Hola Free Rangers,
Last Tuesday, about 35 minutes before opening time as posted on the front door, the last of the Atlantic Ave side gates rolled up, an older woman slowly rolling a stroller containing some else’s child in one hand and a phone call in her other hand/ear, obstructs my path to the Hoyt side gate. Without a word to me- many words for her friend on the phone- she gestures at the door for me to open it. I tell her that I’m still opening, we’re not officially open for a while, and turn the corner to open the fourth gate. She remains in the doorway blocking ingress. At this moment Pasquale is coming down Hoyt, sees the look on my face, and I give him the heads up eyes and gesture towards the door. He turns the corner, walks the long way around her to open and hold the door for her. She still has not spoken a word to either of us, and switches her phone call to speaker as she passes the threshold, and increases her volume. She wanders slowly around the shop as we turn on lights and computers. Eventually she loops back around such that she’s right up against the front counter holding her phone out in front of her all but in Pasquale’s face. Being a much nicer guy than I, he declines my nod to crank the volume of our playlist and instead, in an unreasonably kind tone for conditions, he posits gently, “Is there anything I can help you with?” The woman’s blank stare becomes instantly a scowl and immediately snaps back with unprovoked vitriol in a jarringly caustic rendition of Caribbean drawl, “Can’t you see that I’m on the phone?!”
My turn. “Can’t you see that you’re standing directly in front of 4 signs asking you not to do exactly that?” I point them out in quick succession. She flails and throws it all out at once, “I have this child, and I just got a very important call from the dentist!” She’s clearly lying, we’ve heard the whole call. She’s still on FaceTime for dog’s sake. This is not a call of any urgency, let alone a medical one. I point out the obvious: “You walked in on the phone.” She is impervious to reason, and plays her final card over and overt again as Pasquale runs to hold the door for her once again. “Prejudice,” she says to both of us in a happenstance tone that feels as bored as rehearsed. “Prejudice.” … Hardly. You’re being judged solely on your selfish actions, and the crappy content of your character, not whatever you want it to be about. … It was still 20 minutes til opening. … Hope your work day started out (much much) better than this.
So, Pasquale is taking leave of us in October (not because of the mean lady above) to go father a human, which we think is rude. Procreation is so last century. Kidding (#mostly). We wish he and Eva and the soon to be tiny human person piles of joy in this next chapter of life. So, while he’ll be out there doing what humans do, we’re down a profoundly capable team member for Q4, when shit gets really real in retail. So, if you’ve got great problem solving, multitasking, people, and computer skills, and 20-40hrs per week to trade for American currency and all the perks that come with team membership here, we should probably talk sooner than later.
Now, this week’s FREE in-store tasting continues with our propensity for variety over cohesion. So we have two skin contact whites from Mexico and the most classic North Fork red of which we are aware. The Mexican wines were selected by Derek, so I’ll be tasting them for the first time with you this Thursday, August 13th (5-7pm), when all tasting day wines are 10% off. The LI red I’ve been drinking for decades, Paumanok Cab Franc. Medium bodied, balanced, and just enough underlying pepper so you know it’s Franc. Semi-related, if you’re going to be in the North Fork of Long Island, make an appointment for a visit to this joint. Re: the aforementioned Mexican whites, Derek says:
Casa Jipi’s Skin Contact is a lovely Sauvignon Blanc from Baja, Mexico by producer Lourdes “Lulu” Martinez Ojeda, that has an elegant texture and balanced, savory profile. Think: Sancerre with just a bit of skin contact (Lulu made wine in France for 10+ years).
The Barrigon Remix is a very limited white wine by ex-Mezcalero Xaime Niembro, showcasing what the Charelo grape is capable of; profoundly intoxicating aromatics lead the way into a dense, waxy and delicious wine with notes of yellow tropical fruits, and a finish that goes on forever- not to be missed!
And while I’ve been emotionally unavailable, Derek also put together an ONLINE ONLY sale page, which candidly I’m just looking at now. … Looks like 20% off a collection of single serving wine, spritzes, and cocktails in can and bottle, for beach/park/porch use. It’s a delightful array from Gulp!, Nomadica, Social Hour, Via Corato, Tip Top, and my personal faves: Greenhook G&T, and C. Cassis Spritz. Click on down below and we’ll put together a pack (or three) for ya!
(!) Click here for Beach/Park/Porch pack sale (!)
Cheers,
Jack
Proprietor
Free Range Wine & Spirits
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