The Hurry on Inn, or Polka your butt out of here

Chaz’s viewpoint – Donna and I were going home from downtown Detroit and taking back roads or surface streets as they are called when its all paved. We are going through an older neighborhood, Warrendale. We notice that there is an oddly appealing block that has two bars on the one side and a third on the other side of street, so of course we stop. Their names are the Hurry on Inn, The Last Call, and Pete’s Bar.

Side note – These three bars have a lively, colorful cast of patrons. Thus we frequent them and there will be a few tales from these locations. Back to the story…

This night we decided to go into the Hurry on Inn. While I had been there before with friends, this was our (Donna & I) first time there. As we walked up to the door, we could hear music. As we opened the door, we could feel music. The beat was loud. The horns were blaring. The accordion was screaming. Yes, that’s not a mistake, it was an accordion. They were playing Polka music, as loud as a SUV with tinted windows and spinning rims. It was also packed, which didn’t take a lot. According to the sign that we saw at a later date, seating capacity was 65 people.

We walked the gauntlet looking for a table, a chair, or even a space to belly up to the bar. Our efforts were for naught. As we reached the back door, we concluded that this was no place for us. Of course, the polka music also helped us reach that conclusion. We start walking back to the front door and it started. Someone yelled “goodbye”! Being the friendly type of person, I waved good bye back to them. Yes, I did use ALL my fingers not just the middle one. Someone started clapping, then another. As we reach the door, the entire bar is clapping and whistling at our departure. What could we do? Such outpouring of emotion was amazing to witness, so we did the only appropriate thing. We opened the door, turned, looked at the crowded bar, and…

Bowed as we left! This was mainly due to having to hold our sides from laughing. The Hurry on Inn is truly a neighborhood bar.

Ireland or where Donna learns patience

Chaz's viewpoint - This story begins in mid February of 2002. We are finally able to take our dream trip to Ireland. We fly into Shannon airport, go through customs, and get our car for the week. We had been awake for about 20 hrs or so, but this was vacation, so to hell with resting. We decided to check into the first hotel, then drive into the city of Shannon and explore.

Side note - driving a manual with the steering wheel on what would be the passenger side for us Americans, plus having to remember to stay on the "wrong" side of the road is quite a learning experience. While my driving during the trip probably did wear Donna's patience thin, this is not the good part of the story.

Back to the real story... After we checked in {the beds looked tempting, but we resisted}, we went out the side door of the hotel. Low and behold, the Beer Gods smiled upon us as there was a pub. We were about to have our first Guinness. We were giddy with excitement. Later, we would realize that there was a law in Ireland requiring a pub every 100 ft or so. This was to insure that the national gross product, which relied on Guinness beer, never dropped to much. We sat at the bar and ordered two Guinness.


Now, it briefly crossed my mind that this as at about 10 in the morning, but the bartender did not bat an eye. He reached up and poured the Guinness. As the glasses filled up, our mouths began to water and hands began to shake with anticipation. The glasses were filled, the bartender picks them up, Donna and I smile at each other, and the bartender sets the glasses on a small pedestal about 3 ft from us and goes to the other end of the bar. Donna & I stare at each other, dumbfounded. What is going on? Why didn't he bring our beer? What did we do wrong? I am pretty sure that he understood we wanted to drink the Guinness not just look at them. After all, English is the primary language in Ireland.

A minute goes by!
Another minute goes by!

Finally during the third minute it happens. Donna breaks! She can't wait any longer. She must have her Guinness. We traveled several thousand miles for this and she will have, no she must have. Donna reaches up slowly, trying to be discrete. Her hand clasps the first glass. She picks it up. The bar goes deathly silent. The bartender and other patrons have noticed.

Looks of shock and outrage are on their faces. Donna realizes that she has just done something wrong, something very wrong. She sits the glass gently back down. The bartender comes back and grabs the glass from the pedestal. He pours more Guinness into them. He goes to put them back up on the pedestal, but looks at Donna and places them behind the pedestal, out of reach of impatience hands. The bartender goes back to the other end of the bar, but his eyes never leave Donna. An elderly gentleman came up and explained...

The bartender pours the beer and then lets it sit for a few minutes to let the head settle. He will do once or twice depending on the amount of the head. This is a considered a courtesy as it gives the patrons more beer for their money. Grabbing the beer before it is given is some what insulting to the bartender as you are rejecting courtesy.

As the gentleman is finishing the explanation, the bartender fills up the glasses again and brings them our way. Looking warily at Donna, he put them down in front of us and stepped back quickly, apparently expecting Donna to attach the glass with frenzy. Yet, Donna has learned her lesson and shows restraint. She waits until I have paid for the Guinness, tipping the bartender generously, of course, and am able to savor the moment with her. We do a toast to our love, clink our glasses, and enjoy the taste of a truly great beer in its native environment.

Thus Donna learned that good things do come to those that wait.

Good Day!!

Hello - our friends and family have been bugging us for the last couple of years to create a forum for our little adventures. We have a bit of free time, so thought we would start publishing some of them for (Hopefully!) your reading pleasure. Unfortunately, we tend to get sidetracked, so no guarantee of updates.