I was recently at a party that was BYOB. I brought 6 beers. Since I was only bringing 6 beers, I decided to get a strange brew. Something way out there and wacky and new to try. In addition to the beer, I had my flask topped off with whiskey. My plan was to drink my 6 beers, then if I needed an alcohol boost, I would take a swig off the flask. I placed my beer into my friend's refrigerator, grabbed one, and commenced to hanging out. I grabbed another, then another, as time went by. I decided to start hitting the whiskey so that I could space out my beers over the course of the night. As the night progressed, more and more people showed up at the shindig, each having brought their own beer as well. Several hours into the event, I noticed one of my beers opened, sitting on the counter, about 90% full. Wha? How did this happen? Wow, someone decided to go ahead and sample of my precious 6 beers. I guess going with a strange alternative to the mainstream has cost me one beer, because someone could just not resist. Maybe they thought the beer was communal, or provided by the host. Maybe they just didn't give a shit who it belonged to. Then I began to think what I would do about it. It is not socially acceptable to announce that the beer was yours, and that no one should have penetrated your stash. That is not even an option. Next, I considered just grabbing someone else's beer to replace the one I lost. Hmmm. Busted logic. What if the beer I took did not belong to the person who took mine, then I have done the same thing to someone that was done to me. Bogus.
What is the etiquette when attending a BYOB type gathering? Typically, when going somewhere for a party, I bring way more than I need for the evening, and pass beers out freely to anyone who happens to walk by. The more the merrier, so its never a problem. So the one time I decide to bring exactly how much I will need, I end up getting screwed over. Maybe it is up to the host to make some sort of announcement that the party is BYOB, so please have respect for everyone's suds, or perhaps let people know at the time of the invitation, that they should bring community beer, where everyone just brings whatever, and it becomes a help yourself type of configuration.
I should mention that I am not angry or anything, and I hold no ill will whatsoever. I really do not care in the slightest bit that this happened. I had my whiskey, and even if i didn't there were people offering me other libations, so there was no shortage of available liquors. This is simply an analysis of the logic in a BYOB scenario, trying to determine what goes through a persons head when they reach into a refrigerator full of beer, and pull out one that they know for certain that they did not bring with them. It was just an interesting occurrence that I have not experienced for years, and it got stuck in my head for a few days.
I think the safest course of action in the future is to just make sure I bring way more than I need. Everyone needs to follow this policy from now on.
That is all. As you were.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
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