For 21 years, we lived in the small town of Denton, Maryland, USA.
It was not an uplifting experience and upon leaving I felt that I had been paroled for good behavior. The town had grown smaller over the years and would have been the perfect setting for a very scary Stephen King novel.
It was also home to the best Irish pub that I have ever been in and, believe me, I have been in a lot of them both here and in the green paradise known as Ireland.
A true Irish pub needs to be a home away from home, a place of comfort and inclusion where there is a sense of belonging and peace over a shared pint.
I met a young man, a young Black man, in Denton who told me he planned on opening an Irish pub. His name was Brian. I wished him well, thinking to myself, "not a snowball's chance in Hell!"
Happy Birthday Brian! (Opening Day at the Pub; 3/17/08)
Posted by Market Street Public House on Wednesday, April 1, 2015
It is 15 years later now and when we visit the Pub, Brian always greets us by our former trivia team name, "Breaking Wind". We look forward to these scheduled lunches with our grandson who turns 21 this month and is anticipating ordering his first legal pint at the Pub.
It will be served by our favorite waitress, Guadalupe or "Lupe" as she prefers, a married, first-generation Mexican-American who is raising three children. Her husband also works at the Pub, saving every dime they can, intent on sending their own children to college.
Leaving the Pub one day, I jokingly said to Brian that once again Lupe had messed up our order. Brian smiled saying, "I can't fire her, she came with the building".
All the problems in this country could be solved with a few more Irish pubs, a few more Brians, and a few more Guadalupes!
You can learn more about Market Street Public House on its website.
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