Edderds' First Martini

I don't know this for a fact but I'm pretty sure I witnessed Edderds' first martini on a trip to Baton Rouge.

It was early in the fall semester our pisshead year when A&M was going to play LSU. A decent high school team could have outscored A&M back then and LSU was heavily. But we weren't really going to watch the game.

The legal drinking age in Louisiana at that time was 18 and we were all 18 or better, definitely not 21.

So, a bunch of us piled into my car and headed for Louisiana with several stops planned when we crossed the border. Sure enough, as soon as we crossed the state line we had our pick of the bars. The group of us ambled up to the bar and ordered beers or rum and cokes. Except Edderds, that is.

He wanted a martini. I'm surprised this dive even knew how to make them but they through something together for him.

I remember very carefully watching Edderds. I'd never tried a martini before - not sure I knew anyone who did.

Anyway, Edderds raised the glass to his lips, parted them ever so slightly, tipped his glass and let the martini flow into his mouth. Then he made the funniest look I have ever seen in my life. His face twisted up like a kid being weaned on a pickle. His eyes rolled back and his jaw dropped. And then he realized we were watching him.

He wasn't about to let us know what his face had so betrayed. Instead, he decided to put on a brave face and make us think he was enjoying his martini. He did manage to finish it but it was long after the rest of us had downed our quota of far tastier drinks.

Tom (TE) Schoolcraft