Under strength

I walk through to the counter with Emma in Trader Joes ( fresh food style , cheap supermarket). “Excuse me sir you’ve got 4 full strength and 2 light bottles in this 6 pack “. “Geez , have I? We can’t have that “, I say . The guy laughs and says he’l run back and find 2 more full strength. He comes back and let’s me know they are out of stock and am welcome to take a full 6 pack of light if I want . I laugh and say notta chance . “This must be an Osssie thing . I’m moving to Melbourne to stay with my cousin and they do not drink light beer ” ( he’s staying in dirty old Laverton for 6 months . We met this guy in beautiful Santa Barbara, just about the only place in LA that could blow a candle on Melbourne) . “Nah mate , we don’t waste our money on shit beer that’s no gonna get us drunk “. He and the grocery packer both step back a bit and laugh awkwardly . Back to Hermosa and it’s a trend I’ve uncovered here too . The men love drinking light beer and by the case load . Bud light, corona light and occasionally Modello light . We go to baseball and the mums are drinking wine , Baileys and mules and the men are drinking soft cock style light beer . Disgraceful! I’l take a wine over light beer any day of the week , including if I have to drive . I’m invited to the beach with some pretty cool dads . Ok I didn’t expect to be drinking but the dads had been into it for hours and must’ve knocked back 6to 8 light beers by the time I started . I can’t stomach the shit , and sure enough after downing 2 in 20 minutes ( yes we drink faster too , I think) I’m needing to walk into the freezing shore breakers to find relief . I’m practically pissing like a race horse whilst grinding my tongue into the roof of my mouth , quenching a meatier , gripping taste of real hops . I give a couple of my wolf pups out and the guys let out a “whoaaa… this is nice ” . They hadn’t even drank or heard of it , and it’s there own locally brewed drop . It just ain’t cricket. Finally , all the families from Leroy s baseball team are invited to a pool party to the coaches house ( gotta be doing well to have a pool here ). Everyone is declaring what they’l bring , and still I’m reading Bud Light …No!! It’s time for a change . I’l be bringing the real stuff …. just gotta choose one Yep , just found a new craft beer joint , and only 300 m from home . Brace yourself … ‘Friday guess what’s ?’have got a long way to go yet .