I like your 3 guys sitting and sipping suggestion except that it rings to neat for me.

Rarely is the world that close to perfection and I am a bit of a sceptic hence my comment - 'I do not think in the least that the realization came to both at the same time.'

That is just for two, for three guys to agree is too much for me to consider as a likely possibility especially if one is from Cliffs.