Miller Lite

• Cubs: 10
• Philly: 5
• Sold: 9 cases beer/132 waters

It's understood among Philly vendors that Miller Lite is the thing to sell in the seats up there. Until recently it was pretty much only available from vendors, owing to Bud's sponsorship of the stadium, so while your Coors Lite correspondent here is pounding steps to within an inch of his ligaments to move six cases of the Rocky Mountain stuff, that old Milwaukee stalwart, the original "Light" beer and the first to catch on (after attempts to market "diet" beer failed) is being sold nine cases at a time by vendors who are taking a more casual approach. Frustrating as hell, but I'm the relative newcomer around the stadium of brotherly love, so it goes with the status.

Doesn't keep me from lobbying my commissary manager occasionally to grant it to me, though. There's a rule enumerated in the employee handbook that states that vendors can ask to fill in for absent vendors, and I'm always trying to have it applied. Manager's discretion has kept me from it, until today. Miller Lite it was, and this being a rare thing I wanted to make the most of it. Started early, ran around in the sun willy-nilly, throwing beer and water around as fast as I could, and got the proof I needed: given the right product, I can outsell anyone. Nine cases for me, eight for the next guy, with a couple of sevens right behind. Not a rout, but here's the clincher: while everyone else sold about two cases of water (and on a hot dry day), I sold almost six cases of that pricey flavored processed tap water. No doubt; I made the most of it, which is all I'm looking for on any given night. Back to the usual from here on, quite happily.