DRAFT Magazine

I’m sitting here in the Phoenix airport, delayed a couple of hours and wanting nothing more than to be home. If you travel a lot, you know delays happen. The question is, what do you do with the extra hour or three? If you’re like me the options are slim, so I tend to find myself sidled up to the bar with my laptop open, a tall glass of Sam Adams in front of me, surrounded with businessmen and women doing the same. While I’ve had my share of pints in airports around the country, it wasn’t until today that the whole working in a bar notion donned on me.

As I scoured the room I saw at least six people working on their laptops, taking phone calls, and sipping beer. I’m not sure if you caught that; maybe I can put it another way. As I scoured the room I found at least six people sipping beer, working away on their laptops, and taking phone calls. In a land obsessed with the propriety of consumption, I wonder why this hasn’t been discussed more frequently. The gentleman sitting next to me was fielding calls from clients on the other side of the country and talking specs while shooting off emails. He was being quite productive. He was also taking the occasional sip from his tall glass of beer.

I look at this and wonder if the neo-prohibitionists in our land have ever witnessed such a sight, and if they did, what did they see and how different was that from what I saw? The frat-boy, party-scene associated with beer drinkers is still alive and well, perpetuated in family sitcoms, romantic comedies, and online outlets. Why don’t we see these people though? Conversely, why don’t we see ads with dads enjoying a brew with dinner, or moms sharing a bottle of vino with friends?

I don’t have an answer to this. I only found it interesting that I could sit in a bar surrounded by people working to meet deadlines, make sales, write blogs — all while enjoying a fine adult beverage.