The Sombrero Galaxy
The other night my wife took me out to a Mexican restaurant for my birthday dinner. The selection of the restaurant was based on a single criteria: the availability of margaritas in the “pitcher” size.
As we ate, at a neighboring table, a giant sombrero was carried out and placed on the head of a woman as the staff began to sing the happy birthday song. They also produced a plate of the ubiquitous crispy chips dusted with cinnamon sugar and topped with whipped cream. The Mexican restaurant version of birthday cake.
I looked at my wife and, under pain of divorce, made her swear she wouldn’t mention my birthday to the restaurant. There was no way in hell I was going to go through that. She was mischievous and had me going, but eventually she relented and agreed to my request.
Then, something interesting happened. The restaurant staff produced a shot glass, slammed it on the table, and the birthday girl snorted it down.
I looked over at my wife. “I wonder if that shot was free?”
Later in the dinner our waitress stopped by to check on us. “Can I ask you something,” I said. “Do you get a free shot if it is your birthday.”
She said yes.
“Well, then. Guess what? It’s my birthday. Bring it on. But not that damn sombrero – and no singing!”
For some reason, the waitress didn’t exactly trust me. It’s almost like she thought I was trying to scam a free shot. So I produced my ID, she smiled and walked away.
Yep, sure enough, next thing I know there was a giant sombrero on my head and two waitresses and a busboy were singing to me. Argh. But oh man, was that shot good!
It was tequila and Kahlua and carbonated water (I think). Delicious!
Pride may go before destruction and haughtiness before a fall, but for me, dignity apparently goes before a free shot.
Shouts from the Abyss 
Who needs pride when there is free tequila to be had? Happy Birthday!
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True. I think what impressed me the most was how fast I ditched that pride for the free shot. I’m a whore for the tequila. Damn, did I mention that shot was delicious? Maybe you could post the recipe on your blog for us idiots!
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Happy Solar Return! If you mentioned it before, I missed. Sorry!
My take on that is sing, dress me up, whatever: just give me free whiskey or wine. Also, I could pass those stinking cinnamon-sugar flour tortillas. I’ll take a sopapilla though!
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I almost never mention my birthday. I didn’t mention it before, so you didn’t miss anything. In fact, I only mentioned it here because it made me look pathetic and I always want me some more of that.
Let’s all stop to celebrate that fact that the number of circuits of this planet around the sun since I was born is an integer. Yeah, that’s important.
I’d have done the same thing for whiskey, too. Wine though? I’m thinking I just might have found a way to hang onto my dignity. 🙂
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Well, I should’ve said port or dry wine. If it’s sweet, I’ll pass.
I think EVERYBODY deserves being made something out of for their bday. I didn’t get that much as a kid (even forgotten). When I first started working at this place 15 years ago, these people I didn’t even know through me the “biggest party” I’d ever had. I couldn’t believe it, yet it was “just a normal office thing” to them.
Call me crazy, but when you didn’t get that ever and then you see a slice of normalcy, it’s NICE!!
That said, nobody’s held a surprise anything for me and I don’t feel the need ;p So, maybe it just depends on what we like!
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I’ve done worse for free booze. Happy birthday!
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Oh gosh, I can’t even begin to imagine. Remind me when your birthday comes around. I’d like to watch.
I once passed out on the floor of the world famous Hussong’s Cantina in Ensenda, Mexico, so I’ve got that legacy going for me. I guess I’m lucky to even be alive.
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Happy belated!!
Nothing like free liquor!!
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Aw, thanks. I see you’re slumming. Taking a break from the good life, eh? 🙂
If I had any complaint about the shot, and this is just piddly, really, it’s that it was only the size of a shot, and that there was only one. Yeah, I’d say those were my biggest complaints.
On the plus side of the ledger, however, I did quaff a pitcher of margaritas mostly on my own. My designated driver limited herself to only one. 🙂
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