Day 37 - What's My Age Again?

Sorry for the late posting, but sometimes sitting down and relaxing instead of blogging as soon as I get home from a game is amazing...

Thursday night's game was something else...I have never been asked the same question as many times as I had on Thursday night...

"Are you old enough to even be selling beer?"

I know my small framed body and baby face looks will be a blessing when I'm 50...but with a little over a month away from my 27th birthday, it feels like a curse! I know I've mentioned it before, and I'll say it again, I think my young looks sometimes doesn't get me the tips I should be getting...the fans buying beer from me don't realize that I'm not in college anymore, I don't need the tips for beer drinking money, I'm needing that cash to pay bills and get through life.

Being a beer man was not my first choice of a job...but going through the whole unemployment thing has forced me to take a job that is pretty amazing, but not at all a very highly looked upon job. I mean, I sell beer...I have to perform a very high physical labor intensive job to bring in some income. I still take pride in this job...and I'll be for damn sure happy to shove it in everyone's face when I'm at ALL of the ALL-STAR ACTIVITIES...let me rephrase that...I'LL BE GETTING PAID TO BE AT THE CELEBRITY SOFTBALL GAME, HOMERUN DERBY & THE ALL-STAR GAME! Of all of the years that this could have happened to me, the year the all-star game is in STL! Let me rephrase it again, I have been so blessed to have this job at this time in my life!

I've gone down a path and ranted...let me back up a tad...Thursday night...

I couldn't believe the looks I got from people when I asked for their ID's. The majority of the people would give me that look. The look of disbelief that I was even old enough to know what a beer was.

I had a guy in a group of 4 ask for 4 beers. I asked for 4 ID's and he gave me a funny look. I know the guy looked over 21, but I had no clue about the other 3 people next to him. While they were passing down their ID's to me, a lady on the end of the row made the comment that I didn't look that old...so, yes, I snapped back with that question, "how old do you think I look?" By this time I got the ID's from the group of 4 and verified they were all of age. The lady in front of me snapped back with, "13...16...maybe 18". I laughed. While she continued to think about it, the guy buying the beers from me asked how much and I yelled back to him "31"...that's when the lady gasped and asked if I was really 31? I told her no and corrected her that it was their total for their beer. Then her son sitting next her looked up and said, "26" I don't get it. Adults never really guess close to my actual age, but children and sometimes small wooden creatures always guess my correct age...

I can't remember a time when my age has come into so many conversations. Should I be surprised? No. But it's very frustrating. I've given thought to the fact that some people may not even realize I'm a beer man because I look so young. Fans usually don't hear what a beer man yells...I know this cause I can yell out that I have beer, peanuts and cracker jacks and I'll get someone look me dead in the eyes and ask if I have peanuts...as if I wasn't just yelling it into their ears...

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Three months ago from yesterday, a rookie beer man got the nod and started something that would stretch across the entire U.S. along with 8 other countries...I'm talking about me starting my job at Busch and stlbeerman.com

It's been an amazing ride and in a week I'll be at the summer's biggest game! If someone thinks about it, I'd appreciate it if you'd DVR/Tivo the All-Star Activities...I'd love to actually sit down and get to watch it!

On Thursday night, I'll post a new blog looking back at some of my favorite things to do while being a beer man so far half way through the 2009 season...

Totals thus far:
65 Bags of Cracker Jacks
80 Bottles of Water
151 Bags of Peanuts
2051 Bottles of Beer