It’s not often that you have a memorable evening in Fresno. Honestly, other than the joys of great Mexican food and the thrill of finding your car unmolested after leaving it overnight in a public parking lot, Fresno lacks a reputation for singular events. However, this past week, I experienced one of the most surprisingly rewarding evenings of my life.
The unlikely place: the lobby bar at the downtown Fresno Radisson. I found myself sipping pints of Tamarack pale ale, the flagship brew of the Sequoia Brewing Company (aka, the other reason to go to Fresno), and engaging in lively conversation with my fellow lobby bar patrons. The gentleman next to me, a middle-aged African-American gent with a penchant for arguing politics while taking very few sides, seemed familiar. It took me three pints to finally figure it out, but my bar mate was none other than Federal Judge Morrison England. Yes, that Morrison England.