Slice of life - 3/15/09 (Sunday)

We're sitting in Gentle Ben's, a brewery just outside the main entrance to the University of Arizona on University Drive in Tucson.

"Would you like another?" the waitress asks.

I look at Shane and see the confirmation in his eyes. "Should I stick with what's good or try something new?" I ask him. "Something new," he says.

"Okay, I'll take the amber," I say. "And I'll take the pale ale," Shane says.

I drink the remaining few drinks of my rasperberry ale and lick my lips as the waitress appears with our next round.

We are sitting on the shaded patio, in 80-degree weather, a four-level fountain providing a calming water sound. Birds are madly hopping from branch to branch of the blooming bouganvillea next to us, hoping for another tortilla chip or piece of our pretzel. Only a few tables are occupied in the late afternoon. We sit side-by-side, looking out toward the street, people watching with occasional comments.

We pick up our beers, "Cheers..." he says, "Cheers," I reply. Clink!