Product placement

A friend of mine is in a snit because the company that makes Bailey's liqueur has introduced two new flavours. He is concerned that he may one day dash into his local liquor store in the middle of an Irish-cream emergency and grab the wrong flavour without realizing it.

I was going to challenge him to a taste-off, but it appears that the liquor store near my office does not have the new flavours. They are traditionalists here. You can tell right away by looking at the people huddled near the door, waiting for the shift to change so they can buy booze from a cashier who hasn't already cut them off.

I used to drink a LOT of Bailey's before I acquired a taste for Newfie screech. My friend Angela is to blame for this. Actually, she is to blame for the Bailey's AND the screech. In this long-ago time before I had any responsibilities, she would take me out and liquor me up. Naturally, some idiot girl would usually crash the party and I would get into a teensy-weensy argument with her that would escalate to a full-blown bitchfest and/or fistfight.

I cannot remember the name of the person who pulled a knife on me, but she called me Applegirl. (Don't worry; I was unhurt. My friend Marilla wrestled the knife away, then we locked her outside. I don't know what happened to her.) I do remember the sight of a girl named Stephanie lying on the lawn with the neighbour's dog licking her. Then there was the evening that Peter came to Bay Roberts, and he and Angela almost came to blows in the middle of the pub. Good times.