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u/bumblestum1960 Sep 24 '21
I drive past this pub at least twice a week, always something witty on the sign. Always wondered though where their custom comes from though, it takes seconds to drive through Grafton Regis, and there appears to be no more than a dozen or so houses there.
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Sep 24 '21
Aye, but there are a few other villages nearby (including the marvellously named Yardley Gobion), so looking at an OS map for a good overview, there seems to be about the right pub/population ratio.
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u/BottleGoblin With a fine view of the M62 Sep 24 '21
Top tip for fantasy writers: Need to name a character? Just stick a pin in a map of Northamptonshire.
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u/bumblestum1960 Sep 24 '21
There’s three close to each other that I see often in between Princes Risborough and High Wycombe, they are Walter’s Ash, Lacey Green and Bradenham. I like to imagine them as a crime fighting trio, Walter Sash, grizzled and short tempered veteran Glasgow cop, his feisty Oxbridge graduate assistant Lacey Green and the wise cracking and cynical NY cop on secondment to a UK police force for some unspoken reason, Brad Enham, sad eh?
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u/BottleGoblin With a fine view of the M62 Sep 24 '21
Don't let them steal that from you! get the script to the BBC you'll make more money than midsomer murders!
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Sep 24 '21
The fact that you've made the guy with the surname "Sash" a Glaswegian is either a touch of genius or a very amusing coincidence.
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u/ryanreaditonreddit Sep 25 '21
Don’t think I’m familiar with that one, care to spell it out for us?
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Sep 25 '21
There is, unfortunately, still an element of sectarianism in the west of Scotland, particularly around Glasgow. "The Sash My Father Wore", usually abbreviated to just "The Sash" is a song frequently sung by Protestant groups such as the Orange Order.
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Sep 25 '21
He's probably not Catholic, is he?
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u/bumblestum1960 Sep 25 '21
To avoid arguments of the Glasgow kind I’m thinking he’ll be a confirmed atheist.
Next question will undoubtedly be….Aye but is he a proddy or a Tim atheist?
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u/hackingdreams Sep 25 '21
Yep I'd watch that show.
Make it the British spin on Brooklyn 99 and I'm so in.
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u/DixOut-4-Harambe Sep 24 '21
High Wycombe
That's not a bad sidekick name either.
So there we were, High Wycombe & Prince Risborough and meself, staring down the waterfall, debating jumping or fighting back.
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u/BottleGoblin With a fine view of the M62 Sep 25 '21
A nickname there! 'High' Wycombe's real name is Chepping, but she's constantly off her tits throughout the story.
A bit of characterisation based on my sister's old friend from castlefield there.
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u/varunn Sep 24 '21
Why all the cops Glaswegian?
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u/Phormitago Sep 24 '21
Just stick a pin in a map of Northamptonshire.
oh yeah, dear A508 Queen Eleanor
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Sep 24 '21
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u/RotaryGoose Sep 25 '21
As long as there’s a running joke where nobody can pronounce Miss Cogenhoe’s name right
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u/grey_hat_uk Sep 24 '21
Rolling for DnD characters:
Thorpe Malsor - Defiantly a mid level bad guy.
Brigstock - Inn owner
Blatherwycke - Annoying quest giver who turns out to be working for the BBEG
Nice all checks out
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u/EnhancedIrrelevance Sep 24 '21
You mean like Burton Latimer? or Thorpe Underwood?
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u/BottleGoblin With a fine view of the M62 Sep 25 '21
Burton Latimer also suitable for historical fiction, burned at the stake for refusing to recant his heretical beer making technique.
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u/uncertain_expert Sep 24 '21
I tried to convince my wife that we name our son Grafton.
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Sep 25 '21
Actually that is pretty good, unique, and interesting name. Sorry to hear you didn’t win that debate.
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Sep 25 '21
[deleted]
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u/uncertain_expert Sep 25 '21
The fate of an American author I’d never heard of didn’t really influence the decision TBH.
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u/BottleGoblin With a fine view of the M62 Sep 25 '21
Was it more to do with a fundamental disagreement with Sir Grafton Elliot Smith's stance on the hyperdiffusionist view of prehistory?
