Enjoying a night out at the theater is a beloved tradition for many couples. The glamour of getting dressed up, the electric anticipation as the lights dim and the curtain rises – it’s an experience meant to be savored together. But for one theater employee, her husband’s quirky habit of sneaking in his trusty hip flask is threatening to upstage their marital harmony.
Staging the Scene: A Hip Flask Faux Pas?
Ellen, who recently started a job at a new theater, gets complimentary tickets to many of the shows. While this perk allows her and her husband Rog to indulge their shared love of the stage, it has also shone a spotlight on their differing views on theater etiquette – specifically, Rog’s insistence on bringing along “Mr. Aspinal,” his beloved hip flask.
For Rog, sneaking sips from his flask is all part of the fun. As Ellen proudly proclaimed in her wedding speech, he’s the “chief entertainment officer” in their relationship, always finding ways to liven up any occasion. His talent for surreptitiously tippling at festivals and events is a point of pride, and one that usually helps keep their outing expenses down.
“I love Rog, and I like how he’s good at smuggling drinks into festivals and events. He’s very good at making things fun and helping us save money,” Ellen admits.
But when it comes to her place of work, Ellen draws the curtain on Rog’s flask-sneaking act. She fears that if he’s spotted swigging from “Mr. Aspinal,” it could tarnish her professional reputation and make them appear cheap or uncouth to her theater colleagues. For Ellen, Rog’s flask belongs in the “prop” category – fine for the festival circuit, but not fit for her work stage.
Rog’s Rebuttal: What’s the Harm in a Wee Dram?
Rog, for his part, sees his hip flask habit as a harmless bit of fun. Far from a furtive drinker, he always makes a point to buy a proper beverage at the theater bar in addition to any nips from his flask. He describes “Mr. Aspinal” as “very classy and very demure,” equating it to a gentlemanly accoutrement of a bygone era, like a dapper trilby hat.
“I’m very lucky to be Ellen’s plus-one to the theater. I’ve seen some great productions. I take Mr. Aspinal along with me because with a hip flask you can just have a little nip here and there. You don’t have to wait until after the show,” Rog explains.
As a conscientious teacher, Rog would never dream of overindulging to the point of impropriety. He simply enjoys the option of savoring a wee dram of his favorite mezcal as the mood strikes him throughout the performance. And as his prized wedding present from his best man, “Mr. Aspinal” holds great sentimental value that Rog loves to keep close at hand.
Though Rog has so far abided by Ellen’s wishes to leave the flask at home for her work events, he questions why she’s so concerned about others’ opinions of his subtle sipping. “As long as I’m not making a fool out of myself, Ellen shouldn’t care either,” he contends.
Seeking Applause-Worthy Advice
This hip flask hullabaloo has left Ellen and Rog at an impasse. She longs for his support in putting her most professional foot forward at her new job. He wants to maintain a cherished ritual that he sees as harmless fun. In the court of public opinion, must Rog’s flask be permanently banned from Ellen’s work theater? Or is there a compromise to be had that will allow both parties to take a bow?
As the couple turns to the sage wisdom of internet strangers to help them resolve this marital melodrama, perhaps the real lesson is in learning to communicate, compromise, and take things a little less seriously – both on and off the stage. After all, at the end of the day, what matters most is the love and laughter they share, hip flask or no hip flask.
