It's a Small World

One of the new friends I've made at Elizabeth Station is Rick. He and his wife were the first owners of The Archer, an iconic pub in Fairhaven. When he found out I was from Wales, he told me that one of his favorite beers was the Welsh Ale from Felinfoel Brewery in Llanelli. He had served it in The Archer occasionally, and offered to give me the Felinfoel tap handle.

Cynthia and I have reached the stage of life where we are trying to avoid accumulating more possessions, so I was hesitant about accepting his kind offer, but eventually decided I would like to have it. I arranged to meet Rick at ES to make the exchange and enjoy a few beers this afternoon.

Rick said that he remembered a time back in the '90's when he happened to have Felinfoel on tap, not knowing that a Welsh choir was visiting Bellingham for the weekend. The choir showed up at the Archer, were very surprised to find Felinfoel beer, and quickly drained the keg while singing.

I told Rick that it was the Seattle Welsh Choir, and Cynthia and I had been there. We didn't know each other very well until then, but I flirted shamelessly with her after we'd had a few drinks and sung a few Welsh hymns -- and here we are together in Bellingham many years later.

The tap handle is now a precious souvenir of an evening I will never forget.