I was loitering in the beer section of Morrisons and there was an attractive woman in her thirties picking up bottles, peering at them, and putting a few in her trolley. Like all old men I will do anything to engage in conversation with passable ladies half my age, so I asked, "Having trouble choosing?"
"Yes I am!" she replied. "It's for his birthday. But they've got to be on special offer or he's not having them!"
"Oh, surely you can get him a few really nice ones if it's for his birthday!"
She scowled at this suggestion, but I sailed on, saying grandly, "Let us broaden his horizons!"
As I was pointing out various stouts and dark bitters she snapped, "He only drinks pale beers, and anyway he likes lager best. And he manages a pub so he knows his own mind."
So that telled me, and chastened I went about my business, but as it happened our paths crossed in Housewares. She gave me a tiny smile and I saw that she'd taken all the bottles out of her trolley and had replaced them with a pack of Stella.
Bill