L U N A T A L K with Eva Moon

Peach City Shakedown

May 18, 2007 on 7:14 pm | In General Musing |

The sister unit and I were in need of refreshment after our long day of travel and set out on foot with just a room key and a few simoleons in the pocket to enjoy the lovely spring evening and perhaps track down an effervescent potable. Our first stop was at a mini-mart where a sixer of Killian’s Red caught our eye. Bt when we got to the register, ID was demanded before said potable would be ours. ID? I haven’t been carded in ahem-ty years. Surely she could give us a pass. No, ya’ll. It’s a local law. What the…?

Well ok, they lose a sale. It was just some young clerk following orders. On the way back to the hotel we passed an upscale, stones ‘n ferns tavern. The kind with bubbling fountains seeded with coins every few paces and a diminuitive latin guitarist laying down Gypsy King covers to recorded backup. Our plan was to just sit down and order with the confidance of our advanced years, even though we were starting to feel like sweaty teens hoping to get lucky at the 7-11. Again, they asked for ID! We feigned astonishment. Finally, the barmaid sent the manager over to peer into our withered faces and at last, reluctantly, grant us the simple pleasure of a libation.

We talked to the barmaid about it later and she said that since they passed this odd law (yes, they’d card our 96-year-old grandmother) the city’s finest would send officers in undercover to try to catch them breaking the law. Aha. It was starting to become clear now. It’s an old-fashioned shake down. They pass this ridiculous law with big fines attached and then send out fifty-something plainclothes cops to order drinks and when reasonable bartenders trying to make a buck decide not to bother with the ID folderol, they bust them and rake in the fines. Sweet deal for the city.

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