Special Black Wednesday BYCU Edition
It's the biggest drinking nights of the year and possibly my favorite evening. Last year's festivities were squelched when I ran over a fire hydrant about two blocks from my house, on my way to pick up a friend to head out to a client's place of business for a late lunch and beers. I'm hoping to get my car out of the neighborhood this year.
By chance, I found this 1913 quote by Nock earlier this month, which I marked for quoting today. I think it perfectly captures my view of evenings at the bar with lots of friend and family around, telling stories and jokes: "The saloon . . . performs more social service than the churches and organized charities put together."
Who's Number 1?
So is Black Wednesday the biggest drinking day of the year? I surf the Internet every year to find the answer. No one seems to know for sure. Black Wednesday seems to be gaining more and more support, but quite a few people still think New Years Eve rules (and a few think it's St. Patrick's Day). A recent article in the Flint Journal (Michigan) gives further anecdotal evidence in favor of people, like me, who, in their heart of hearts, just know Black Wednesday must be number one: "The night before Thanksgiving is widely known as the biggest bar night of the year, with New Year's Eve, St. Patty's Day and Halloween right behind it." The article also has an online poll, asking "What's Your Favorite Bar Night of the Year." It offers five options. As of this writing, Black Wednesday is smoking the others with 40% of the vote.
Actually, I have virtually no doubt that Black Wednesday is the biggest bar night of the year, since a lot of people stay home and go to private parties on New Years Eve. I'm not convinced, however, that Black Wednesday is the bigger drinking night.
Received in an Email
For your Black Wednesday joke-telling at the bar:
A group of Alabama friends went deer hunting and paired off in twos for the day. That night, one of the hunters returned alone, staggering under the weight of an eight-point buck.
"Where's Henry?" the others asked.
"Henry had a stroke o' some kind. He's a couple of miles back up the trail," the successful hunter replied.
"You left Henry layin' out there and carried the deer back?" they inquired.
"A tough call," nodded the hunter. "But I figured no one's gonna steal Henry."
