In honor of Quintus Horatius Flaccus' birthday...

I suggest at some point today you:

a) break out some good Falernian wine (Odes I.27, II.3, II.11; Satires II.4;  Epistles I.18),

b) take a walk around town until some boorish individual latches on to you (Satires, I.9),

c) take a walk in the forest until some tree almost falls on you (Odes II.13),

d) visit your city cousin - if you're a country mouse (Satires 2.6),

e) paint a human head on a horse's neck (Ars Poetica),

f) take a nice long look at the snow on Mt. Soracte (Odes I.9),

g) remember your Pyrrha (Odes I.5),

h) build a  monument more lasting than bronze - i.e. write a really good book of poems (Odes 3.30);

or finally,

i) just seize the day (Odes I.11).

I gotta start takin' the bus!

NORWALK, CT: Students Sold Cocktails On Bus (December 20, 2008)

Norwalk officials say three middle school students turned their school bus into a club car by selling mixed drinks to other students. Ponus Ridge Middle School administrators plan to address concerns about student drinking with parents and students. Principal Linda Sumpter says the three students will be disciplined for selling drinks on the bus to at least 20 other children. She says she has met with the students and their parents.—Associated Press

Some thoughts:

1) Did the bus driver get a cut of the take or, at the very least, courtesy drinks?

Even if not, I can imagine his/her thinking: "Well, they're fairly quiet and well-behaved, and one of 'em's even dressed in a white shirt and black bow tie and being helpful to the others. How lucky can I be?!"

2) Where'd the middle schoolers learn to make mixed drinks? Beer, wine, or something served neat would be impressive enough, but, if they were making Grasshoppers and Harvey Wallbangers (heck, even Gin and Tonics or Rum and Cokes), that'd be commendable for nothing more than the dexterity of doing all this on a moving school bus without a permanent bar.

(I fully realize the drinks mentioned above show that my sole knowledge of alcohol dates back to my watching my parents entertain in the late 60s and early 70s or Andrews Sisters' songs from the 40s! I know a little bit more about wine -- but that's only because I love the poetry of the Roman Horace. Speaking of which, anybody know where I can get a nice Falernian or Massic, vintage 30 B.C.E.? Sigh.)

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Since this post started with buses, let me say I've always admired that, whenever buses pass one another on the road (city buses, school buses, charter buses, tour buses, etc.), the drivers always acknowledge one another with a little wave or nod of the head.

Now THAT'S true "professional courtesy" and not something that I've seen in any other field.

A toast to you all.