80. Party on Board

80.
Party on Board

The next evening there’s a big party on the boat. The owner has come aboard and wants to celebrate.

The Canadian challenges all comers in first class (and me) to an Australian-style beer-drinking contest.

When someone yells, “Go!” we pick up and gulp a full glass of beer and the first one to bang the empty glass back down on the table wins.

Well, it’s no contest. The Canadian snatches up his full glass, inhales the brew and returns the glass to the table in one lightning motion. I never saw anything like it. So we practice with him, trying to improve our style, until we’re all smashed. The Canadian, who usually speaks only English, is speaking fluent Castillian, the boat owner, who speaks no English, is coming on like Winston Churchill. I’m speaking Chinese and everyone understands! This proves my new theory that The Australian Drinking Contest solves the problems of international communication.

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