Sitting at a brewery 
rural, northern Minnesota
tasting a variety of 
beers, ales 
small flights of five

A couple - mid-twenties
sits across from us
they too, are sampling 
each other - first timers
comparing 
dating app peccadillos
head-scratching
mismatches 

awkward exchanges 
preferences for
beer types, each other
quickly give way to
comfortable laughter

Another pair - fiftyish
same scenario 
plays out - stilted
chatting on beer,
backgrounds, dating 

uneasy silences 
punctuated with
periodic 'I like this'
'This one is good'
trivial talk of weather

The younger couple
finishing 
their beer
excitedly agrees to
head up the road for
go karts, mini-golf

The older sippers
settle in
find common ground
exchanging phones
with grandkids 
pictures

conversation turns
to banter
body language 
softens, words lose
nervous edge
as the sun sets
they have settled in

Meanwhile we 
have worked our way 
through all ten of
our brews
vicarious curiosity
in both neighboring 
sets of beer 
lovers
trying new things

discovering
perhaps 
that romance is
much like brewing -
it's all about combining
the right 
ingredients, patience

For me
the evening 
simply confirmed
I like 
my beers hoppy
my endings happy

– Mark L. Lucker
© 2021
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