I know, it's been awhile since I updated this story. I just recovered from all the birthdays in March and St. Patrick's Day_.. Who am I kidding? I have about 5 Happy Hour stories on deck since then. I just haven't had time to put them into words.

My wife calls from work and suggests Fisher's at Castor and Cottman. We arrive at about 5:00. Well don't you know that it ain't Fisher's any more. I walked through the door expecting the "early bird" dinner with a side of Matzo Ball soup. But instead I walked past the 8 foot TV screen and the pool tables to speak with the Bartender. Moe was his name. Moe explains to me that the name of the bar is TJ Whelan's Sport Bar, not Fisher's. And it has not been Fisher's for 8 year's. That's great Moe, how about you get me a beer. Moe looks remarkably like the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld. After reading this, it will probably be, " No beer for you!!!!!"

TJ Whelan's sure has changed since the days of Fisher's. They have expanded to allow room for bands. They have also added pool tables, basketball free throw, and a bunch of TV's. The crowd was pretty mixed. Although, the advanced aged crowd left shortly after happy hour and the young crowd (me included) packed the place later in the evening.

The band was Animal House. Now, I am not a big fan of local cover bands, but Animal House was pretty good. What other band can combine something about "getting this party started" and Sweet Home Alabama. At least I recognized a song., if only for a moment. We left after the 3rd song.

The food at TJ Whelan's was so good it boosted my cholesterol about 100 points. My Doc took me off my cholesterol medication awhile ago because I was being such a good boy. Little does he know I still have a box of the prescription, which means I can eat things like, follow me now, cheese sticks, French fries, bacon, ham, regular cheese, cheesesteaks, eggs, butter, hot dogs, and pizza. I just mix in some cholesterol meds with my gin and tonic__.. If my doctor is reading this, I am just joking. I don't really like butter.

Speaking of food. This happy hour took place during Lent. Being the strict Catholic that I am, I did not eat meet. But I want to bring you back to 1950 something or other and tell you a story of Lent. Someof you may remember when we couldn't eat meat on any Friday during the year and then they amended that rule to just Friday's during Lent. Here is what I asked the Priest during class., "Now that the rule has changed, what happens to the people that ate meat on Friday during the year? Did they go to hell? Will they be taken from hell and put in heaven now that the rule has changed? The priest didn't answer. He just put on his boxing gloves and smacked me around for awhile in the gym. I think I still owe him some JUG time.

Later in the evening, we met Tom and Pat. They were sitting at the end of the bar with us. Tom was retired, he got bored, now he is semi-retired. I said I am retired, never bored, and mostly just semi-tired. It turns out that Pat was from Fishtown. I remarked how she must have a great dentist, because she gave the illusion that she had teeth. There ain't one good set of choppers in the whole neighborhood. Now, me? I'm from Port Richmond. The upper crust___. crust is right. They don't have teeth and we smell like whiskey. Ahhh, the good old days.

So, the happy hour was fun, the food was great, and the people were friendly. I hope Pat isn't offended by the Fishtown joke__..that's if she understood it. Kidding again Pat, just kidding again.