Stabbone and McGraw: shot glass

Saturday, January 21, 2012

RIP, Shot Glass

Here lie the jagged remains of my one and only shot glass--the only shot glass I've ever owned. The shattered vessel depicts the Großglockner, the highest peak of the Austrian alps. My old friend Susie brought it back to me from a trip to Europe she made in 1996. From this prized souvenir I sipped whiskey and rum. Occasionally, I put it to use when enjoying a boilermaker, but no more. I loved my shot glass. I loved its shape and heft. I loved that it had a gold rim and a little handle. You could say this shot glass inspired me to make my own trip to Austria, where I studied abroad in 1997. I've spent the past week reflecting on the millions of gallons of booze I've ingested, shot by shot, through the years. My shot glass was special. I won't go into the details of how it met its end; for me the pain is too near the surface. Suffice to say it had an unfortunate encounter with my sometimes-careless wife.

My shot glass would have turned 16 this year. Now it's gone. Why do the good have to die so young?

Also, what the hell am I going to do with all this rum?

Sue, if you get this message, I'm going to need you to swing by Austria when you get a sec.

K?

Thanks!

nwb

The Legend of Stabbone and McGraw

In 1967 the world's most powerful criminal super-genius, Stabbone, stole ten trillion dollars worth of gold boullion. Police, baffled as to the whereabouts of Stabbone's purported impenetrable underground lair, called on top investigator Rock McGraw to crack the case. Working tirelessly day after day, McGraw eventually tracked Stabbone to an abandoned latex mask factory. While McGraw radioed the boys for backup, Stabbone made his daring escape. In the chaos that ensued, both disappeared. Thirty years later, the case of Stabbone and McGraw remains a mystery, though some say that McGraw remains undercover, in relentless pursuit of his evil arch-nemesis.