Return to Victoria

Saturday, the Mrs and I go to her parent’s place in San Antonio. I’m basically out of vacation days but I told my boss I’d bring my work computer with me in order to maximize the amount of time that my wife gets to see her folks. It was a surprisingly forward thinking move on my part and I’m glad that the few times my brain fires off on all cylinders it produces a good result. Anyway, that’s not the reason I’m writing today.

When I lived in Victoria, TX, which is about 2 hours from San Antonio, my last half of living there I spent a lot of time at the best bar in the town, Moonshine Drinkery. I never necessarily planned on staying in Victoria for a long period of time but once it was clear I was going to be there for a minute I needed to find a social scene. Moonshine became (one of) my main ones. It started one night where I met the manager of the bar, Beau, and took off from there.

Sometime after I left Victoria for Charlotte I heard that Moonshine was closing down and that made me sad. Moonshine was a place where I came in and, even in a crowd, if one of the bartenders saw me I had a gin and tonic waiting for me when I came to the bar. That is so cool. I spent many times there after the doors officially closed just listening to music and laughing and enjoying the company of good buddies. It was sad to see a place like that close down. As it turns out, Beau took a leap of faith and took ownership of Moonshine so as it turns out, the shutdown was more of a hiatus; a rebranding that actually resulted in a meaningful continuation. Moonshine held a private grand opening and even though I was almost a thousand miles away in Charlotte, I received an invite to that which warmed my heart. As a result of that I sent Beau my congratulations on owning the bar, my condolences in not being able to make it to the opening, and a promise: if I were ever close again I would make sure to patronize the establishment once again. 

(after the event)

I lived up to my promise and did went to the bar. The bar has changed somewhat, but not much. Beau walked me through and you could tell the pride he had when it came in describing the new changes and innovations placed in the bar. It really did feel like coming back to an old home you lived in with just enough innovations that you could fit right back in and not feel too out of place. 

I didn’t live up to my promise because Beau would not let me spend a dime in his establishment. “You don’t spend your money here,” is what he told me. Goodness. I don’t deserve that. I’ve only mentioned Beau but it’s also important to mention two other guys who were actors in this play: Dan and Morgan.

What I never will forget is the day I lost my job in Victoria. I was stinging and the first people (besides Miranda) in town were Dan and Morgan, who picked me up and got me nice and drunk. More than the drinking it was that they thought enough of me to want to commiserate with me. That meant a whole, whole lot.The year while I looked for another job I was able to walk into where Morgan worked and I was taken care of every single time. Both of them were very good friends and a reason I would have stuck around Victoria long, long after it may have made any sense to stay. For not the first time in my life, obligation and responsibility took me away when my heart would have led me to stay.

Before I came into town I asked Morgan was it worth it for me to come and was met with a resounding YES. I drove down that Sunday, had a lovely seafood dinner, watched some football, drank a little bit too much, heard some sad tales and heard some happy tales. The night went far too quickly and the morning came way too fast and while I made sure to linger I was back on the road to San Antonio before I knew it. 

They asked me to come back and see them sooner than the 2+ years it took and I will. The definition of a blessing and a curse is being a good enough person to have lived in multiple locations and have a good enough personality to make and meet a lot of friends but not having the time it takes to see them all. Gratefully, bittersweetly, I now have people in Victoria. TX to add to that list.