Even more tenuous is my grasp of Opera. Leaning more towards Parker than Pavarotti, I have little to say on the subject. Every time Alfredo comes he mentions that he has season tickets at the Met and regales me with the latest production he heard, of a Wagner and how dramatic it was, or how the Puccini was so lyrical, but that he found the last Donizetti rather light. I remember thinking that the tomato and cheese sauce on the last Donizetti I had was quite tasty. I kept that thought to myself.

Luckily, Borioso was in a hurry to get to the meeting. He downed the Cab hurriedly and headed for Jennifer's office. The next two hours passed peacefully except for the occasional muffled outbursts coming from down the hall. It did sound as if the lions were losing. I think I actually heard a squeal from Jennifer.

I served a few couples and made a few sales as the normal routine of a Wednesday set in. I had almost forgot about Borioso.

Then at about 11:30 I heard a loud, rumbling noise outside and a minute later Maude and Tiny came bursting in.

All wineries, especially small ones like ours, depend on their club members for a solid base of fans-and revenue. They are treated like royalty, even if you have to work hard at it. With Maude and Tiny it was easy work. They were among my favorite club members, if also among the most unusual. If you were to judge by appearances they would be among the most unlikely wine aficionados you could find. They always wear a full set of leather, which is good because they always arrive on their Harley's, two of them. Maude is no back seat Mamma. I don't know anything about bikes but I don't imagine they make them any bigger then the ones outside.

They were in their mid-50's I would guess, trussed up in black leather head-to-toe with matching helmets. I couldn't help but notice the big peace symbol on the side of the headgear. Both sport ponytails. While neither one was skinny, Tiny, befitting his name was a big man, about 6 inches taller than Maude and very rotund, a medicine ball with appendages. He also possesses one of the scraggliest beads this side of Fidel Castro.