Soup of the day

Craig Menes’ love of liquid meals landed him with an obvious nickname.
The 29yearold said the name ‘Soupy’ was coined only fiveyearsago, when he worked as a barman in the Pakenham Hotel.
“I’d never had a nickname until that fateful night,” Craig laughed.
Soupy, who lives in Pakenham, was sitting at a table with previous hotel owner Bryan Cunningham and friend Mark Woods, when the conversation turned to the subject of the quality in canned soup.
Bryan was boasting about his favourite crème de celery range when the normally quiet Craig chimed in as the greatest advocate for Campbell’s Country Ladle soup who ever lived.
Mark said Soupy went on about Country Ladle for hours.
“After three hours of sheer hell and boredom, and a trip to the supermarket to get a can, we knew Craig had real issues when it came to soup,” he said.
Bryan and Mark started to believe Craig had never eaten a solid meal in his life.
“He might have lived solely on a diet of Campbell’s Country Ladle,” Mark said.
But the penny truly dropped when someone pointed out that Craig didn’t have a nickname.
“And Soupy was born,” Craig said.
Craig said the nickname follows him most places and has limited his choice of entrée whenever he’s dining out.
“I can’t order soup when I’m out, because I never hear the end of it,” he said.
Lines like ‘no soup for you Soupy’ or ‘you can’t have soup and eat it too’ soon surfaced, but they don’t worry Craig.
“After a few beers, Soupy can turn into Soapy.
“That’s a bit worrying,” Craig said.
Or how about the rhymes?
“Soupy Doupy has also evolved,” Craig said.