Wally was walking into the kitchen with an empty cup just as Carrie was walking out with a grin. “Hey, what are you drinking?” he asked, eyeing her full beverage.

Carrie’s smile went coy as she answered, “Oh ya know, a bit of this, a bit of that.”

He scanned the assortment of bottles and mixers their friends had brought, then cocked an eyebrow. “You improvised?”

She winked. “You want to try?”

One sip. Wally dove into a carnival of flavors: sweet, sour, and bitter blazing with a high proof burn. “Oh wow!” he exclaimed, eyes going wide.

“Yeah? What do you think?”

“Carrie,” he said, looking down at the cocktail in his hand, “do you realize what you’ve made?

“Oh, I know,” she said. “It’s a masterpiece.”

“Carrie, you’ve committed one of the classic blunders.”

“Scuse me,” she said, words slurring slightly. “Blunder? Does this look like a land war in Asia?”

“No, I’m talking about the other one: Never free mix alcohol in a red solo cup.”

“Pfff, I’m sure it’s fine.”

“Oh, it’s delicious,” he said handing back the cup, “but you’re gonna be drunk off your ass.”

“So you want me to make one for you?”

* * *

Story by Gregory M. Fox