Monday, May 2, 2011   I Had a Stroke When I Was 26   I. Red, Red
Wine  Problem: Recently I was in my apartment trying to open a
bottle of wine. I took out a wine opener but realized it doesn't
really work when you have only one working hand. As I don't
drink wine alone, when I want to open a bottle of wine, there's
usually somebody else there to help. Frustrating. It wasn't even
for me, this wine. It was for a recipe that I was taking to a
party.  Solution: I finally carried the damn bottle and its
opener a block and a half away to a café. The cashier, a skinny
guy with tattoos and piercings, said he would normally open my
bottle, but he was under 21 and he didn't want to get anyone in
trouble. I looked at him. I waited. He said he would call his
manager. The boss, clearly older than 21, without tattoos and
piercings, arrived. She opened my bottle. I thanked them.  As I
was leaving, I asked them if this was their weirdest request.
"No," said the tattooed guy. "Once, a customer wanted us to stop
the sun so it