Yesterday a few of us planned to head to the Legion for a little Happy Hour after work. One of my coworkers tends bar there part time and was working that evening, so we decided to go along with him for a couple of beers.I was just finishing up something at my desk, so I told everyone to go on ahead and that I would meet them there (after asking for directions).
Now I have only been to the Royal Canadian Legion a handful of times back home, for a couple of stag & doe parties or similar-type events. But walking in (alone!) to the American Legion in this small town made me feel a little weird. As I entered, I felt like I was wearing a huge sign over my head saying "CANADIAN" and that the people inside knew I wasn't "one of them". (When I first moved to the States I had this feeling almost everywhere I went - the bank, grocery store, library, etc. But I've since become more comfortable and secure in my new surroundings. So it was a little odd to have this feeling again...)
I just want to make it perfectly clear, that this was all 100% in my head. There was no reason for me to feel like I wasn't welcome there at all. Everyone there was polite, helpful, and friendly to me the whole time.
While the part of the Legion that we were in was decorated with their emblem and some tributes to the American Forces, it really was a bar more than anything else (which I don't think we have in the Canadian Legions). The prominent feature in it was a nice old wooden bar with lots of people sitting on barstools chatting with each other, watching TV, and playing some sort of KENO-type game, etc. A place where everybody knows your name, and they're always glad you came... CHEERS!
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