I’ve never hated anyone.  I’ve loved many.

The realm of human connection is supreme.  The realm of beer is far less sweet. 

I digress …

I revere the movie Sunshine On Leith.  It’s a love story.  Here you see Jane Horrocks and Peter Mullan singing to each other.  They’re married in the film – Jean and Rab.  And marriage, of course, is an undulating wave of emotions.

Hear Jean’s despair in another song:

I like the smell of petrol
I love the taste of booze
But I hate my love for you
Yeah, I hate my love for you

I like Johnny Cash singing “A Boy Named Sue”
But I hate my love for you
Yeah, I hate my love for you

And so it is with me and another beloved – Westmalle Tripel:

I came to Belgium three years ago, eager for the taste of supreme beer.  And I fell in love … with the brew you see before your eyes, entrancing with its 9.5% alcohol content.

Entrancing as in “capturing someone’s complete attention, fascination or admiration, as if by a spell”

I savored a Westmalle Tripel during the late afternoon yesterday.  The nausea grew in the evening.  It awakened me at 4:00 am.  It disappeared at 6:00, only to reappear at 9:30.

I can feel it – the sad end of a love affair.

The moaning voice …

No more

Stop doing this to yourself, Bruce

…  Okay

***

Human beings I hold close to my chest

Westmalle I say goodbye