Mayor Francis Slay received a phone call this afternoon from Carlos Brito — the man who will head the new company known as Anhesuer-Busch InBev — after the buyout became official today.

And — surprise? — the mayor says Brito’s not such a bad guy.

“Since most of the world had already heard the news that his company had formally completed its purchase of Anheuser Busch, the call was a courtesy,” Slay said in a statement. “But, it was conducted with the easy charm that I have come to expect from him. I think that St. Louis is going to like him — and I am looking forward to working with him.”

Brito, Slay says, is eager to take up the mayor on his offer of giving the beer executive a tour of St. Louis neighorboods and instituions.

For the next few months, Slay said, Brito will be busy “changing things at A-B,” which has perhaps an ominous sound for many on Pestalozzi Street.

The mayor, though, is taking a more sunny view.

“St. Louisans will now be sharing one of the largest infusions of wealth into this region in our history,” Slay said. “Given the state of the national economy, it probably could not come at a better time.”