In the mouth of my feet: the glorious history of the Canadian club of alcoholics "Sour Finger»

In the Canadian town of Dawson, every dog knows this legend. In the winter of 1920, local bootlegger Lou Linken and his brother Otto were taking another batch of rum to the United States. A terrible snowstorm came, and the dogs that were carrying the sledge were alarmed. Lou had to dismount to calm them down. His feet got wet as he circled the dogs. But it was impossible to return: the brothers were afraid of a police chase. So the journey had to continue. 

Soon Lou's thumb was stiff. There was no choice but to chop it off to avoid gangrene. Otto's axe was not long in coming. The brothers decided to keep the finger as a souvenir and put it in a flask of rum. Would they know what adventures await the orphaned body part after their death… 

Half a century after the events described, a certain Dick Stevenson was cleaning up the shack where the Linken brothers had previously lived. I found the flask and, of course, looked inside. And there is a withered toe from a human foot. Dick thought it best not to make hasty decisions, and asked his comrades what to do with the finger. As a result of the discussion, a fresh idea was born: to establish a Sourtoe Cocktail Club on the basis of a local bar. Sourtoe Cocktail ("Sour finger cocktail") - so they called a glass of whiskey in which the detected finger splashes.

The club, founded in 1973, still exists today. Moreover, it has become the main attraction of Dawson. To date, the club has more than ten thousand members. The rules of entry are as follows (we quote):

1. Go to the Sourdough Saloon (the name of the bar) and ask Captain River Rat. 2. Order a shot of whiskey. 3. Say the "Sour Finger Oath". 4. Watch as the dried finger is thrown into your whiskey. 5. Drink a cocktail.

Separately, it is noted that you can drink quickly, but you must definitely touch your finger with your lips.

Certificate issued to new club members

In 1980, the club lost its symbol. Some local miner accidentally swallowed it while drinking his 13th cocktail in a row. The incident apparently occurred due to the fact that at that time among the visitors of this bar it was considered normal to first hold your finger over your mouth and then spit it out.

I had to find a new finger. However, there were no special problems. The menu included an announcement that anyone who donated a big toe to the club would be permanently inducted into the Sour Toe Hall of Fame. Car accident victims and people preparing for amputations were quickly found who were happy to support the club.

After the incident with the miner, it was decided to prohibit laying a finger on the cheek. And anyone who does swallow it-intentionally or not-will be fined $ 500.

However, these draconian measures did not save the club from the loss of sacred artifacts. For 37 years, the organization has lost at least eight fingers. Some were stolen, some were swallowed. In 2013, a fairly tipsy man came into the bar, put $ 500 on the counter and brazenly swallowed the symbol. After that, the fine was raised to $ 2,500.

And a month ago there was another theft. So the Sour Finger club needs investment again. If you want to get into the Hall of Fame, bring the unwanted body part to Dawson.