We fought the law...

completely by accident, we swear!

My friend Alissa and I met up Monday night for some beer and conversation at one of my favorite Seattle hangouts, Third Place Pub. The pub resides in the basement of Third Place Books, and its wooden walls and windowless interior lend it a sort of rustic ski lodge appeal. Perhaps this is because nearly everyone I see there is wearing a thick, woolly sweater.

Alissa and I met over four years ago on a bus to Whidbey Island for an SPU-related retreat. We were both new editors for The Falcon, SPU’s student newspaper, and the year that followed would be filled with newsprint, late nights and what probably amounted to gallons upon gallons of coffee. While we still nurse coffee addictions, Third Place offers none of the sort so we chatted over a pear cider and a Mac and Jack's, catching up on each other's lives even though we see each other at church every Sunday.

We were so engrossed in conversation that when the time came to leave, we set down our glasses, put on our jackets and headed out - and completely forgot to pay our tab! We didn't even notice until we were in the car and on our way to I-5. I was on the phone with Mark and told him I'd be there soon because I was taking Alissa home, and then Alissa and I realized at the same time that we had forgotten something, and a very important something at that! Mark was privy to a chorus of "OH NO! HOW EMBARRASSING!" before I said I wouldn't be home as soon as I thought because we had to go make things right.

We nervously re-entered the pub to a smiling bartender who just said, "I was so confused... I thought maybe they'd paid earlier?" We apologized up and down and said we'd never do it again. And now Alissa and I have a shared experience called "Remember that time when we stiffed the bartender?"