Perfection

It's a very hot day. One of those days when you'd rather stay inside, all blinds down, well sheltered from the sun. But you've promised your help to people who deserve it. You'll have to go out, and you'll have to work, and you'll have to be in the sun.

After midday the heat has become unbearable. Everybody has lost almost all strength to keep on working. You hear the magic words "Jdeme na pivo". You finish what you are doing and head towards the closest pub, which turns out to be a beer garden, which is actually not that close.

The place is a bit off of the little road you are walking. There's an arrow indicating the way, next to it there is the sign of a beer you don't like. But well, these people you are helping are paying and it's not that there's anything else to choose from; besides, thirst always beats taste.

You follow the arrow's instructions and take a little path that goes uphill. A few metres later you can see the entrance to beer garden and next to it there is another sign, one of a beer that, though it's not among the ones you like the most, it's a step forward quality-wise.

You head to the bar with the rest of the group. You are so thirsty you could drink the sweat of a Cossack's armpit if it was well tapped. And there you see it. You don't quite believe it at first, but there it is. Everybody before you orders it and goes to take their seats. It's one of your favourite beers; likely the favourite in a where and when like this.

You savour every molecule of that wonderful liquid, almost unconsciously, though, the first pint goes down so fast you barely register it. But it doesn't matter, there's no rush to go back to work, there's time for another one, and another one, and another one, and another one and well, yeah, why not, yet another one.

You are sitting in the shade, quietly sipping from that mug made in reassuringly thick and heavy glass. Everybody is relaxed, chatting, laughing, sharing stories. And you enjoy the company, the talk, the shade, the well deserved rest and the beer.

Beer as a reward, beer as a social lubricant, beer as relax, beer without pretensions. Beer can not be better than this. It's beer perfection.

Na Zdraví!