I like to participate in informal monthly luncheons at the Orleans, Ont., Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion. The goal is to meet up with an ad hoc gathering of former and serving CAF personnel from my old military occupation, Photographic Technician and Imagery Technician. It’s always a lot of fun, laughs and good BS’ing.
Today I sidled up to the bar and placed my order; the bartender sets down my small pitcher and then fetches a nice cold mug from the freezer. You could have knocked me over with a feather when I saw that this is the mug he randomly pulled out for me; an IPMS Canada Royal Canadian Beer Blast mug from 1978. (These were produced by IPMS Canada for sale at the IPMS/USA National Convention held that year in Atlanta, Georgia) It was donated by someone, who, presumably, was a modeller and IPMS Canada member, who was living, presumably, in the Orleans area, and who (or his family), presumably, decided to donate some old beer mugs to the Legion.
Who the original owner was is a complete mystery to me, but he must have had some connection to IPMS Canada and came into possession of one these beauties from 48 years ago.
Anyway, I thought it was a fun little moment, and it did a fine job of holding the suds in place for me. I now have an arrangement with the Legion bartender to have that mug ready for me during my future visits there.
Submitted by Steve Sauvé – C#323, Ottawa
