This just popped into my head so I thought I'd share it.

Back in the 80s I was on a road trip to Texas.  It was a business trip but I was a bit ahead of schedule.  I was sitting in a construction traffic jam and saw an inviting friendly little motel at the upcoming exit, so I took it - it was around 6 pm.  I figured I'd retire early, go get some beer and watch TV - no cell phones, no internet.

Well I checked into the motel.  The air conditioning hadn't been running and the room was hot, stuffy, and smelled like a cat litter box.  I cranked up the AC and headed across the way to get my beer from the nearest convenience store.

No beer.

I asked and discovered I was in a dry county.  Not just in the dry county, in the *middle* of a dry county.  Nearest beer was 20 miles away in just about any direction.  And I had already paid for my room at the Catpiss Inn.

Due to the mess on the highway, I did without rather than trying to fight my way to the nearest beer store and back.  I couldn't even go to a bar or out to dinner with drinks.  I really don't remember how I passed the time that evening, it's blotted from my consciousness.  I had been places with blue laws, but never imagined a whole county - in Texas - in 1987 - would be dry.

Had a similar experience in Toronto in 1981.  Apparently in Canada you can't buy beer at convenience stores or supermarkets, you have to go to a "beer store" which has hours similar to liquor stores.  And closed on holidays.

Have no idea if it's still that way, the next time I went to Canada I was sober.  Actually I got my 7 year coin in Canada - that was pretty cool.

Barisax