in the dimly lit backroom, an offstage sanctuary for those seeking solace in the shadows, a mysterious case unfolds. the key to it all, i realized, lay in a single word: beer. the disregarded pint, standing preexpulsively on the counter, hinted at a solution more intriguing than any i'd encountered before. to restart my investigation, i had to venture offstage, into the world where secrets find solace in the silent stories of those who leave their tales in the glasses they barely touch.