MacNair tore her gaze from the two immortals she was "supervising" as they planted the first flowers of spring and glanced towards the house. "What was that?"

Duncan chuckled. "Don't you know what day it is?"

"Sunday."

"The date?"

"Um . . . March 17th."

"And?" Connor prompted.

MacNair puzzled for a second. "OH! St. Patrick's Day!"

"And what's one tradition that usually occurs on this day?"

She grinned wikkedly. "You get to pinch someone if they're not wearing green." Her face fell. "No fair. You've both got green on."

Duncan sighed patiently. "The other tradition, guaranteed to irritate a certain ancient immortal."

Light dawned in her eyes. "Ah, the tinting of the beer green."

"Bingo," replied Connor.

Sharz chimed in from her seat next to MacNair's: "I thought we agreed after last year's hysterics not to do that to poor Methos again?"

Lynnann spoke up."WE did, but there's several newcomers here that don't know that. I tried to warn them."

Sharz looked around, counting heads. "Where's lahoffy? I'm surprised she's not here watching the boys work."

Connor laughed merrily. "Who do you think is behind that howling? Ever since the Valentine's Day incident, she's been looking for a chance at revenge on Methos."

A chorus of feminine squeals sounded just then, followed by pounding footsteps, an outraged male voice, and slamming doors.

"Run!" shouted lahoffy as she came barreling out the door, closely followed by Sheeza, hayden, and pacem.

The girls scampered across the courtyard, seeking shelter behind the comparative safety of the two Highlanders.

"Hide us! He's going to kill us!" pleaded hayden as she ducked behind Duncan's broad back.

Sheeza squeezed in beside her. "I didn't think he'd get so mad!"

Pacem scurried behind Connor. "We were just holding up tradition!" She paused, blinking. "Ooo . . . nice jeans."

"Lahoffy, if you want to get even with Methos--that's one thing. Involving innocents in your schemes--" Connor began lecturing.

"Innocents? HA! You should have seen how eager they all were! Besides, I only suggested the idea!"

Sheeza poked her head around Duncan's shoulder. "Suggested? You handed us the bottle of food coloring!"

Lahoffy sighed, crossing her arms and bracing herself as Methos came stomping out of the house.

Sheeza, hayden and pacem squeaked in alarm and tried making themselves even smaller behind the two immortals.

Methos reached the group, his expression morose as he collapsed into a vacant lawn chair and stared forlornly at the mug of green beer he held. "I hate this holiday," he groused. "Green beer? It's a sacrilege."

Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief.

"People running around pretending to be Irish, wearing those bloody "Kiss me, I'm Irish" buttons, pinching you black and blue if you're not wearing green--all bloody annoying if you ask me. But the worst thing? GREEN beer!" He fell silent, still staring at his beer. Finally he sighed and muttered under his breath. "All because of a stupid, bloody accident."

"I'm sorry. What was that?" Duncan asked.

Methos sighed heavily again, closing his eyes. "An accident. Happened back during Prohibition. While I was brewing beer for Capone."

Everyone perked up. A story about the old guy's past? This would be worth any amount of punishment he might inflict later.

"Brewing beer for Capone? Al Capone?" asked Connor.

"Yes, that Al Capone. I was making my own beer when he found out about my talents and recruited me. It seemed like a great way to make money at the time. Anyway, one Saint Patrick's Day, I had just finished making up a batch and was waiting on him to show up to collect it when a certain . . . uh. . . female acquaintance of mine got . . . um . . . frisky with food stuffs. Next thing I know, she spilled an entire bottle of green food coloring into it." Again he sighed heavily. "Capone showed up at that moment, saw the beer and loved the idea of celebrating St. Patrick's Day with green beer. The rest is history."

Duncan looked at him disbelievingly. "You mean, just because you got randy with someone, that's why we have green beer?"

Methos shrugged. "What can I say? She was rather talented, even if she was a klutz." He took a long pull off his beer. "Do you think I like knowing I'm responsible for the mistreatment of beer every year?"

The entire group dissolved into merry whoops of laughter, collapsing onto each other, as they struggled to breathe.

"Sure, laugh it up now. Easter's coming, and I know where you keep the chocolate bunnies," he muttered.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: This is wildly historically inaccurate, I'm sure. I have no idea when the first incident of tinting beer green actually happened. Nor do I know how it happened, and I'm not one to go do research for a fluffy little piece like this. *g* And who's to say that in the HL universe, this isn't exactly how it happened? *bg* Hope you enjoy it anyway.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day everyone.

lahoffyCDC
March 17, 2002

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