Week 35 in The Year of Drinking Adventurously. Solbeso – Fail again….
Another South American non-starter. Solbeso is a Peruvian spirit made from the pulp that surrounds cacao beans. In other words, the part of the ‘chocolate’ plant that nobody uses. Feel free to explore this on your own, peeps. I’m skipping it. And its not like I could have found it if I wanted to anyway.
Once again, I struggled to decide what else I could write about. I thought about sharing some of my funny adventures from college and shortly thereafter. Then I started reminiscing about those days of yore and I realized that while the stuff I did back in the day with my friends was funny at the time, it just isn’t that funny recalling it now. How the hell I made it out of my early twenties alive is sometimes a mystery to me. So I believe I’ll let those tales remain untold. Besides, I don’t want to ruin my image as a dignified, elegant and sophisticated lady. I mentioned that to Lula and her response was to spit out her cocktail and remind me that that ship has sailed. Sigh…
Well, my college escapades aside, there is another amusing story I can tell you. A whole series of them, in fact. You see, I am a weirdo magnet. Not just that –I’m a drunken weirdo magnet. It’s my fate to be the girl who the ‘very drunk person’ singles out for conversation no matter where I am. Sporting event, concert, cocktail party, bar, baby shower… Oh yeah, they know how to find me.
The worst part? Everyone else leaves me to my fate. Friends, family, everyone– sees the drunk coming and bails on me. In 199_ (I forget the exact year), some friends and I went up to Montreal for a long weekend. These friends had a three-month-old baby, a five-year-old son and a love for hockey. We got tickets to see the Philadelphia Flyers play the Montreal Canadiens. We were in the cheap seats the Molson Centre (now the Bell Centre). Between the first and second periods, everybody either needed the bathroom or a beer. Except me. I was left with the three-month-old and the drunk guys sitting in front of us. Who just had to make friends, right? Because I had my Rod Brind’Amour jersey on. Because, yo, I’m from Philly and I’m always going to represent my team… And they’re from Vermont and they loved John LeClair (another Flyer) and they just had to fangirl about him. And explain the game of hockey to me. C’mon guys…
Seriously though, Rod Brind’Amour…

And oh, party parties…. From time immemorial I’ve been the cry-on-the-shoulder person because “my girlfriend left with another dude, I’m flunking out of calculus and I’ll never be an engineer, The Smiths broke up, and I’m mourning the death of society. It’s a Druid holiday and no one is celebrating but me… did anyone ever tell you you sound just like Demi Moore but you look like Christina Ricci?” Nope, never heard that one… More than twice. It’s why I gave up cigars… (Kidding)
Sorry, Christina, this is your future! Ahahahahaha *evil laugh*
Football games, my seat is inevitably next to the shirtless guy with the face paint in the middle of November who can’t feel the cold for his level of inebriation. And he will make me do the wave or curse the refs (ok, that I would do anyway) or sing… Yeah.
Cry, bitch, moan, complain, celebrate, dance, cheer for the team… apparently I’m your girl! There is an invisible sign above my head that says ‘if you’re loaded, go talk to Meg’ because it happens All. The. Time. My best friend in college -Michael P- started calling me the ‘weirdo magnet.’ It eventually got shortened to ‘weirdo’ because, well… I suppose that’s kind of obvious. Your vibe attracts your tribe.
So I guess all you weirdos are welcome. But it’s BYOB.
Waha! Really funny post. But please don’t think I was laughing at your pain. And as for Rod…what can I say? Baw chicka baw baw. Lordy! 😉
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Right?!? Thanks, Sam!
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Welcome Meg! 😉
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Oh my where to start?! Hahahaha!!!! I feel your pain, but I’ve taken steps in the last few years to break my weirdo magnetism. I make no claims it works but I’m trying!
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How does that happen?!? I need to stop making eye contact with people! 😀
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That was hilarious! “…, The Smiths broke up, ….”. That’s awesome! 😃
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Glad you liked it! 😀
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I was always the shoulder drunk girls would come cry on in college. It sucked. Stuck in the “friend zone” is not a fun place to be. If I’d have been a typical asshat dude, I’d likely had gotten laid a lot more. Why are girls attracted to the assholes? I never understood that phenomenon.
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Oh it happens to girls, too. Yeah, it gets old when your guy friends need your advice about women. Hello? I guess both guys and girls at that age don’t possess the depth to make good relationship choices. I’ve seen some women treat men pretty badly, too. Head games.
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That’s true. I just never got why girls could be treated like crap, then nearly beg for more. And they’d come ask me why, how to make him change, do you think he likes me, etc. Always seemed so odd. Go figure. 😏
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I know, I don’t get it either.
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Hahaha!! This was great, Meg. It’s probably because you have such a kind and accepting energy!
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Aw! Thanks, Kay! That is a nice way to look at it!
