"Beer Joints"

The city is made up of lots of "neighborhoods", named for their location, which immigrants settled there long ago, what businesses surround it, and numerous other reasons. The neighborhood I live in was settled years ago by German immigrants. There are still lots of people here with German last names, and a lot of the people have lived here for generations. A couple of distinguising features of my neighborhood is shotgun houses and a beer joint on every corner.

Today they would be called bars or taverns, but when I was growing up they were called beer joints. At that time they seemed to be filled with grizzled old men, cigarette smoke and maybe a pool table. The old guys stopping by after work for a beer or two and it was a place to hang out on the weekend. Nowadays, they are filled with young and old, men, women, all ethic groups, and sometimes children are able to come in during the daytime hours if food is being served. And of course, they no longer tolerate smoking, which has been a bone of contention for quite a while, but I think the "grizzled old guys" are coming to terms with it.

Everyone has a favorite beer joint where they like to hang out, they know the owners, the bartenders and other staff.  It's the same customers that frequent the place and everybody knows their names, kind of like Cheers!  The food is fried, the beer is cold and sometimes there is even a jar of pickled eggs or bologna for sale sitting on the bar. Karaoke is a big attraction also.

I don't go to a beer joint very often, but when I do, there is a particular one that I like. It has been operating since before I was born, still in the original building (with added improvements) with a loyal clientele. They serve great food, fried fish, chicken, great chili and quite a few other items. The funny thing about ordering food is they take your order and when it is done, they just come out of the kitchen and holler "CHILI" or "CHEESEBURGER AND FRIES" and you motion to them that it's yours and everybody seems to be able to keep it straight. When I was in college I worked at a bakery that was right across the street from this joint and at lunch time you would see so many businessmen and lawyers coming from downtown to eat there. It seems to be pretty well known throughout the city.

Last night a friend and I went out and ended up there and it just so happens that Saturday is Karaoke night.The place was packed, which it almost always is but it was a blast. The singers were really very good,  a few people got up and danced. and a lot of people knew each other and some of the people were people that I had seen the last time I was there. There was a mix of young and old, although the later it gets most of the older folks leave and the college age kids start coming in.

I love watching the old folks dance. You can tell that they have been dancing together for a long time because they mirror each other's moves and they are so smooth about it. It always gets me to thinking about how long has this couple been together, they've raised their kids, have grandkids, all the good and bad times that they have made it through, they're retired and here they are enjoying a Saturday night out at a neighborhood beer joint. Sometimes it makes me a little sad because I wish I had a long history with the same person as they have, all the shared memories and adventures and sorrows and they have made it through together. But I still love watching them together.

These beer joints also double as sports bars with multiple flat screens, sports bar munchies and large crowds supporting the local college teams. I've never been to my favorite joint to watch a game, but this year will be different. I have a friend that likes to go listen to local, live music and I have gone with her on quite a few occasions and I have really enjoyed it. She has told me several times that she would go with me to something that I really enjoy doing. So here in a few weeks when college football starts we are going to my favoritte beer joint and watch the game and I am sure it will be a good time. I am really looking forward to it.

So here is to all the local, neighborhood beer joints, let's hope they never go out of style.


Kathy