Miller squinted. He didn't pick it up. He just leaned over, his spectacles sliding to the tip of his nose. "Vertical, huh?"
"Turned twenty-one today," Leo said, his voice cracking just enough to betray him. "Check the 'Under 21 until' date."
Leo exhaled, the weight of the vertical plastic finally lifting as the first cold glass of freedom slid across the bar. can you buy alcohol with a vertical license illinois
Leo slid the card onto the wood. It sat there, a vertical pillar of anxiety.
The bartender finally pinched the card between two thick fingers, lifting it toward the light. In Illinois, the vertical format was a scarlet letter for the underage, a design meant to save bartenders from doing the math. But the math was right there in bold red text: Under 21 until 04-28-2026. Miller squinted
A few years ago, some spots in Chicago or the suburbs might have turned him away on principle, citing "house policy" to avoid the risk of a sting. But tonight, the bar was quiet, and the date was undeniable.
Miller grabbed a pint glass. "First one’s on the house for surviving the DMV," he said, the ghost of a smirk appearing. "But get that thing swapped for a horizontal one tomorrow. It makes my eyes hurt." "Vertical, huh
"Today’s the twenty-eighth," Miller grunted. He looked at the card, then at Leo’s peach-fuzz chin, then back at the card.