![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.vicsocotra.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/021826-1-e1771455678111.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Miles was uncharacteristically abrupt at the Morning Meeting.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomething seems about to happen with the Iranians who are threatening to sink aircraft carriers. They\u2019re still talking, though, so we probably won\u2019t have to work too hard on military issues until next week.\u201d<\/p>\n
He paused.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is also Ash Wednesday. For the faithful, a time for fasting and contemplation on what is to be in the days ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n
He sat down slowly.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have directed the Old Salts to unpack the sturdy parcel that arrived by Parcel Post late last night.\u201d<\/p>\n
He pointed to the large carton by the conference room door. It was marked FRAGILE in multiple directions and looked like it had survived several delivery vehicles and perhaps a low-speed fall from a truck. The battered cardboard gave it a certain air of mystery.<\/p>\n
There was the usual back-and-forth about explosive devices \u2014 some of us having had experience with drones, phones, and other accessories to unpleasantness. Keith stood tall and opened a lovely old Buck folding knife from a battered leather holster.<\/p>\n
Vic stood to help. Holly climbed onto the wide conference table to steady the box.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m going in,\u201d Keith announced, easing the blade a quarter inch through the tape.<\/p>\n
The three flipped the carton upright.<\/p>\n
Inside was a shining silver envelope nestled against two black plastic bags. No markings. No identifying features.<\/p>\n
Keith gave a triumphant snort and extracted one of the black bags.<\/p>\n
It was roughly the size and shape of a quart Mason jar.<\/p>\n
There appeared to be more beneath it.<\/p>\n
Soon four tall black plastic cylinders were lined neatly on the table beside the bulging silver pouch.<\/p>\n
Keith slit the silver envelope carefully.<\/p>\n
Out spilled two dozen small ampules \u2014 glass containers resembling spice or cosmetic bottles. Each carried bright, cheerful labels.<\/p>\n
Melissa picked up one filled with white liquid and squinted at the script.<\/p>\n
\u201cSugarlands Sippin\u2019 Cr\u00e8me,\u201d she read. \u201cWhat the hell is that?\u201d<\/p>\n
Keith took it from her and raised it to the light.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe,\u201d he said solemnly, \u201cthat the folks at Sugarlands included a bonus.\u201d<\/p>\n
He twisted the gold top, paused briefly in the direction of Miles, and downed the 50 milliliters in a single motion.<\/p>\n
A sigh.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese,\u201d he said thoughtfully, \u201cwould go very well in the morning Flat Yank coffee. After Easter.\u201d<\/p>\n
The room shifted attention back to the four black cylinders.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese,\u201d Keith said reverently, \u201care from the Sugarlands Distillery in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. My Irish people got to that state before the Civil War. I suspect they would have approved.\u201d<\/p>\n
He drew the Buck knife across the top seam of one cylinder and peeled it back carefully.<\/p>\n
The blade revealed a gold screw-top \u2014 unmistakably Mason jar heritage.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.vicsocotra.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/021826-2.jpg\")
\nHe unscrewed it.<\/p>\n
A rich brown liquid glowed with a reddish tint under the fluorescent lights.<\/p>\n
Keith held it up to the window.<\/p>\n
\u201cLadies and gentlemen,\u201d he declared, \u201cwe appear to be in possession of four quarts of authentic Tennessee moonshine.\u201d<\/p>\n
Melissa frowned. \u201cI\u2019ve never heard of them. What do they do?\u201d<\/p>\n
Keith, assuming full docent mode, began listing varieties \u2014 peach, butter pecan cream, rye whiskey \u2014 awards, accolades, craft distillery credentials. There was a murmur of interest from those who had not passed recently through the Volunteer State.<\/p>\n
He tipped the jar slightly.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnyone interested in a sip?\u201d<\/p>\n
Miles spoke without raising his voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t forceful. But it was definitive.<\/p>\n
There were products to draft, edit, approve, and transmit before lunch disappeared in the rearview mirror of history.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was entertaining, Keith,\u201d Miles added. \u201cLet\u2019s put the moonshine aside until we get past Easter and into the Spring.\u201d<\/p>\n
Keith looked mildly wounded.<\/p>\n
Miles smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cBack to the Liquor Locker in the Galley. I read today is National Drink Wine Day. There may be opportunities later \u2014 even if it\u2019s not as toxic as Tennessee mountain chemistry.\u201d<\/p>\n
He gathered the paperwork.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the meantime, I\u2019m skipping lunch and contemplating life in historic times.\u201d<\/p>\n
Melissa smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s a good start, Miles. But we might also say a prayer about how we do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Copyright 2026 Vic Socotra<\/p>\n
www.vicsocotra.com<\/p>\n
Vic Socotra \u2013 Purveyor of glib words to the world<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Miles was uncharacteristically abrupt at the Morning Meeting. \u201cSomething seems about to happen with the Iranians who are threatening to sink aircraft carriers. They\u2019re still talking, though, so we probably won\u2019t have to work too hard on military issues until next week.\u201d He paused. \u201cIt is also Ash Wednesday. For the faithful, a time for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32493","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-daily-socotra"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vicsocotra.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32493","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vicsocotra.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vicsocotra.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vicsocotra.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vicsocotra.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32493"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.vicsocotra.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32493\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32497,"href":"https:\/\/www.vicsocotra.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32493\/revisions\/32497"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vicsocotra.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32493"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vicsocotra.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32493"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vicsocotra.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32493"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}