Once, while hitch-hiking from Taos to Denver on a dark and rainy night, I was given a ride by a stranger with a Peruvian accent. Because of his difficulties with English, and my total ignorance of the particular strain of West-Peruvian Spanish he spoke, little conversation was passed until he suddenly turned and said "Joo whan make 25 dolars help me hunload dees trock?" "OK" I replied"What are you hauling?"

"Teeples..." he whispered. "Hondreds of dem"

He backed up to an empty barn just outside Pueblo, where several rustic types threw open the doors. What I saw stunned me...Tipples of every imaginable shape, color and size! We worked for several hours unloading them. I suddenly realized it...this was the main tipple distribution center for the entire region.

But I took my 25 dollars...and I kept my mouth shut. Until now.