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Hahaha! I was that person, too! Next time we’re at a party or sporting event I’ll help you get the drunks to move along <3. It is hard when they're too drunk to get the sarcasm
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Nice! I appreciate that. I think I need to just quit making eye contact!
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It’s hard, though, and we’re talkers and listeners by nature. Plus think of all the good writing inspiration you’d miss!
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Absolutely true!
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Interesting…I thought opposites attract? 😛 Just kidding. ❤
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Hahaha! Oh I am weird, no doubt! 😜
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Well, I’d hang out with you anyways…lol
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And I would love that!
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Treat yourself to a chocolate and that’ll cover Solbeso 😉 If you want something South American to substitute, I HIGHLY recommend the Bolivian grape-based spirit Singani (not in the book, but it’ll be in my next one). Steven Soderbergh has his own brand called Singani63, which should be pretty easy to find.
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Oh excellent! Thanks for the suggestion!
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haha. Cute story. I feel bad for you, you must have seemed ‘nonthreatening’ or something to the drunks. But you (are) very pretty so I can see why they sought you out.
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Thank you, that is sweet! Although I doubt it had anything to with my appearance, other than maybe looking approachable. I must try to develop my more menacing look! 😃
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*were
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Well, this was laugh fest all the way through! 😀 I suspect weirdo magnet should have been shortened to magnet because you draw us all in. That Ron image looks like a poster from yesteryear that you may have had on your wall. Come on, you can confess… 😉
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Haha! Rod the bod! You figured me out! Thanks Michael! 😉
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Haha, I knew it! 😀
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When I saw the heading “the weirdo magnet” I assumed this was about your blog 😉
I attract them too, of a different flavour. I still remember the day an old chap sat next to me on the tram on my way to work, and calmly, but very sadly told me (unprompted) about the day his best friend got decapitated during the second world war, complete with details that I wouldn’t inflict on you. This poor guy had been carrying this image around with him for seventy years
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Oh my! 😳 You must have been just what he needed at the time. And I imagine he felt lighter sharing that with you. I’m making a little fun of the situation but truth be told I don’t really mind most of the time. Characters make life interesting. Why would I ever turn them away? 😃
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We call them “material” 🙂
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Haha! Exactly! 🙂
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From creepy to hilarious. You can write it all. You are the drunk whisperer haha. This was great! 
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Haha! Thank you! The drunk whisperer- I like that!
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😜😜
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It takes all sorts, Meg, and sometimes it takes Licorice Allsorts. Thank you for making me smile. Now I know where to bring my troubles if I have one too many!
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Thanks, Roger. One shoulder, ready to cry on!
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I missed the windows from La Sainte Chapelle yesterday. A lot of memories came back to me as I revisited them today. Then I just looked back up and they had vanished again … ah well, you can’t have everything all the time.
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Wait! Literally vanished? As in my post is gone?
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The windows had gone and the picture had changed (as if by magic) but the post was still there.
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That is bizarre!
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Even stranger: the beautiful windows are back now.Oh glorious luxury of sight. I was in there one day, years ago, with the sun streaming through those windows: all those colors and the blues highlighted — haunting and unforgettable.
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Phew! Glad it’s back! It is breathtaking. I didn’t know which way to look first!
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Even in the photo it shimmers and moves. I too am glad it’s back.
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I needed a laugh 🙂 Thank you
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You’re welcome! 😃
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I am clearly a giant weirdo. You’re funny. And I also wonder how I made it out of my 20s.
And….
Thanks a lot for making me relive this horror: The Smiths broke up
🙂
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Ha, the magnet even works electronically! The world is a duller place without Marr and Morrisey working together! 😫
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Lol! Well the weirdos gave you great stories to tell. Liquor from cocao beans, huh? Sounds interesting. But only if it tastes like chocolate. 😊
Hey! Did you just call us all weirdos?? 😝
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My vibe attracts my tribe! So yeah, y’all are weirdos just like me! The solbeso is made from the pulp not the beans so it’s not supposed to taste like chocolate at all. I can’t get it around here so I couldn’t try it. This is a rough patch of the book!
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Well, that’s ok. At least you’re learning what’s out there!
Ok, so I’m a weirdo. I already knew it! 😜
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Heh! Welcome! 😍
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Haha, you’re not the only one, I’m a weirdo magnet too! I’ve got another friend who is as well and when we’re together, it’s double the power, i.e. a nightmare lol
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Oh that’s funny! If the three of us ever get together, we’re doomed!
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Very funny piece but I don’t want to get tarred with the same brush so I am avoiding you now
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Too late, weirdo!
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Damn you have found me out after all, no more Night Manager, HM the King of Cats, Cake it is just weirdo
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See I am a magnet!
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Hmm I would never admit to that, I have my glacial cool to protect
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I won’t tell anyone, promise
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