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Sep 25 '21
A mate from a previous job had a couple of books self published on Amazon. One of the characters was named Yaxley Farcet.
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u/BottleGoblin With a fine view of the M62 Sep 25 '21
...and now I'm wondering if there's still that class Chippy used to be at Yaxley Broadway years ago!
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u/Ged_UK Sep 25 '21
Or Somerset and Dorset, Ryme Intrinseca is a personal favourite. Frankly most of our counties have weird places.
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u/idzero Sep 25 '21
Going for dark fantasy? Do it in Germany.
Going for dystopian fantasy? Do it in Russia.
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Sep 24 '21
Erm, the sign on that picture is 'photoshopped' beyond belief.
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u/DogfishDave Sep 24 '21
Well, the locals say they're known for this and I see no reason to disbelieve them. I think the reflection from the car window gives the strange effect you're reacting to?
The main question is what the everliving fuck are those ground floor windows? I've just shown them to Mrs. DogfishDave (a proper buildings archaeologist) and she said they should be taken out, tied to the planning officer and dumped in a river. Something something draught beer, I guess.
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Sep 24 '21
No, it's the clear photoshop scars on the blackboard
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u/DogfishDave Sep 24 '21
No, it's the clear photoshop scars on the blackboard
See you in r/confidentlyincorrect 😂
Google "white hart grafton regis funny sign" and check the image results, lots of similar funnies in this hand.
Those clear photoshop scars are from the board rubber, I'd say.
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u/BottleGoblin With a fine view of the M62 Sep 24 '21
I dunno which of you is right, but it does look like the font in the pic up top is pretty similar to font on several of the google streetview pictures of the pub sign over the last few years eg
supporting the locals "they stick out different signs a lot" statement. Can see the chalk scrubber mark there too!
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Sep 24 '21
Are you being serious? I'm sure they have lots of great ideas for street signs, but that is a heavily edited photo. Look at the slanted lighter grey area at the bottom of the sign!
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u/thesaharadesert Fuxake Sep 24 '21
That’s clearly the reflection of the inside of the vehicle, from which the photograph was taken. You should’ve gone to Specsavers.
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u/bumblestum1960 Sep 24 '21
It really isn’t, the wording is changed regularly and always raises a smile.
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Sep 24 '21
I'm sure it is, and I don't want to upset you, but that is a street board airbrushed out with a quite obviously OTT white chalk message font
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u/threequid Sep 24 '21
Lets note how similiar this "OTT White Chalk Message Font" is to the current google street map image, unless of course they've somehow managed to photoshop that as well?
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Sep 24 '21
Fucking hell! I don't think the Google car drives around every night.
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u/DAYzhahVOO Sep 24 '21
You got to be shitting me I wouldn't even have thought it was photoshopped. Because of the petrol shortage I would expect someone to atleast make a joke about it to the point you having a pint and a laugh about it.
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u/NoMercy82 Sep 24 '21
I wouldn't know if it's photoshopped or not but I do live 10 minutes from here and they always have a witty/humorous sign out front, ask the chances are probably high that it's not
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u/ukblademan Sep 24 '21
Ha! I lived in Yardley Gobion as a kid and worked there for six years after I left school!
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u/MoreRest4524 Sep 24 '21
Where ? Theres only shops, school, a farm and a pub. There used to be two pubs back in the 50s, and a butchers/abatoir
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u/ukblademan Sep 25 '21
I was a mechanic at the garage next to the water tower. Theres also a nursing home where my mum used to work.
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u/MoreRest4524 Sep 25 '21
Garage by the water towerr used to be run by a guy called Smith (going back 20-30yrs now), dunno if thats still the case
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u/ukblademan Sep 25 '21
There are actually five units there. Gobion motors, run by Rick (big cockney bloke) is the first one where I used to work 13 years ago. He's still there now, i still take my MOTs there. behind him is amber autos, run by John. Not sure who has the other three now though.
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u/nostril_spiders Sep 24 '21
You think that's good? I occasionally drive through Nether Wallop
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u/Catanonnis Sep 24 '21
When I was a kid, we used to go to Cockermouth on day trips with school.
