OPINION: Beers with Twinkie

 
"Ahhh I can drink to this music", I thought to myself as I sat down at the end of the bar.  A couple of more George Jones songs and a Merle Haggard tune came on as I sat there happily drowning my misery with ice cold Budweiser.
 
Every now and then, I got a glimpse out of the corner of my eye at the guy sitting next to me. He looked sort of familiar so I turned on my bar stool and looked straight at him.
 
It was my childhood friend Twinkie!  Twinkie and I used to eat lunch together about every day at Johnson Heights Elementary school.  Twinkie had gray hair and cracks were showing on  his golden sponge. He looked dry and slightly stale.
 
"Twinkie, old friend, how the heck are you?" I asked.
 
"I've had better days but I guess it could be worse. I got laid off but at least I got beer and George Jones," Twinkie said as he took a drink of cold Bud Light.
 
"Dang that Corporate America. I got downsized myself and now I'm working two jobs for the same money. It's happening to everyone, my brother was a VP in California and his company got bought out and he got laid off," I said.
 
Twinkie wiped a tear from his eye and said, "I was the top cake in the world and Corporate America chewed me up and spit me out.  So much for company loyalty, I bled cream filling for them for decades now I'm out on the street."
 
"Wow, I guess no one's job is safe anymore," I said sadly.  "I've heard that several companies want to hire you."
 
"Yeah, Wal-Mart and Kroger are interested but I'm not ready for a smock yet. I was the king of the top shelf of the  cake aisle now they want to display me up front next to the greeter. I"l be just another old codger in a blue vest."
 
"I guess sooner or later we will all end up working for Wal-Mart", I moaned.
 
"I lived the high lifestyle for years surrounded by fresh cupcakes. I guess it's beer and country music for me as I'm just a stale cake," Twinkie cried.
 
"People still love you Twinkie," I consoled him. "You'll be back to work soon."
 
I wished my friend the best and told him I was sure I'd see him back in the supermarket soon. As I walked outside it started to rain.  I knew things were getting bad but I knew I wasn't alone. I realized we are all in this mess together and together, we will figure it all out. 

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