gettin' shelled

#23 Peanut Week at Hoopples

Let it be known that Riche threw the first one.

So there is this local watering hole on the near west side of Cleveland, known as Hoopples, that offers a beautiful view of downtown and has become a favorite gathering place for some of my colleagues and friends. Many would argue that Hoopples is most famous because of the musical demonstrations of the Schwartz Brothers (ask Devon about Glenn!); however, on this particular weekday in May, one of my favorite salty snacks--Mr. Peanut--became the focus of our party's interactions.

I do not recall if there was any sign or signal that suggested that we huck empty peanut shells at each other (aside from the observance that other patrons were tossing their own peanut shells on the bar floor), but what transpired for about 45 minutes that evening was a relentless air assault. To make matters worse, our server continued to refill our table with fresh peanuts! From shooting for the mouth of others' drinks to helping some of the women pull fragments of peanut shell from their hair, the "saltiness" of this memorable night on Columbus Road will forever be preserved in local folklore.