Spring, sprang, sprung

Last week we were having days in the 70's and 80's. Beautiful weather. Spring has officially arrived. This is one of the reasons I love living in Texas.

Blue bonnets grow everywhere.

 Some of my family lives north of the Mason-Dixon line. They can't help it and I don't hold it against them. In fact, I feel a little sorry for them. Those friends that insist on living east of the Mississippi river and in the North east in general... well, that's plain stupid. They're good people and family, but the location is awful. Every time I've been there, I feel claustrophobic. 
I went up there a few years back. It felt like stepping into a black and white picture. I was the only person in color. The denizens of West Haven were wearing varying shades of gray.
Another thing: There was a liquor store every 1/4 mile. No exaggeration: I double checked. If I had to live up Connecticut way, I'd drink too. To add insult to injury is that they have crappy alcohol. Cheap liquor stores. Stuff normal people would pass on.
My Dad wanted to buy me a beer. (He likes buying me drinks, I don't know why. But hey, free beer.)
He and I walk up to the bar and he asks me to pick out a beer.
Old Milwaukee on tap. Miller. Budweiser.
With a straight face I say; 'I don't see any beers here.'
All the heads at the bar turned and regarded me with evil eyes. Maybe that was self-loathing on their part. The stoutest bottled beer they had was Samuel Adams. What they consider the heavy stuff, we here in Texas consider the baseline.
Now last month, I gave my good buddy a six pack of Shiner Bock. (The beer in Florida is lousy too.) He had no idea beer could taste that way.
My friend hit it on the head: taste. In a moment of universal clarity I realized that if you live in a crappy part of the country, you drink to get drunk so you can escape from the living hell wherever you call home.
If all I had to choose from was Budweiser, I'd be a tea-totaler.
Let me ask you folks, What is your drink of choice? Whatever it is my friends: Drink responsibly. Drink Shiner or support your local micro brew. 
Death before Budweiser!