My paternal grandfather wasn’t a drunk, but he did like his beer, and he was well known at just about every ice house and beer joint along Washington Avenue.
Back in the 50’s, and even today, breweries and beer distributors employed folks to represent their brand, not as salesmen, but strictly to build good will.
Around 1951 or 52, Southern Select Beer’s version of the Miller Lite Girls was a young man whose job was to:
- Stop in at a bar.
- Walk up behind a patron.
- With a hand on the guy’s shoulder, loudly announce,“Give this man a Southern Select!”
One day, one of these PR guys picked my grandfather.
When the fellow made his announcement, Pop slowly looked him up and down (In his spit-shined shoes and Robert Hall suit, the guy stood out like a sore thumb in that blue-collar bar) and said, “Appreciate the offer, Son, but druther have a Pearl.”
The poor guy just stood there for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, he shook his head and said “Oh Hell. Give the guy his Pearl beer.” and left to a round of applause.
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