10 March 2000, by Bill Teysko

Half-a-glass of Guinness

    "There’s a glass of Guinness for you on the counter," Daryl shouts from the door of the garage.
   "Thanks, I’m really thirsty," I yell back at the open door.
   I turn towards the kitchen, looking for the welcome brew. Puzzled, I furrow my brow as I see the glass. The dark beer bisects the height of the tumbler, give or take a millimeter. It’s only half-full!
   I gather the chill glass to my hand and slide into a chair. I try to shake off my surprise, set on enjoying the refreshment. I hold it up to the light gauging the color and creaminess. Try as I might, I can’t extinguish my question, "Why would he serve me a glass that was half-empty."
   I take a sip and am pleased by the taste, texture and temperature, offering a silent toast, "To friends." Relaxing there, my thoughts return to the question posed by the glass. Which is it, half-full or half-empty?
   If I were a pessimist, a person who devotes his life to finding the imperfections in our universe, I would conclude that the glass is half-empty. When beverages are served, they are customarily filled to the brim. As the contents are consumed, the glass is being emptied. So, the logical observation is that the glass is half-empty.
    "Not so fast," I caution myself. There’s another opinion that would argue the alternative, that the glass is half-full. Think of what you have, not what you want. Take a more optimistic view. After all, it is a gift, more than enough to clear the palate and satisfy your thirst, just enjoy. "Yes, I like that better, " I admit, "it’s a more encouraging mindset. Yep, half-full, that’s the ticket."
   Taking another drink, I continue to look at the problem. Have I allowed for all the possibilities? Like the bubbles rising from the bottom of the Guinness, an idea buoyed by playfulness begins to surface. "The glass is merely twice as big as it needs to be," I muse, testing the idea, "The symmetry and brilliance of this view is appealing as well as solving the problem."
   Just then Daryl enters the room carrying a bottle, looking my way, he says, "I hope you don’t mind, the beer stays cold for a longer time if we share the bottle."