The Laundry Pit

I find it amusing that men in a liquor store seem to think I'm lost.

I can understand that when I appear in a mechanic's shop, or at Auto Zone; I'm to be regarded as a foreigner who cannot speak the language....but in a primarily wine-focused environment, or my local store that houses quite a few of the local and specialty brews of beer as well as a good wine selection...

please, gentlemen, stand down.

I'm not sure where men get the idea that beer or wine isn't something a woman can figure out- and I'm generalizing in that not all men think that way, and not all women are proficient in the varietals of wine or the difference between a stout and an IPA....but still....

Last weekend, I'm standing in front of the bomber case at the back of the store, near the 'mix and match' shelves where you can procure your own six-pack of quite a number of Colorado and other micro/specialty brewed beers- and I'm contemplating. Not that I don't know what things are- just that I am not sure what my palate wants.

I'm in a Saturday mode; jeans, black long sleeved tee shirt, hair in a french braid, and heavens- no makeup. I'm six-two in my bare feet and in my favorite red patent sandals- probably closer to six-three. I'm nowhere near as thin as I was in my 20's where attention was a given, I'm curvy and not a small girl that looks incapable of hefting her own six-pack of beer or anything.... and I have a wedding ring on.

So what prompts men to come up to me as I look over my selections of foreign and domestic beers and not only attempt to strike up conversation, but to tell me what I might like for a beer- confounds me. Do I look that out of place? I've even been known to stand there with two bombers in one hand (I have big hands) to deter the suggestions....but it still sets me a bit back on my bum that total strangers- and often ones toting a far inferior beer or wine to my tastes, feel the need to suggest to me...what I would like.

My standard response; "I'm a Guinness girl." And I am. A room-temperature, motor-oil consistency stout girl. Not just the nicely chilled selections of Guinness we have here. The real deal- served pub-style in Dublin or even lesser known Irish locales- and hole-in-the-wall pubs thereto.

I suppose if I were to walk in and get one of the little pushy-cart things that I think look a bit ridiculous unless you're carrying a purse and a small accessory pet like Paris Hilton does.....and head for the Corona and Miller Lite with Lime....I could be perceived as being in need of direction.

So....I'll just say to the infinite populous of the internet..... I'm a six-two (ish) blonde usually carrying some Guinness, and capable of reading the labels on this stuff in six languages. I'm doing fine, thanks.