We were meeting Plain Dealer reporter Janet Cho for lunch at Cleveland's Irish Harp Restaurant and Pub. She was doing a story on my discovery that Medal of Honor recipient James Corcoran (Indian Wars), did not have an MOH stone at his final resting place in Calvary Cemetery. The Medal of Honor Society concurred and was sending one to Calvary. I had contacted the Plain Dealer thinking that perhaps a story about it might find Corcoran's descendants. (A descendant, Patti K, later told me she cried when she read the first of the three articles about it and realized it was her family we were trying to locate)
With me at the Harp that day was Blane P., Vietnam medic and fellow member of American Legion Post #196, Brecksville. I didn't see anyone who might look like what I pictured Janet Cho to look like so we bellied up to the bar. We'll define Blane as a very hard drinker and first-time visitor to the Harp. He bellowed out to the bartender, "What's your best Irish whiskey?" Glancing at the rows of whiskey bottles behind the bar I saw a familiar product. There in it's very own prominent wooden cradle, hanging upside down, was a bottle of Midleton Irish Whiskey ($125.00 usd in Ireland ).
The young lady who was bartending said, "Why, that would be our Midleton sir."
"How much IS a shot?" I saw it coming.
"It's twenty-five dollars a shot sir."
After a momentary pause Blane inquired again. "What's your next-best Irish whiskey?"
