RAY: This was sent in by a fellow named George Parks from somewhere in cyberspace. He writes and I quote, "My son was sitting patiently waiting for service. After a while an attractive young lady came over and asked if he'd like something to drink. He replied, he'd like a beer but since he's youthful in appearance she asked him to produce an ID. She checks his ID and seeing no problem served him his beer. Four hours later he's still in the same seat and he asked the same server for another beer. To his surprise she again asked for his ID.
TOM: Oh, short memory, eh?
RAY: Well, no, she forgot who he was, I mean she had a lot of people to take care of. This time he produces the same ID. The server told him that unfortunately she could not serve him alcohol at this time. And that it would be illegal for her to do so. And it had nothing to do with closing times or the fact that he had too much alcohol already or anything like that. And the question is what was going on here.
TOM: It could easily be.
RAY: George's son was returning from a study trip in China and he was flying from China to America, and when he got on the plane it was his 21st birthday. So the plane takes off, he asks for a beer, the server checks his ID and in fact I could have added she checked his ID and said, "Happy birthday, today's your birthday. But that would have made it too easy. But four hours later when the plane had crossed the international date line George's son lost a day.
TOM: He was only 20.
RAY: He was only 20.
TOM: That's an interesting question. Does it have to have been an American airline in which case --
RAY: -- well, I don't know, I would expect, I don't know what the rules are.
TOM: I don't, I shouldn't even ask these questions because first of all 21 is the age limit in the entire country of the United States?
RAY: I believe so. I think that's the internationally recognized drinking age.
TOM: I don't think that's true. And all I can say is that I don't think that airlines ever check.
RAY: Oh yes they do. Anyway, who's our winner?
TOM: The winner is Dottie Davis from Valdosta, Georgia, and for having her answer selected at random from among all the correct answers that we got, Dottie is going to receive a $25 gift certificate from the Shameless Commerce Division at the Car Talk Section of Cars.com. By the way there are some wonderful new items in the Shameless Commerce Division, I was looking just the other day.
RAY: Is any one of them 25 bucks?
TOM: No. But with the 25 dollars she can get a paperback copy of our book, In Our Humble Opinion, which just came out in paperback.
RAY: Really, has it improved any in paperback?
TOM: It's a lot lighter. And it's a lot cheaper. So you can get that Dottie, or you can spend your 25 bucks in some other frivolous way.
[ Car Talk Puzzler ]
