I do believe Rusty's taking the

piss out of me. Which is an Australian term meaning that he's making fun of me. This is not to confused with the other Australian meaning of the word 'pissed' which is to be drunk. Nor should it be confused with the American meaning of 'pissed' which is to be angry. I'm the Australian term often enough; the American term not often, and I'm almost never pissed when I'm pissed and vice versa!

With me so far? :-)

Rusty is the waiter here at the Baguio Country Club. A nice enough guy but then again, he's paid to be nice. A few nights ago I'd finished my 6th glass of wine whilst dining and reading a book. The way it works is that when ones glass is empty one looks at the waiter and when one catches his gaze one raises ones forefinger. A cue to refill the glass. I've been here long and often enough that they know to refill my glass when it gets empty. Indeed, I have merely to appear and it's a race whether I get to the table before the glass of wine does! When I've had enough I ask for the bill, sign and that's the end of it.

I'd finished my 6th glass and I noticed that Rusty had opened yet another bottle. There might have been three of us in the bar/restaurant that night and I was the only wino. Over he came, wine bottle in hand, to refill my glass. I fixed him with my gaze and said 'you know Rusty? It's a good thing I'm an alcoholic'. We laughed.

Every night since then, whenever Rusty observes my empty glass and brings the wine bottle over he says 'It's a good thing you're an alcoholic sir!'.

Cheeky bastard! :-)