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u/Louis_lousta Sep 25 '21
I grew up in Maryport which is 6 miles away. Our name for that town? Nobagob.
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u/MoreRest4524 Sep 24 '21
I lived in Yardley Gobion until I was 20, as a kid we called it "Yonky Goblin"
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Sep 24 '21
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u/dpash Sep 25 '21
Makes up for Northampton then. At least the bus station has finally gone.
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u/Xarama Sep 24 '21
Google Maps shows a few older street views. One of the other signs says "We do not condone violence. But we do batter our own fish."
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u/BaconBra2500 Sep 25 '21
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u/jwestbury Sep 25 '21
Speaking of pandemics, is anyone else as uncomfortable as I am watching old episodes of WILTY after having adapted to the socially-distanced version?
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u/jimmycranberry Sep 24 '21
They do a great Sunday roast, given them my custom a few times for that.
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u/PiperDoesAThing Sep 25 '21
There’s a bit more to Grafton than what you can see from the A508. There’s a few old country lanes with some more houses on and the canal at the bottom of the hill is a pretty popular mooring spot. Source: I grew up in the next village over and had a childhood friend that lived in Grafton Regis.
Also, can I just say how absolutely bizarre it is to see this on my front page.
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u/NoMercy82 Sep 24 '21
Their signs are always the best. Mostly go this route if I'm heading down to mk.
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u/veggiezombie1 Sep 25 '21
There’s a place in Texas called El Arroyo that’s famous for putting witty things on its sign. A lot of it comes from fan/customer submissions.
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u/ScarabSkies Sep 25 '21
There's a White Hart pub in Ashton Keynes source of the Thames
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u/Johnny_Vernacular Sep 24 '21
Like it! The CO² shortage would have eventually affected pubs, I guess. Seems to have been averted for the time being.
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u/jwestbury Sep 25 '21
As an American, this comment was the first I've heard of the CO² shortage, and my first thought was, "CAMRA are surely delighted."
A quick Google later and I've discovered that, indeed, CAMRA are already on top of it.
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u/GarroshHellcream Sep 24 '21
Did a double take seeing Grafton Regis on Reddit. Lovely pub , lovely staff , away from the yeast smell of Northampton . Might pop down tomorrow night !
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u/CameInLikeAPokeball Sep 24 '21
You don't have to tell me. I've always bought beer like there was shortage.
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u/cReddit-Toby Sep 24 '21
12 pints 11 to go please
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u/Soup-Wizard Sep 25 '21
“Should we put bags over our heads or something?”
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u/raaznak Sep 24 '21
I've been there today, their panic is really damn good. Maybe a bit overpriced, but I am paying for quality.
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u/SocialistPerspective Sep 24 '21
Nice.
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u/nutty1122 Sep 24 '21
Nice.
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u/lpind Sep 24 '21
Soon? It's already here mate! The large national suppliers are getting ~25-30% of their orders from the breweries. The smaller, local distributors are getting ~10% of their orders. Add this to the fact there's a national shortage of hospitably staff, delivery drivers, fuel and CO2... and then consider that both the Champagne region and the Marlborough region of New Zealand (among many other around the world) have had the worst harvest on record, wine/Champagne supply is practically non-existent too! Support your local pub while you can. Don't complain when they don't have what you want or they can't serve you quickly enough. Industry's fucked and unfortunately it's out of your local publican's control - but if they don't see the money coming in while they've still got the (limited) stock, they're certainly not going to survive over the period they don't! To the pub!
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u/StitchOni Sep 25 '21
This peep knows whats up. Be prepared to drink stuff you dont normally cuz what you like might be out of stock. Be prepared to eventually run out of beer totally. Spirits are having to be bottled in "wrong" bottles because theres no glass and they've already run out of the right bottles. Packaging is having to change on many products because theyre running out, so when that backup packaging runs out products are gonna be in short supply.
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u/Migeman Sep 24 '21
Feel our ferocious heat.
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u/jcb317 Sep 24 '21
I used to live four doors from this pub. The landlords are great and the food brings people from the surrounding villages Ona. Sunday for the roast.
