Dear Host: You Can’t Make Great Rum Drinks With Bad Rum
Well, that was interesting.
A couple of acquaintances of mine were throwing a Polynesian-themed house party for one of them’s birthday. Normally this would be something I would jump on because when it comes to anything tropical and tiki, I’m all over it.
Plus it was on a beautiful and warm Saturday night by a beach, which in a way kind of made it feel like the tropics.
However, I headed into it with hesitation. Frankly, I did not even want to go but it was one of those “friendship obligation” things where it would cause issues if you did not show up to it. You’re all familiar with those situations, of course.
The reasons for my not really wanting to go in the first place stems from the host couple. One completely violated the “bro code” by horndogging after what was his best friend’s recently ex-girlfriend without asking his blessing. The girl – a mad woman of a manipulator – openly flirted with the new beau in front of her previous one.
To say each has character issues only scratches the surface.
Thankfully, both are oblivious to the fact they give me the shivers when I see them and they often stop by my place for drinks, so in order to keep up the facade that I actually really like them it was necessary that I attend.
There was one other thing, too – another person was going to be there, someone who displayed such erratic behavior the previous few months that it ended our friendship. Also at the party was a girl who has had a decade-long crush on the bro-code violator and in fact had one explosive moment with the manipulator a few months earlier, calling her the “c” word.
With all this potential drama, this party was something I would have preferred to avoid.
But I showed up with a smile on my face and pre-made rum drinks in hand. After all, it’s the PubClub.com code to never show up empty handed to a house party.
The host, who loves the rum drinks I make at my place (I have a tiki bar in my apartment, by the way) was eager to show me his rum drink making abilities. But as I looked at the bar the only rum he had was Bacardi.
Bacardi!?
I make my rum drinks with Cruzan dark, the great rum from the Virgin Islands. He’s been to the Virgin Islands so I would naturally expect he would have Cruzan. (You can get it in the States at BevMo.) But the plain, bland silver Bacardi?? Please!
When I pulled out my pre-made drink mix he said, in a rather disappointing tone, “oh, I was hoping to impress you with my rum drink making ability.”
Not with Bacardi, pal!
At least he did have the Pain Killer cups from the Soggy Dollar Bar.
The rest of the people there, well, I didn’t know many of them and since there were no good-looking single girls, I retreated to a seat by the food (which, I must say, was quite tasty). I sat there mostly alone, doing a few social media posts – hey PubClub is always working, even at a Polynesian party! – and staying clear of certain people just in case any drama were to suddenly explode.
I hate drama, you see, tho as evidenced by the success of reality shows a lot of people can’t get enough of it.
Fortunately, there were no fireworks. For most of the party, I sat pretty much alone, just buying time until I finished my supply of rum drinks. Normally, I’m roaming around, talking to people, making jokes and being very social. But not on this night.
Sometimes it pays to be passive.
Cheers,
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