I'm not quite sure what thread this should belong to, maybe buffalo theory and beer because quite frankly its a bit of a joke, or should it be in things you've overheard in a pub except I didn't overhear it I was part of it and I wasn't exactly in the pub but almost,or is there a I don't bloody believe it thread somewhere? I don't know so I'll put it out there on its own.This is how it went.Myself and two mates arrived at the The Palm Tree at about 12.50pm after a pleasant pint in the The Eleanor Arms .We approached the pub from the side and saw a couple women standing at the open side door and naturally came to the conclusion it was the Landlady and or bar staff. Hello we said ,hello they replied not making any effort to move aside, are you open? We enquired, I can open if you want, why do you want a drink? Yes please was our reasonable response. I can open in a minute do you want a drink out here while you wait? Ok . What do you want then? What have you got ? we replied, have you any real ale? Yes she said. Ok what ones we asked trying to ease the conversation along,Ill go and have a look she said disappearing into the interior,on her return she informed us they had Mighty Oak Snake in the Grass and Breakspears Oxford Gold, we settled for the Mighty Oak,off she went.The other lady then spoke , do you want to pay for them then? yes we said enthusiastically,how much?I'll go and have a look she said, We paid on her return and waited for the change at which time lady number 1 reappears beerless and heads down to the cellar, a good sign I thought. Finally change and lukewarm beer arrives in PLASTIC glasses . I'll open the pub in 15 minutes we were told ,we'll go and gaze into the canal then we said.We supped our rather insipid warm beer trying not to spill it down us as we manhandled our flimsy glasses, in the end I ditched the remaining dregs of my beer having tired of it . We'd had enough an decided not to stay any longer,we rounded the building to the side door to find it firmly shut and no outward sign of life whatsoever. We took off for pastures new which turned out to be much easier and much more rewarding.