A DEADLY ENCOUNTER

Mr. Debonair enjoys a Negroni.

Anyone who has ever spent time with snakes can tell you, there’s a big difference between the king snake and the coral snake, despite their similar appearance. One is fairly harmless. One can kill you dead.

Likewise, don’t let the pinkish-orange color fool you. That’s no girly Cosmo in my glass. It is, rather, the insidious and deadly Negroni.

Consisting of gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth in equal proportion, this is no drink for lightweights. The traditional garnishes of an orange slice and a cherry have the effect of making it look even more innocent... but a Shirley Temple it is not. It is bittersweet - more bitter than sweet, some say - in many ways a metaphor for Life.

Nevertheless, it is a perfect beverage for celebrating the graduation of our friends JoAnn and Gary’s daughter Jennifer from the University of Georgia School of Law. Given that her undergraduate degree also came from UGA, this makes Jen a part of an elite group: the Double Dawgs. [That’d be people who have two degrees from UGA.]


JoAnn, Jennifer, and Gary.

To observe the occasion, a small army of friends and family converged on Athens, Georgia, where the ceremonial activities were held out-of-doors despite threatening skies. We managed to stay dry, the clouds waiting until we had arrived at East West Bistro for a post-graduation luncheon to unleash their fury.


Jennifer, newly-minted Juris Doctor.

After gulping down that Negroni, all I can say is, “Movvil Tozz (hic)!”