A evening with strangers
December 4, 2021
By 5:15 AM, I was snuggled in my camp chair. Five others to my right cared more about beer than I did; the first in line, having spent the night in a folding chair, assured himself of one of the 18 available memberships to Weekend Beer Company— the hottest ticket in town.
The next earliest member of our troupe arrived at 3:15 AM, followed by a couple of others before me, then one more at 5:30 AM. We seven would claim 10 of the coveted memberships and were glad we chose to assemble before dawn.
For $200, we became members of the Weekend Beer Company. Along with some swag and members-only events, one gets a filled growler each month and $1 off every pint. Swag and events notwithstanding, the membership pays for itself after 15 pints, which perspective member #7 said he’ll drink in the first week.
The last membership was tallied by 7:30 AM, though we would wait until the pub opened at noon before paying our dues.
Several who came later were disappointed to learn that memberships were no longer available, but hearing that some waited nine hours in 45º weather seemed to take some of the sting out of it.
Spending the night with strangers on a sidewalk was fun. We formed something of a fraternity in those few hours. At 5:48 AM, Chris, perspective member #4, yelled an expletive when he remembered he promised to retrieve someone at the airport at 9:30 AM. He later heard that her flight was delayed again, until later this afternoon. Greg, perspective member #7 brought his camp stove and made breakfast for anyone who wanted it.
After paying our dues and settling around a table for a few pints, current members stopped by to welcome us to the club. From now on, we need only pay our dues in November to renew our memberships. With memberships capped at 85, they may not have openings next year.
We who gathered in darkness knew this would likely be our last chance to join, and losing sleep was worth it. And, we shared a story we can revisit over a pint or two for years to come.
