Awash in booze

The small town in Missouri that I grew up in was, at that time, very small and isolated. The bus that traveled daily to St. Louis was actually a foot wider than the highway lane that it traveled in to reach US 66.

There were 4,500 people then.

There were also public 17 bars that I can recall. Real bars, with a bar and a few tables or booths, populated by factory workers and the occasional farmer.

There were two bowling alleys, including one in the Catholic high school, each of which had a public bar (later cocktail areas).

There were, and still are, the VFW, the American Legion, the Knights of Columbus, the Elks, and the Hummingbird Club. Each had and still has a private bar.

There were two liquor stores plus one grocery store that sold hard liquor. That grocery story also sold beer, as did five other grocery stores.

There were two restaurants, one of which served mixed drinks. The other was too close to the Catholic Church to get a liquor license -- how's that for irony?