BAR NIGHT . . . YET AGAIN

So today was bar night at the Pioneer in VC. Most of the time I wonder why I'm there. Go in, order a beer, and go home. But tonight was different.

I started chatting with the lady sitting next to me. Turns out she was raised Catholic, had a faith crisis when she was 18, went to the priest and was told, "Do 15 Hail Mary's and don't worry about it."

Apparently this wasn't the right answer and she hasn't been back in church since. We had a nice chat about it; and she was apparently impressed enough with my willingness to admit not having all of the easy answers that she might consider coming to church again.

I left there, went home and had dinner, and then walked down to The Sump for my first night there. That was also a productive evening. I talked with the owner for a bit, then with a guy whose son is dying of cancer and is worried about that, and with a guy who wants to donate a "really big, old bible" to the church, and finally with the gal from Monday whose friend is going through "domestic issues."

I must say, I'm rather impressed with The Sump. It's one of those places that looks really bad and seedy on the outside, but inside it's pretty decent. Fairly large, clean . . . and they cook food there! I mean, even though I had eaten at home before heading out, the smell of a few steaks, fish and chips and other food items, had me craving for a really big cheese burger. But I was too full for that, so I ordered deep fried mushrooms instead. They were very yummy.

So yeah, it was a good night at the bar(s).

And then I saw this article. Here's my question: How would you know if it really was St. Paul? I mean, does his DNA glow in the dark or something?

Anyway, it was a good week for bar hopping. Like a friend said, "Maybe [my] efforts are finally starting to pay off."

Let's hope so.