two’ll do…

i think this bit kinda shows my age…

…but not really.

i have a recent sunday tradition of hitting this mexican place for migas and ritas on sunday night. it’s a good weekend cap-off, with a good meal and a mellow buzz that fades away just about the time i go to sleep. all is well at that point, and i sleep like a baby.

but let me add an extra round and things don’t go so well.

i remember several years ago when i was first introduced to the mighty ritas at antonio’s – good, potent, and during happy hour, super cheap. i used to have two, more out of time constraint than anything, ’cause we’d go after work and have dinner (me and a couple of guys i had started with). by the time you were done with one, your food was there. you ordered a second as your server handed you your plates, and you drank it with dinner. afterwards everyone there (save for me) had to get home to wives and kids and such and so we always closed out at two a piece, and all was well – ‘cept for one time i showed up ahead of them, so i had one while i waited and ended up at three. i then ended up offending older people around us with my “colorful” language (quoting one of the complaints to management there – the old guy actually sat at our table (at my suggestion) and invited me to meet him in the parking lot…no bullshit). i ended up closing down the bar side several hours later – but still felt fine the next day.

not bragging – just sayin’.

back then i warned my buddy (now a cop here in lockhart, ironically enough) to make sure i capped myself at two. as long as i stuck to that rule, all was well – when i’d bust past it for happy hour, all of a sudden i’m making out with female friends in the parking lot (who were married at the time). so, clearly, “two’ll do”.

same goes with the purples…

…at baby a’s, i mean. they SAY they cap you at two – but if they know you, like you, or you have that irish gene that keeps your drunk self mimicking your sober self so perfectly then they’ll keep ’em coming. i’ve had two and had a good time – alex and i used to do that often. but then there was the time i had four, and we ended up at a strip club comparing a female friends puberty-given gifts to the various dancers before we went to other bars, etc, etc, etc…so, um, yeah – two’ll do.

this all got sparked by the other day – i went to grab some reptile food for the new snake (who apparently isn’t used to pre-killed food so this next meal might be entertaining) and did happy hour with a friend (who happens to be the one referenced in pretty much every story above) and for some reason had a third. then met another girl down south for a couple beers. then something REALLY odd happened…

…i woke up the next day with my stomach HATING me. i don’t know if it qualifies as a “hangover”, as there was no headache, or sensistivity to light or sound, but my guts were NOT in a happy place till a few hours (and a couple meals) later. i don’t know if it was following sangritas with guinness or the fact that i had to have that THIRD sangrita, but i’m leaning toward the last one.

so, if we ever go out drinking remind me after i order the second to close out…unless you want a night worthy of a bit on this site, of course…’cause once there’s a third round, there WILL be a fourth, and a fifth, and…