Special to the Town Crier
St. Patrick's Day is here again. You haven't bought any St. Patrick's Day presents, have you? Don't worry.
If you must, you can always offer a friend the traditional green beer.
Green is associated with St. Patrick's Day because it is the color of spring and shamrocks are green. And yes, so is the beer.
So what can you do for good luck on St. Patrick's Day?
You wear green, of course. If you don't wear green, some people ask questions, even give you dirty looks.
Find a four-leaf clover. Kiss the Blarney Stone. It's a stone set in the wall of the Blarney Castle tower in the Irish village of Blarney. Kissing the stone is supposed to bring the kisser the gift of persuasive powers. (Sounds like a bunch of blarney.)
And then there are leprechauns. Usually an old man about 2 feet tall often dressed like a shoemaker with a crooked hat and a leather apron. Custom says they are aloof and unfriendly, but that covers a lot of people.
In America, St. Patrick's Day is basically a time to wear green and party. The first American celebration was in Boston in 1737. As the saying goes, on St. Patrick's Day everybody is Irish. Boston had flocks of Irish immigrants, while Philadelphia had Germans and New York had the Dutch and Italians.
Put down your green beer for a minute and sit down for this. St. Patrick was not Irish. That's right. Sources report he was born around 373 A.D. in Scotland or Roman Britain.
His real name is believed to be Maewyn Succat, and he took on the name Patrick or Patricus after he became a priest. He was kidnapped at the age of 16 by pirates and sold into slavery. He escaped, went to France and became a priest.
So what does that mean to many of us, today? Not much. But just in case, wear something green. Have corned beef and cabbage at one of the Los Altos restaurants and then go to Fibbar Magee's in Mountain View and sing songs like "My Wild Irish Rose."
Oh yes, buy your friend that green beer and may your blessings outnumber the shamrocks you find in the bar.