The Spaniel, the EBMB, and I cycle the lovely route up north, the pristinely clear skies clouded only by exuberant expression and the repeated lyrics of “my amazing horse”. Plenty of room at Vendetta for a Friday, and as Dub Dub’s friends arrive, we secure a table. I make far much too much of the debut of my leather coat, but … whatever. I only regret not wearing the boots.  Elona and her charming sister are very sporting and tolerant of such spectacle. Perry, two medical instructors, someone who looks like my aunt Martha at age 18, and a guy with a reddish beard fill out our table. SA and I get leapfrogged on the shuffleboard list, but eventually get to play. Perry and Dubs take us on and, despite our fair attempt, the raw power of the EBMB cannot be tamed. Not only does he score 13 of the 15 points, but he also gets his member card to the Kielbasa Nostra by slipping a defiant hanger past SA’s three pucks in the early defining moments of the game. Perry and Dubs then easily cut through a pair of novices like a hot knife through butter. I drown my sorrows in Rogue chocolate stout and a split Jameson single, keenly matched with the bitter confections in my breast pocket. A few depart, but those of lion heart relocate to Tiga. Plenty of talk still to be had. “Did I already tell you two how wonderful it is to meet you?” SA reminds me that it is “just now 11:30” and that we should be getting on. That is, getting on over to the Food Carts. We split some Belgians and Brasero Carnitas of the highest order and I get the long story of how scrappy he now is. Strange to be parting ways at the carts, but so be it. I scramble home much too late, but vow to rise and shine. We’ll see how it goes.