Post #2366692

2026-04-27 00:01 UTC

You approach the bartender, who doesn't appear to be a clown. "Seltzer with..." You're immediately smacked in the face with a jet of fizzy water from an old-school seltzer bottle. You should've seen it coming. That's on you -- along with a half-liter of water. The bartender grins. You dry off with a handful of cocktail napkins. After two more drenchings, you manage a vodka soda and return to your seat. A poker game starts up in the corner. A tall clown announces karaoke. Beer pong happens.

Replies (7)

@michelestrider@mastodon.social 2026-04-28 00:01

You nurse your drink and watch the Lounge Car evolve into a three-ring circus. You witness so many clown-themed songs, performed so flashily. Rainbow Hair gets up to sing, and a hobo sits down next to you, replete with patchwork pants and bindle on a stick. "Nice shoes," he says. You aren't sure how to take it. "Thanks?" "Traveling for work?" he asks. You shake your head. "You?" you ask and immediately feel weird about it. "More like a retreat. Have you heard the teachings of Guru Bozo?"

Open ##2366693
@AinsleyLowbeer@mastodon.social 2026-04-27 00:05

@michelestrider@mastodon.social The real choice is to make every clown in the car eat a bayonet, but I picked poker instead.

Open ##2366727
@aktbar@mastodon.social 2026-04-27 00:05

@michelestrider@mastodon.social I vaguely remember a "game" called "Beer Hunter" where you shake up one in a six-pack, shuffle them, and everyone has to open their beer near their face. The seltzer bottle could be filled with beer, maybe, for beer pong?

Open ##2366729
@mirabilos@toot.mirbsd.org 2026-04-27 00:30

@michelestrider@mastodon.social what is “an old-school seltzer bottle”? I could only find that “seltzer” apparently means water with H₂CO₃, but that’s it. It gets very american(?) here.

Open ##2366731
@mirabilos@toot.mirbsd.org 2026-04-27 00:31

@michelestrider@mastodon.social oooh, Karaoke! singing is always fun, especially in groups

Open ##2366734
@twasink@aus.social 2026-04-27 01:43

@michelestrider@mastodon.social got to avoid the poker game. Having a face all made up with a funny expression would be a near unbeatable poker face.

Open ##2366735
@gdinwiddie@mastodon.social 2026-04-27 02:46

@michelestrider@mastodon.social I would have switched to a martini, extra dry. 😉

Open ##2366737