Bar None

I found myself out at a bar to celebrate a friend's birthday, which is hardly a new experience for me. I must confess that I would have been content to stay in, as I am by nature a homebody, but I suppose that it's good when I'm forced out of that. Much personal growth can habit as a bar (though at least as much if not more personal regression seems to take place there). What was remarkable about this place was not the ordinary activity of drinking. It was a somewhat different sort of tavern. I heard wild stories about it from the very friends with whom I went there- stories about the crazy things they witnessed being played on the place's TVs. I was interested in seeing it all for myself.

The provocative programming I had been told of was not being played on the TVs, but something nearly as uncommon in an ordinary bar was. It looked something like an Indian or Pakistani film that had something to do with doctors and a hospital, and it looked like a comedy. I'm not able to get any more specific on the country of origin since no sound could be detected. It will remain a mystery. A Mexican film followed, and had to do with luchadors fighting monsters. It looked like fun, and I found my mind boggled by progressively more crazy developments each time I looked.

The main interest in this place wasn't what was on the tv or what was to drink. There's a game to which many Latinos are devoted called Loteria. It may sound like the lottery, and while that seems popular in that community (specifically in connection with donut shops), it's actually more a version of Bingo. What adds some interest is that there are no numbers involved. I read a story of the guy who came up with the number configurations that endure today in the game of Bingo. Supposedly the strain of doing it drove him crazy. I don't know if that's true, but it hardly seems worth it. In any case, Loteria uses colorful little illustrations instead, usually of things and people. Ours had descriptions in Spanish, which the guy running the game translated into English as well. Squares were marked by the placing of dry beans. I won a drink, and so determined that the game was a lot of fun.

It may be that this place will become a regular hangout, joining the karaoke Irish pub, the sports bar and the place that closes at 10 but has domestic beers for a dollar all day every day. We make sure to tip generously there as we have no intention of ordering food while drinking, watching sports on their TV and using their internet. I guess it's good to have a few places, but I do wish the good ones were nearer. It's nice to walk, and not for the exercise or the weather. I'm into safety.