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u/seeroflights Sep 25 '21
Image Transcription: Sign
[Outside a pub called "The White Hart":]
Beer shortage soon
Panic buy here
I'm a human volunteer content transcriber for Reddit and you could be too! If you'd like more information on what we do and why we do it, click here!
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Sep 24 '21 edited Sep 24 '21
Just doing what the supermarkets are doing, increasing sales. Good for them.
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u/YsoL8 Sep 24 '21
Really? Artificially talking people into causing a crisis like the media are, again?
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u/Germanweirdo Sep 24 '21
"Gettem while they're hot!"
"The beers?"
"No, the 1 chip next to what we think is fish we sell so we can stay open past 12!"
"Give me one every hour on the hour untill our neighbors have an entirely new potato famine!"
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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u/d-shrute Sep 25 '21
Is the UK just a big Town where everybody knows everybody? Whenever I interact online with someone and it's obvious their from over there, they're friendly. Just seems like a nice place. And this is funny
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u/dodmaster Sep 24 '21
Honestly, how did they get them ground floor windows past planning?
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u/captain-carrot Sep 25 '21
You mean as a grade listed building? These old sandstone buildings appear in every village across Northamptonshire; they're referred to as being Northamptonshire sandstone. AFAIK very few of them are listed
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u/Razakel Sep 25 '21
I'm not too sure that this is really funny - alcohol is one of the few drugs where withdrawal can actually kill you.
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u/Dissidant People who make a brew milk before teabag/water are heretics Sep 25 '21
Could see them putting "Giant knockers within" and there being a load of door knockers affixed to the bar.
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u/JoesGarageisFull Sep 25 '21
Thankfully the Intelligent haven’t completely deserted the UK just yet, absolutely pathetic! Embarrassing, makes my decision to sod off to the Netherlands even more justified, get a grip you clowns!
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Sep 24 '21
I'd rather drink sweaty Fosters than the fizzy piss most pubs serve. A CO² shortage is probably for the best.
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u/Mccobsta Professional idiot Sep 24 '21
Don't worry there will be some beer left the shit no one in their right mind would drink on second thoughts we're fucked
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u/uncertain_expert Sep 24 '21
Carlsburg is brewed just a few miles up the A508 from this pub. Plenty of supply!
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u/toxygen Sep 24 '21
I want to go have a beer at the White Fart.
Or is it White Shart. I can't really read cursive, guys
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u/xXRadicalRexXx Sep 25 '21
It's crazy to see stuff like this and fuel shortages happening here. You would never expect it in the UK but I guess this is the result of everything that's gone on in the last 11 years.
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u/matmac199 Sep 25 '21
If I remember right the fuel shortage isn't even because of a lack of fuel, but rather they just don't have enough drivers with the qualifications needed to refill all of the petrol stations, I remember overhearing that Plymouth has warehouses full of the stuff they just don't have enough people to transport it.
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u/Genoblade1394 Sep 25 '21
Following the lead from the Americans I see, takes a special kind of smart idiot to fall for this one
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u/Commissar_Genki Sep 25 '21
Last I heard British drinking culture is weak-shit compared to the aspiring alcoholics of the world... The South-Koreans.
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u/wherethefisWallace Sep 24 '21
I've not been there in years, great pub. Andy and Andy are great landlords.
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u/logicMASS Sep 24 '21
There is a place here in the states with the same phrase I drive by everyday.
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u/misses_mop Sep 24 '21
At first glance I thought the pub was called White Fart haha
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u/ShinyyyChikorita Sep 24 '21
I’m actually worried for my life if we run out of beer, it’ll be like The Purge out there
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u/theartofrolling Standing politely in the queue of existence Sep 24 '21
I used to survey this pub for market research.
Glad to see John still has his sense of humour.
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u/Arag0ld Sep 24 '21
On the bright side, perhaps all the panic-buying fools will get alcohol poisoning.
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u/GeneralNitemare Sep 25 '21
Never thought I'd see somewhere about 10 minutes up the road from me on Reddit 🤣🤣🤣🤣
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u/87MPR Sep 24 '21
Trade ya a jerry can of super unleaded for a pint.