, having decided to forego the "making it for the opening" routine, Tony and I went to McCarthy's after work at Hudson's, an easy jaunt across a parking lot (that no longer exists--thank you very much "new development"). We met up with close friend Dylan, where, near the end of the night, we were toasting Pa Chomp, Pa Chomp, Pa Chewy-Chewy Chomp.
Me Stan.
It was a lovely evening...any night where you eventually toast lines from South Park is bound to be one remembered fondly.
A different post-midnight sprint over to McCarthy's from Hudson's had us bringing our entire staff; dish guys, all of us line guys, and the server staff too. We ran in for Irish Car Bombs, the quintessential quick this-day drink. I remember seeing all twenty-two or so drinks lined up, as we were handing money over to the bartenders.
The next day I remember seeing Salomon, one of my favorite Hudson's dishwashers, leaning against the dish machine, looking like he had been run over but a lawnmower. I smiled sympathetically and asked "Que paso, papa?"
"Oh Patricio, no bueno, no bueno. Whiskey es no bueno, Patricio, no bueno..." shaking his head, his long face indicative of his poor condition.
There was a St. Patrick's Day when I was off in New York, and I walked from our Irish bar in Manhattan (on the West side) across the dense island over to Corrie's work for lunch, passing by the cops mustering for the parade, getting tanked in their dress uniforms, some even wearing kilts, drinking out of large plastic cups.
(One cop's giving me the stink eye:)
Backing up, here's one group of "Oceanaire Guys", on Corrie and my last St Paddy's in SLO:
Here's one of the badge's of honor that McCarthy's liked to wear:
This is view only a select few will recognize:
Heritage getting distilled down to a day of drunken celebrations. How should we feel about that?
Made it at 6am for the 10th straight year. The rain kept a lot of people away til later as we rolled up at 5:30 and less than 10 people were there. I heard every bar broke sales records this year, but McCarthy's didn't sell as much Jameson as usual. Tullamore Dew is trying to get in the market and ASH is pushing it at all of their bars. Had a blast though. Miss you guys!!
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