Coming soon: Der Alte at Common Haus

I tend to rise in the morning afflicted by a random song. Consciousness arrives, and a tune begins playing. It used to be that it would be a recent earworm, but as I get older, it might be a little ditty I haven’t heard in years.

The same is true of thoughts. The first thing to pop into my had this morning was “Der Alte.” Say what?

Der Alte

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Der Alte means “the old man” in the German language, and may refer to:

Der Alte (television series), a long-running German television series
Der Alte, nickname for the German politician Konrad Adenauer
Der Alte, Alice Wagner’s translation of the Maxim Gorky’s play The Old Man, published in 1957

As a compulsive reader of history books, I’ve long been familiar with Adenauer’s nickname. It applies to Joe Biden as well. Moreover, albeit at the relatively tender age of 60, “the old man” might as well be me in my role as Pints&union beer buyer, at least in comparative terms.

Apart from owner Joe Phillips, I believe everyone presently employed at the pub is 30 or under. Well, maybe Chef Troy, but the point remains; I’m by far the oldest person working there.

Aches and pains aside, this is fine by me. Facts are facts, and the best policy is to own it. As the Common Haus project in Jeffersonville draws nearer (October is the hope for a launch), it occurs to me that “Der Alte” is a fine nickname, indeed. Strictly speaking, I suppose it’s “Der alte Bierhändler,” or old beer tradesman.

But yes, Der Alte. Let it be so.

The Old Man and the Beer.