Small Talk #4 - Stamps and Beer
Good morning! It’s time for Small Talk, your weekly prompt for conversation, the hot air in your balloon. And while we’re talking, why not share this with a friend?
Stamp of Approval
If I write a poem and draw a bird on a sheet of paper and put it in a box outside my house, a service of the U.S. government will carry it 1,800 miles to my daughter in Washington, and it will cost me... 66 cents. 66 cents! What else costs less than a dollar these days? Basically, nothing. Nothing, except for cross-continental transport of a poem.
The US Postal Service is a great topic for small talk—and not just if you're a philatelist. For example, the postal service has generated millions of dollars for charitable causes, thanks to special fundraising stamps. These stamps are called 'semipostal' (which admittedly sounds like a highly agitated state of mind—as in 'Stay away from Colton today, he's in a semipostal mood'). The first semipostal stamp, issued in 1998, has raised more than $96 million for breast cancer research. Today you can find fundraising stamps for endangered species, Alzheimer's, and PTSD.
Over the past several years, the Postal Service has endured criticism from certain groups because it's 'not profitable.' (Coincidentally, those same groups have tried to suppress voting by mail, but that is definitely not a topic for small talk!) The thing is: The Postal Service wasn't created to be profitable. It was established in 1775 to enable communication across the states, especially to rural areas. It was tax-funded. That's right—the USPS is older than the nation, chartered by the Second Continental Congress as the brainchild of Benjamin Franklin. Curiously, the band The Postal Service was the brainchild of Benjamin Gibbard—but, no relation.
I have mixed feelings about the post, I have to admit, because the paper in junk mail typically comes from trees in the far north, where we need trees to keep Earth working. But I also love getting holiday cards and admire the people who still carry out that tradition. In any case, things are better for a lot of people thanks to the USPS. So small talk that up.
A Lager is Not a Watery American Beer
Well, not necessarily. Now that we're in that time of year for lovely, dark, holiday beers, I want to make something clear: The difference between lager and ale is just the type of yeast they use. Lager yeast does its business on the bottom of a fermentation tank, usually at lower temperatures. Ale yeast ferments on the top, at room temperature. (And no jokes about 'ale likes it on top,' now, because that's also not appropriate for small talk.) That’s it. You can brew a 'black lager,' aka Schwarzbier, that is very dark with complex flavors. So when Colton bellies up to the bar and says 'I'll do a lager,' assuming that is synonymous with a weak and watery American beer (made in part from corn and rice, for goodness sakes), he’s getting it wrong. The bartender should look at him over his glasses and ask, 'Yes, but what type of lager?' To which Colton would reply, his level of agitation rising, 'I don't know—just a lager, something cold and wet!'
Beer might be the best topic for small talk, rivaled only by wine and the weather. Here's why: Everything about beer is nuanced and debatable. For example, lagers do tend to be lower in alcohol, and therefore 'lighter,' because lager yeasts consume less sugar. Also, because lager yeasts take longer to ferment, they consume more 'off' flavors, making them what you might describe as 'crisp' or ‘clean.’ So a wisenheimer could argue that my title to this section is inaccurate--leading to another beer, and more small talk.
Table Talk
If you have time, here’s one more…
Besides the United States, two other countries have official fall holidays called Thanksgiving. Canada celebrates Thanksgiving on the second Monday of October. In Liberia, they observe Thanksgiving on the first Thursday of November. In all three nations, the origin of the holiday raises debate. You might look that up, especially regarding the Liberian tradition. I'm very partial to Thanksgiving, because it feels like the least commercialized holiday. Setting aside the frenzy of 'black Friday', and ignoring ads imploring you to 'Get your Turkey on,' Thanksgiving remains a time where people gather with loved ones and eat and rest. A lot of people still go around the table and say what they're thankful for. And I'm thankful for that.
Well, that’ll do for this week. I appreciate you reading. If you liked this, click here and I’ll know.
Have a good one,
Kipling Knox
